Review: Ergon SM & SR Sport Gel Women Saddles

When we heard that Ergon was updating and improving on their already great women’s saddles with a new model, we were immediately interested. Every cyclists knows what it’s like to sit on an uncomfortable saddle and how long it can take to find the right one, but for us girls this can be even more of a challenge. Instead, of just slapping a bright colour on a men’s specific saddle like other manufactures, Ergon goes about developing their SM & SR Sport Gel Women saddles with women cyclists in mind. They even went as far as to develop one for MTB riders, the SM and one for Road riders, the SR.

Because women’s pelvises differ from men’s, many of the saddles on the market don’t really fit properly. Ergon however designed these two to fix this problem. The forward relief channel, the wide V shape and relief inlays help alleviate pressure a on the pelvic bone and genital area. This allows riders to sit in the saddle longer, without feeling discomfort.

Christiane on the SR Sport Gel Women

I’ve been riding Road bikes for over 6 years now. It seems that I’ve tried everything in the search for comfort on my saddle. That means experimenting with various saddles, positions and bibs. However, no matter the combo, I was never completely free of discomfort especially when going on longer rides. Even speaking with my cycling friends, all of the women seemed to have similar issues. So when I heard about the Ergon SR Sport Gel Women saddle, I wanted to get my hands on it as fast as possible to find out if it would be my saviour. To give it a proper test, I took it with me to Tuscany for my yearly trainings camp.

Installation and first impressions

With all my previous saddles, I have always mounted them so that the nose dips down just a bit. This usually helped with any pressure on my pelvis, no matter the saddle. However, I didn’t have to do this with the SR Sport Gel because the shape already has a slight forward slope. The larger width of the saddle took me a bit to get used to, but overall it is very comfortable. The saddle is also offered in black or in berry. The berry version comes with matching handlebar tape as well. A great combo on my bike!

Goodbye discomfort!

Every kilometre ridden made me happier and happier. The longer I spent on the bike the more astounded I was that I hadn’t felt any discomfort. Even after 6 days of heavy riding and long tours, I was only ever comfortable. I didn’t feel any of the usual pressure on my pelvis, genital area or lower back. While I was riding with a smile, all of my friends had something to complain about as we rode on.

Sabrina on the SM Sport Gel Women

Even though I was always happy with my Ergon SME3-S saddle, I wanted to give the new SM Sport Gel Women a try. I was curious about what Ergon had done to make a women’s specific saddle, especially since I was so happy with mine already.

Size and first impressions

My seat bones are 12 cm apart, so I went the size S/M. Sure I could have also gone with the M/L since it is recommended for 12-16 cm, but I prefer my saddles narrower. When the saddle came, I was impressed by the gel inserts that I was sure would be comfortable. I was also surprised at its light weight of 280 g. The saddle is also available in black or berry to give you bike a little colour or to keep it simple.

Comfort right from the start

Having ridden Ergon saddles for a while, I didn’t need much time to get used to it. The soft gel padding didn’t bother me at all and after spending 3 hours ridding, I was astounded that I didn’t feel any numbness or pressure. Exactly what I need from a saddle!

Ascending or descending, the saddle preformed great. It was still stiff enough to not suck power out of my pedal stroke and on the descents it was just as reliable.

Summary

Overall, I am very happy with the SM Sport Gel women saddle. Ergon has released a great product that is truly made for women. I have never felt so comfortable on a saddle before. Now I spend more time in the saddle than ever without ever feeling any discomfort!