A comfy perch?

Columbia Bikefood rider Jon Shergold puts groundbreaking Fizik Kurve saddle through its paces

Honestly, this is a toughy. What can you say about a saddle that you can get on and put in two consecutive 200 mile weeks without a moment of discomfort? Stunning? Mind-blowing? Pick one, I guess…

After talking to the Hamish, the Fizik rep who had popped in to Mud Dock for a cup of tea and a chat, I had to try one of Fizik’s new Kurve saddles.

Kurve exploded

I’m regularly found putting in silly mileages (I race 12 and 24 hours) both for training and exploring, so contact points are important to me. This is doubly so on a road bike where it is not uncommon to spend upwards of eight hours chasing the horizon. As you can imagine a good saddle is essential!

The new range of Kurve saddles (named for the company’s animal-based scheme for making sure you have the right fitting) is aimed at riders who spend a long time in the saddle (hello…). We demand a high level of comfort from our perch.

The key feature of the design is a flexible composite base, the idea being that the saddle moves as you pedal. Cushioning comes from a thin layer of foam where its needed.

The combination of the new hull, rail and padding is certainly comfy. The Mobius rail is another development in the pursuit of comfort. Instead of connecting to the rear of the  saddle the rails are forged in a loop that suspends the hull, allowing the whole upper assembly to move with you while still supporting the right bits. You can further tune the flex by swapping the ‘Tuner’ at the nose.

I’m now coming up to 400 miles on a Kurve with no chafing, aches or pains. The feel of sitting in a saddle that moves isn’t obtrusive, but it is noticeable if you pay attention.

Final word? I think I’m going for stunning…