Skinny Saddle

Cross-country riders. It is 280 x 144mm and 235g, the lightest saddle we make, and the top is flat rather than deeply curved. That matters more than the weight: a flat platform lets you slide forward for a steep climb and back for a descent, which is something you do constantly on an XC course. A heavily shaped saddle holds you in one position, which is comfortable if that position is right and a nuisance if it is not.

Saddle width is set by the distance between your sit bones, not by how big you are — a common surprise is that small riders often need wide saddles. Too narrow and your weight lands on soft tissue instead of bone; too wide and the edges rub the inside of your thighs every pedal stroke. Most bike shops can measure your sit bones in a couple of minutes, and it is worth doing once. 144mm suits the majority of riders; if you measure narrow, the Adlib at 128mm is the one to look at.

Start dead level — a spirit level or a phone app laid along the top will do. From there, nose down a degree if you feel pressure at the front on long climbs, nose up a degree if you keep sliding forward. Change one degree at a time and ride it before changing again; saddle angle is a setting where a difference you can barely see is obvious after an hour. Get height right first, then angle, then how far forward the saddle sits on the rails.

A tough vinyl leather, chosen to survive rubbing rather than to look delicate. That is a deliberate trade: on almost every saddle it is the sides that give up first, not the top, worn through by shorts and by the occasional dab or slide. A cover that shrugs that off is what keeps the saddle looking like a saddle after a season.

Almost the same length and weight — Skinny is 280mm and 235g, the Adlib is 281mm and 239g — so the real difference is 16mm of width. Skinny is 144mm with a flat XC platform; the Adlib is 128mm and more streamlined, which keeps it out of the way of your thighs. Measure your sit bones and let that decide, rather than the name.

7mm round CrMo steel rails — the standard size, so any normal seatpost head will clamp them, dropper posts included. Worth knowing if you are looking across our range: the DJ is the odd one out at 8mm and needs a post made for that.