There comes a time in every young cyclist's life that they realize that the reason they can't ride for more than a maximum 2 hours at a time is because their own saddle has been plotting to kill them by a slow and painful death of attrition. When that time comes, the search begins.
Saddle reviews are a very difficult thing - the saddle is one of the aspects of a bike that really truly does depend upon preference and how someone's body is built. This doesn't just vary between genders, different people have different body types and feel different levels of comfort on different saddles. So a saddle review is a little silly, since it's as if I were measuring my own foot and dictating to the world that my foot is the correct foot size and all shoes must now be manufactured to my foot-size specifications. That's all a little too imperial for my tastes, but what I can do with a saddle is tell you how I reacted it, it's technical specs, and perhaps a few things to watch out for if you're looking at this saddle in particular.
Saddle companies will all start out with the same claim nowadays - they all have some sort of technological jargon to use to explain how they tested their saddle to oblivion and made sure that it's the most comfortable and high-performing saddle on the planet. Anatomical, ergonomic, inForm, BodyGeometry, idMatch, etc, etc, etc. This can all get a little overwhelming since it's mostly marketing mayhem, but there is some basis to these nomenclatures and most companies offer a handy way of determining your riding style/posture and which saddle of theirs might be the best fit for you. It's a useful tool to get started.
Bontrager's version of this is the aforementioned "inForm." What does it mean? That doesn't really matter so much as how they differentiate their saddles into different postures from 1-5, 1 being most aggressive (Time Trial and Triathlon, aero stuff) and 5 being most relaxed (recreational, hybrid riding). The Serano slots in at Posture 2, so it's performance oriented for some of the long classics road races where comfort is an important aspect of the race. Just for perspective, the Serano is ridden by Classics rider Fabian Cancellara, and 'Cross-monster Sven Nys.
Saddle companies will all start out with the same claim nowadays - they all have some sort of technological jargon to use to explain how they tested their saddle to oblivion and made sure that it's the most comfortable and high-performing saddle on the planet. Anatomical, ergonomic, inForm, BodyGeometry, idMatch, etc, etc, etc. This can all get a little overwhelming since it's mostly marketing mayhem, but there is some basis to these nomenclatures and most companies offer a handy way of determining your riding style/posture and which saddle of theirs might be the best fit for you. It's a useful tool to get started.
Bontrager's version of this is the aforementioned "inForm." What does it mean? That doesn't really matter so much as how they differentiate their saddles into different postures from 1-5, 1 being most aggressive (Time Trial and Triathlon, aero stuff) and 5 being most relaxed (recreational, hybrid riding). The Serano slots in at Posture 2, so it's performance oriented for some of the long classics road races where comfort is an important aspect of the race. Just for perspective, the Serano is ridden by Classics rider Fabian Cancellara, and 'Cross-monster Sven Nys.
The RL (Race Lite) is in the middle of the performance spectrum, great for casual racers and riders who love performance. At $150 it isn't cheap, but it's about what you'd expect from a saddle of this caliber.
One of the most notable things about this saddle right off is it's long, sweeping shape, reminiscent of the long-nosed, long-curve saddles of the 80's and 90's. It's certainly a classy and snazzy look, but as a result the rear-end of the saddle feels a lot wider than it really is. I tested a medium (138mm) which usually suits me on most saddles, but the width of the Serano did become troublesome on long rides, so you may want to try out a few different widths before you decide to buy.
One of the most notable things about this saddle right off is it's long, sweeping shape, reminiscent of the long-nosed, long-curve saddles of the 80's and 90's. It's certainly a classy and snazzy look, but as a result the rear-end of the saddle feels a lot wider than it really is. I tested a medium (138mm) which usually suits me on most saddles, but the width of the Serano did become troublesome on long rides, so you may want to try out a few different widths before you decide to buy.
The medium saddle weighs about 220g, which is pretty light, but your bike won't be floating away unless you go up a step to the full carbon RXL model which shaves off about 30 more grams.
Rails are titanium, which keep things comfy and light, but if you're taking the saddle off-road at all you may notice a lot of creaking from where the saddle is bonded to the rails. Most weighted bumps and jolts made a lot of noise, which probably isn't the case with the carbon model.
Rails are titanium, which keep things comfy and light, but if you're taking the saddle off-road at all you may notice a lot of creaking from where the saddle is bonded to the rails. Most weighted bumps and jolts made a lot of noise, which probably isn't the case with the carbon model.
Other than these little features, I found the saddle itself to be comfortable and without any performance issues over most road surfaces. Even after a crash or two the Serano held up great, and the "Zone density" padding across the center of the saddle felt like just the right amount of cushion in just the right place. I don't know that I'd put a Seron on my own 'Cross or mountain bike, but it's deceptively comfortable and light considering it's design inspiration is a little retro. More than that, it really looks fantastic, and will class up just about any bike you put it on.
I don't know that it's appropriate considering my apprehension about rating saddles in general, but the Serano RL can easily grab a 4/5.
For more info, visit trekbikes.com
I don't know that it's appropriate considering my apprehension about rating saddles in general, but the Serano RL can easily grab a 4/5.
For more info, visit trekbikes.com