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Ergon bike recently sent us a couple of bits to rest our hands and keister on a while back. For the saddle we jumped aboard the SMR3 Comp. At just under $100, the saddle features a very interesting shape, TiNox rails, and durable construction. We’ve spent quite a few hours and even managed to crash a couple of times while aboard the SMR3 so it’s time to share our thoughts on it.
Info
Weight :235 g
Sizes : S (Small) M (Medium) and L (Large)
Rails : TiNox
Shell : Fiberglass Composite – Ultra Thin Y-Flex Construction
MSRP : $ 99.95
First Impressions
We ended up riding the medium width SMR3, and upon bolting it up, the first thing we noticed was the width out back. It was a touch on the wide side, and the transition between the nose and rear end wasn’t very gradual. The seat cover is a synthetic microfiber which Ergon states is more durable than leather, and stays softer over time. It’s also maintenance free and vegan. The construction all around seemed top notch. In terms of profile, the saddle is pretty flat fore to aft, no dips or curves. The rails and their attachment points seemed sturdy.
On The Trail
The first thing we noticed when riding the SMR3 was support out back. We ended up running our saddle a bit farther forward than we have with other saddles in the past. This helped to encourage us to be really sitting over the rear end. We found that the profile between the nose and back helped us quickly transition back there into a comfortable seated position. The padding was ample and just dense enough front to back. We found the nose to be better than most when we had to shift up front for the steepest of climbs.
The material which Ergon uses for the cover was smooth enough that it didn’t inhibit us from shifting around and finding the right spot on the saddle during various types of riding. It also proved to be quite tough. We had a couple of bit crashes where the saddle took a beating. Any crash that’s big enough will blow up just about any saddle, but luck would have it that our SMR3 kept in great shape, likely due to its tough finish. The rails stayed straight underneath some miscalculated landings, and their attachments points never creaked – if you’ve ever experienced that in a saddle, you’ll know why we point it out as it can be quite obnoxious.
Overall
The SMR3’s price and weight are competitive, and throughout our test we found it to be quite comfortable – easy to move around on, no numbness, no excessive soreness…just a great overall seat. It’s a solid and durable mid priced offering and with 3 different widths on offer, why not give it a go? Perhaps you’ll find that you’ve been riding saddles that were too wide or too narrow for you in the past. Either way, we can’t find any fault in it, and we can tell you that it’s not difficult to spend more money on a less comfortable saddle.
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