Any Feedback on this full Carbon Saddle?

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Jmdesignz2
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by Jmdesignz2

ahah I get it now - it does look a bit like a ducks bill

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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

I actually have (and rode) that shortened Merek saddle. I can verify that the one I have in hand (although logos removed) weighs 87g on the scale... but I plan on "tuning it a bit" since I'm not using it at the moment and I want to experiment.

It's a good saddle, overall. A bit too wide for me, but the flex-wing action does work somewhat, as I mentioned earlier.
As for the length: it performs flawlessly as a normal saddle... but too short for a TT saddle, despite what you might have thought earlier. Basically the shape does not allow a person to be "on the tip of the saddle"... you have to rest your butt-bones into the wings. There is a dip in the surface to lessen any pressure on your soft tissue.

The longest length I rode with this saddle was about 120 or so miles, not too bad, and it was 'ok' overall.
Compared to the high end carbon saddles, it's not great.
But compared to the other budget carbon saddles it turned out to be pretty nice. It reminded me a lot of the older Specialized Toupe designs (circa 2004?), but in the wide versions.

You will also get *a lot* of funny comments and questions about it, by the way.
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random101
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by random101

Merek make a quality saddle.

jooo
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by jooo

prendrefeu wrote:... but too short for a TT saddle

It might not be great for riding on the nose as such, but I'd guess it still has merit as a TT saddle for some. Just thinking of how many pro's were at one stage using cropped saddles (the nose completely cut off). It lets you push the effective seating area forward and stay UCI legal compared to a saddle with a long nose. Whether this particular saddle shape works is another matter and that will always be a personal thing.

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kgt
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by kgt

Jmdesignz2 wrote:kgt ? you sit on a duck?

only when in the bathtube

Jmdesignz2
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by Jmdesignz2

prendrefeu wrote:I actually have (and rode) that shortened Merek saddle. I can verify that the one I have in hand (although logos removed) weighs 87g on the scale... but I plan on "tuning it a bit" since I'm not using it at the moment and I want to experiment.

It's a good saddle, overall. A bit too wide for me, but the flex-wing action does work somewhat, as I mentioned earlier.
As for the length: it performs flawlessly as a normal saddle... but too short for a TT saddle, despite what you might have thought earlier. Basically the shape does not allow a person to be "on the tip of the saddle"... you have to rest your butt-bones into the wings. There is a dip in the surface to lessen any pressure on your soft tissue.

The longest length I rode with this saddle was about 120 or so miles, not too bad, and it was 'ok' overall.
Compared to the high end carbon saddles, it's not great.
But compared to the other budget carbon saddles it turned out to be pretty nice. It reminded me a lot of the older Specialized Toupe designs (circa 2004?), but in the wide versions.

You will also get *a lot* of funny comments and questions about it, by the way.


prendrefeu
How would you compare this to Tune Kom Vor?

SLR vs Tune Kom Vor?

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prendrefeu
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by prendrefeu

Tune Kom Vor is a better saddle than the Merek.

I've never found comfort with an SLR, so no opinion there.
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gewichtweenie
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by gewichtweenie

as mentioned, that looks very much like the unpadded san marco aspide.

i had one of those. it HURT. promptly switched back to the trusty selle flite and pretty much gave away the aspide with a bike sale.

evolved even more retrogrouchy and up-weighted :lol: from flite to a brooks swift. that was crowned as my forever-saddle.

until recently experimented with one of these

Image

96g on the scale. advertised size 130x270mm

amazingly, even on first ride, it was just as or more comfortable than the brooks, mostly thanks to the center channel. also saved 400grams in the process. thats bang for the 20$!

addictR1
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by addictR1

gewichtweenie wrote:as mentioned, that looks very much like the unpadded san marco aspide.

i had one of those. it HURT. promptly switched back to the trusty selle flite and pretty much gave away the aspide with a bike sale.

evolved even more retrogrouchy and up-weighted :lol: from flite to a brooks swift. that was crowned as my forever-saddle.

until recently experimented with one of these

Image

96g on the scale. advertised size 130x270mm

amazingly, even on first ride, it was just as or more comfortable than the brooks, mostly thanks to the center channel. also saved 400grams in the process. thats bang for the 20$!


where did you get this from? do you have a link? also, do they have it in 143mm wide? thanks.

sanrensho
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by sanrensho

^^^I have one of those saddles (purchased from Aliexpress but also widely available on Ebay). Mine was 117 grams, but it is finished with a logo on it. AFAIK the standard width is 130mm.

gewichtweenie
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by gewichtweenie

addictR1 wrote:where did you get this from? do you have a link? also, do they have it in 143mm wide? thanks.


i got it from aliexpress store # 1097297 , they have it in plain black and a logoed version. although the same (or very similar) shape saddle can be found all over the site and elsewhere like ebay.... probably 1 or 2 factories pumping it out

addictR1
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by addictR1

Thanks... If only available in 130 that's too small for me. :(


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BRM
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by BRM

prendrefeu wrote:Side note: Can we stop saying "Chinese" for so many carbon things? I mean, yes a lot of the open-mold and non-branded stuff is coming from China, but so is your branded and high-marque stuff. Unless your frame was custom made, made in Germany, Italy or France there's a really good chance that your famous brand was also made in China - and yes, technically "Chinese" as well. Just call it generic/open-mold or name the specific brand (ie, Merek, Token) that produces it...


It's not wise to cover things with smooth names. Everyone knows what people mean with "Chinese" but not every reader is aware of other terms or how these mentioned brands work.

Branded items are very different where it comes to reliability and warranty and also they are often much more technical advanced. We don't need smoother names to bring them all more on one level. The current term "Chinese" gives transparant information of where you deal with. For every soul understandable.

Gavf
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by Gavf

BRM wrote:Branded items are very different where it comes to reliability......they are often much more technical advanced.


This is your opinion and your opinion only.

I have had MUCH better experience with open mould frames/saddles/bars than any branded stuff.

My recently purchased open mould framed (FM-066) is vastly better in every way than any Cannondale, Trek etc i have ever owned and i have spent thousands upon thousands of pounds on bikes over the years.

Branded bikes are dead in the water for me now, the marketing spiel from big name manufacturers will never work on me again

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BRM
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by BRM

You rip one sentence out a larger text, break it in pieces and left another piece out and then you think you have a point????

Didn't you learn in school that things must be seen in the context they are written?

Go back to the text I reacted on and then interpretate my text in the context it is written.




Its not just my opinion but I described facts.

It becomes even more hilaric that you not only convict my words but also bring in your own individual experience as the ruling factor.

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