Unbelievable, I bought this saddle two days ago and I love it as soon as I tried it the first time. It is difficult to put a saddle and try it with a century ride next day... so I did, and trust me this saddle is fantastic. Super comfortable and the wide cut out helps minimize perineal pain.
i can attest that this is the best saddle i’ve used so far. granted i have the comp model but the aeolus line is the only saddle i’ll use going forward.
Yeah this saddle is a godsend. I had purchased the Selle Italia SLR Boost and returned it after I found it to be way uncomfortable. I got this and right away I felt how comfortable it was. I rode with it today 40 miles and I was able to feel super comfortable with my arms resting on the bars Froome style aero AF. I highly recommend this saddle. I'll probably drop a review on it for my channel soon. I bought the Comp version.
Same issue here....I have the Selle Italia model as you have stated, and after more than a few thousand KM's, I still find it to give me discomfort, I guess I am persisting with it because it cost a bit, trying to justify it. I am going to try this out now
I've always used Fizik saddles (Excellent saddles but expensive) but while back, I got the first Elite Aeolus Bontrager saddle and once I installed it on the right position, it just felt GREAT & COMFORTABLE. In long and uphill rides it feels wonderful and zero numbness. Always suggest to put that nose down a little and you'll be alright and much more comfortable. Play with the position moving it back and forward, once you find the right position you'll be very pleased with it, I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to ride on normal or aggressive position.
@@chrohm did you try aeolus? I have montrose elite on my Emonda, happy, but i have aero bike Merida Reacto too and i am thinking to try Aeolus saddle on it, so i wonder how Aeolus would be comparing to Montrose?
@@srbjbt naw I’m still on the stock saddle, I settled into it pretty well but only have a thousand miles or so on it. I’m sure I’ll try it out at some point
Dr. Steven Schrader from NIOSH: “When you sit on a bike the pressure on the perineum increases sevenfold. Riders using a classic saddle place 1/4 of their body weight on the perineum. The amount of oxygen reaching the *** typically falls 70% to 80% in 3 minutes. A guy can have his oxygen levels drop 100% but he doesn’t know it. After half an hour he goes numb. Saddles with splits or holes may make matters worse because they have smaller surface areas, and hence the rider’s weight presses harder on less saddle. The arteries in the perineum run laterally and therefore they come under more pressure when they come into contact with the cutouts’ edges. It is no longer a question of whether or not traditional bike saddles causes ED, but what are you going to do about it?” Your own history confirms that you are not designed to sit on something resembling a 2 x 4 up on edge. The damage is by accumulation. So one day all the symptoms will present themselves but by that time significant damage is done. People 'trash' me for adding these comments but I have sold 42,000 seats and have talked directly to at least 6000 people and have heard every urological condition there is as caused by saddles. The common factor: they all trusted people like this and used saddles EXACTLY like these: the same old same old. Stop the damage and use a Spongy Wonder
I have just changed saddles also from the Specialized Pro Arc to the new Cadex Boost full carbon saddle (137g), only downside of the Cadex is the price at $349.00. I find it is a much more comfortable saddle for long rides especially, than the 2 Power saddles I own, bonus as well saving over 100gms.
Thanks, I need to check the saddle for sure. Looks very good! I have the older Specialized Phenom Gel MTB saddle in my Domane. The old Phenom model is very very good. Rock hard with minimal gel on top and the the surface matrial is the best in any saddles which I have tested - feels like some kind of leather. They made the Phenom model up to year 2013. Since then I have been searching a good saddle. It's too bad that my best MTB saddle needs to be in in my road bike and I would like to put it back my MTB bike! I remember 5 hours road riding in extreme hot weather and no issues! BTW I had the older Specialized Power saddle too but it was too wide on the sides and the cut out felt "too sharp".
Bought it, rode it, returned it. It was 'meh' at most. As soon as I rotate my hips forward into the drops, my man parts are begging for mercy. Very little padding.
Still watching, one quick note though: austenite steel is just a specific structure of stainless steel that contains a relatively high percentage of nickel. Extremely high corrosion resistance and high toughness are what makes those steels interesting. The carbon you mention is NOT the same as carbon fibre. Just the chemical element that is used to turn iron into steel, aka marketing bs in this case, if they specifically mention it. That being said, austenite steels are very expensive and for good reason.
Aight. Nice review! How would you compare it to a regular Specialiced Power? I've been riding one of those for a couple years now and love it. But by now the toplayer around the nose has completely rubbed off. And while it's generally the most comfortable saddle I've ever had, the locked in position feels odd, I can't really move back onto the winged area and there's not much room to move to the front...
