Since I ride a road bike for medium-long rides, I need something low-profile without a lot of padding. This saddle meets those criteria- which is to say, it's narrow and hard as a brick. If you want a saddle that will lovingly cradle your baby-soft buttocks in an a downy cloud of memory-foam gel, then this is not the product for you.
If, however, you want a dirt-cheap saddle with good support that won't chafe your nethers on longer rides, you can't go wrong with this one.
As mentioned in other reviews, the rails are a little short, but all in all I feel satisfied with my purchase.
Recommends this product? Yes
Age:18 - 24
Gender:Male
Ownership:2 - 7 weeks
Usage:Every few days
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Review 3 for Ventura ASA MTB Racing Saddle
Pretty good saddle for the $8
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03/11/2011
By iRide
5out of5
I purchased this saddle due to another review on it. If you have ridden race type road saddles, then this is similar. It feels firm yet comfortable. The only bad point is that the rails are short, and do not provide much fore/aft adjustment.
I bought this saddle not expecting much considering the price. I really like it. There's not much to it. With very little padding and a smooth, hard, seamless surface it reminds me of an expensive ($100) Brooks saddle. It has the same hard/solid feel, and slight flex in its body which gives it a different kind of comfort than padding.
I've gone through a few saddles and got tired of spending $20-$30 for a saddle that fails in 3 months. The rubber skin tears. Or, stitched seams wear. At $8, it wouldn't be too bad if it fails in 3-6 months. And, I'm not sure it will fail. With little padding, and no stitching, it's just a solid, frictionless surface.
Caveat: if you like soft, plush, cushioned saddles, you won't like this. But, if you ride longer distances and found soft saddles chaff you, or you've already acclimated to a smaller/harder saddle, this is really a remarkable seat for the price. It's about the size of the Bell Dart (sold by Walmart for $20). Shorter in length.
For those who might consider switching from padded comfort to a hard/small performance saddles, give it a try. You can't lose too much at $8. It takes 20-40 miles for the nerves in your rump to get used to it (or die off). And then it feels much better than all that friction and chaffing of a padded, large seat. Once you make the switch it's remarkable (if you ride 5-10 miles at a stretch).