Review: RideOut Technologies Carbon Comfort Saddle

The wait is finally over. My husband saw the prototype of the RideOut Technologies Carbon Comfort Saddle at Interbike 2009, and I’ve finally got one of my own, with the pink trim. For the technical details, click here. If you want to know what it’s like to actually ride, continue reading.

Let me point out that I’m not an expert cyclist. I don’t own spandex shorts or fancy shoes. I like to ride on bike paths and after dinner rides with my family, but my old seat got uncomfortable on longer rides. That’s why I have been looking forward to trying out this new seat. The promise of more comfort is hard to resist.

My first impression was that it’s a bit funny looking, in a cute way. Shorter than a regular seat, and wider. The pink is a darker shade than it’s rendered in the photo below, and I prefer it over the standard green trim. The color doesn’t really matter when you’re sitting on it, though, only the comfort does. We spent quite a bit of time sorting out the correct height and angle adjustment. Since this is not your regular seat, Jeri from RideOut was kind enough to provide these instructions to help us get started: “Lower the seat post ½ inch, slide the seat to mid position and raise or bring the handle bars back toward the rider a ½ inch or so. Tilt the seat very slightly down.” That gave us a good starting point, and a few trips around the block confirmed the correct position.

Now that I’ve ridden it over the last few weeks, I can confirm that it is definitely more comfortable than my old seat. Short rides are a breeze, and I have the confidence to tackle longer rides without the fear of having a sore butt for days afterward.  It wasn’t exactly a day and night difference, and certainly took a little while to get used to, but it’s a noticeable improvement over the seat my bike came with, and one that is appreciated. This is not a life-changing breakthrough, but certainly makes bike riding more enjoyable. That was the goal of this product, and in my opinion, it has succeeded.

I’d like to thank Jeri from RideOut for providing this opportunity to review her product. While she sent us the seat on an evaluation basis, we’ll be purchasing it outright, rather than return it.  If you’ve tried everything else, and can’t seem to stay pain-free when cycling, I suggest you give the RideOut Technologies Carbon Comfort Saddle a try yourself. They offer a risk-free 30 day comfort guarantee too!

– Mrs. Outsider

* In an effort to do her part to help promote cycling, my wife has graciously offered the use of her bike (equipped with the new saddle) to several of her friends and neighbors. We’ll try to report any feedback, good or bad.

– Brian