Why Mags: A Comparison of Road Saddle Shapes
We’re comparing our Mags Road + Gravel saddle to other snub-nosed saddles by lining up each saddle from where the rider’s sit bones contact the saddles. This is important because it allows for a comparison of where and how the rider will feel the nose of each saddle.
The Mags saddle is relatively short, at 240mm long. This is the minimum length the UCI allows for. What this allows us to do is ensure the nose is not any longer than it needs to be - the longer the nose extends out front, the more narrow it needs to be to avoid rubbing the rider’s thighs and that more narrow nose sits between the rider’s pelvic bones, increasing the likelihood of painful soft tissue pressure. Here are 5 features we focused on when designing the Wove Mags:
1. Transition: Mags transitions from rear to nose with a quick taper to get the saddle out of the way to maximize thigh clearance and reduce the likelihood of thigh rub and chafing.
2. Nose Width: The Mags nose is narrow while still providing support for the pelvic bones - any narrower, and there would be an increase in soft tissue pressure & discomfort.
3. Nose Length: Keeping the nose shorter allows us to support the pelvic bones while reducing the likelihood of thigh rub. A longer & more narrow nose increases soft tissue pressure especially when the hips are rotated forward.
4. Channel: The Mags channel extends all of the way through the tip of the nose and remains deep. When a channel ends before the tip of the saddle’s nose or becomes shallow, soft tissue pressure is increased.
5. Padding: We made the Mags a very well padded saddle. Comfort improves performance, so we checked off the weight weenie box with a 126g saddle and the performance box with ample padding.
Notice the bare carbon at the rear of our saddle - this is where our rails attach to the underside of the saddle. We kept our rails narrow at that rear attachment point to increase the flex at the wings of the saddle for comfort. Covering that rear-center section of saddle with foam would add unnecessary weight, so instead you get to feast your eyes on beautiful carbon weave.
Saddles Compared: Wove Mags • Specialized Power Mirror • Pro Stealth Curved Team • Prologo Dimension CPC • Bontrager Aeolus RSL • Selle Italia Flite Boost Superflow • Fizik Vento Argo 00 Adaptive