The main differences between Gen 1 Power and Bontrager Aeolus are still the wideness and flatness of the nose. My main gripe with gen 1 power saddle was the severity of the nose of the saddle. I tended to find I needed dense chamois to handle an aggressive position. That said, I did a LOT of kms on that saddle and genuinely like it. Of the 3 saddles my preference is Aeolus, Power Arc, then Power. Next on my hitlist is an Aeolus Vs Power saddle video! I also wrote this article comparing them: www.lavelocita.cc/guides-page/bontrager-aeolus-vs-specialized-power-arc-saddle-comparison-review
Hi! Is there much difference in comfort, i.e. padding, between the Aeolus Elite and the Pro version? Here the Elite version comes with silver rails, but I like to have black rails. So then I would have to opt for the carbon version, but only if there's no difference in comfort. If the Elite is definitaly more comfortable than the Pro, I should go with the Elite and take the silver rails for granted.
Thanks a lot for this review. Really enjoyed watching it. I will buy and try this saddle for sure. One question, is it also comfortable in a more upright position? As I am not in always in the drops. Thanks. Keep up the good work. Danny / Netherlands
Hey Danny, thanks for your nice comment! It certainly can be comfortable more upright but it really depends how upright, for how long, and your physiology. Perhaps consider the wider version if you're planning to sit more upright.
great vid! how is it today 2.5 years later? Aeolus etlite rails' material is austenite and from what i have seen on Trek's website, the image shows that the rails are silver colored not black as yours in the vid.. do you notice any kind of rust on the rails especially where they're clamped? Thanks
It's not due to width. I´m trialling the 145 version and felt the same issue. Try applying some cream on the areas you feel the chafing. It doesn't need to be a special cream: anything you can buy at the supermarket will do.
Thanks for the review. I ride a 143mm Specialized Romin Pro on my TCR which I love but on my Surly Pacer I don't ride with padded shorts. I'm used to the anatomical cut-out and have developed (my ass) over many years on firm saddles without padded shorts and a pretty flat back in the drops, but looking for something suitable to replace my current Selle Italia which will improve my ride. What do you think about this saddle without a pad? Cheers.
Hey Daniel. Riding this saddle without a pad eh? Well I guess it depends on your iron arse! I've ridden it without a pad but not for more than 90 minutes. I'd say that it's more comfy than the Specialized Power Arc without padding because the slight flex in the shell is nice. But, I dunno, really depends on your personal preferences!
Could you use this for a triathlon bike? I have a trek speed concept. Or is this tailored more towards road specific bikes? I did read that this is good in the aero position in drop bars so i wonder if it would be okay on a tri bike
For sure! This is an excellent saddle to get into an aggressive position. It's not the fully chopped design like those weird Fizik Tri saddles but it's still designed for that forward position.
Ride Adelaide awesome! Thanks for the info and great review. I’m gonna go to my trek dealer and try out the saddle. I have the Hilo saddle that ive used for about a year but it starts to hurt on longer rides.
It could be. Think about it in terms of suiting the person. The bike is less important. It's all about whether it's a good choice for the person sitting on it.
Hi. I'm trialling the Comp version on a hybrid bike. This saddle will make you sit on its tip, favouring a very aggressive position, so make sure your handlebar isn't set too high. This is not a saddle to ride on in a vertical position! I had to swap a riser bar with a flat one in order to ride more comfortably, but the benefits of the saddle - I can apply more power on the pedals, thus riding harder and faster - were worth it.
I'd say it would. I liked running the Specialized Power saddle on my rigid MTB and I'd happily run this one on the same bike because it's more comfortable.
I have the Aeolus Elite, I tested it this summer in a mixed terrain trip (1500km 120k/day) I experienced some chafing specially in the sit bones only when on the Tarmac on long climbs and flats. Had no issues on gravel/offroad Did you experience any discomfort with it on the road ? (I am stil looking for my perfect saddle...)
Hey mate, I really haven't had any issues with this saddle. It's been brilliant for me since I started using it. Saddles are such a personal thing and saddle soreness can also come from things like bike fit, chamois choice, and general bike setup. Was changing saddles the thing that first caused your discomfort?
Would you recommend this saddle for a beginner cyclist on a gravel bike riding in a very recreational manner? Or do you have any other more appropriate recommendations? Finding the stock seat quite uncomfortable at the moment. Thanks
Hey Riley, saddles are such an important touch point and comfort will depend on your physiology. So it's less about whether you're a very casual rider or not, and rather about whether the equipment helps you or stops you enjoying bike riding. I'd say this saddle has potential to fit a wide range of people. It's certainly worth trying it you current saddle is uncomfortable. Start with the cheapest one and see if it works. Be sure to consider getting a bike fit too. There's a lot of things that can affect your comfort on the bike. It's money very well spent.
