A Comparison of TT + Tri Saddle Weight
The Wove V8 TT/tri saddle was conceptualized out of a wanting for what was not available in the market: a TT saddle that...
- is well cushioned.
- provides ample soft tissue relief.
- has a nose that stays narrower longer to reduce thigh rub
- holds the rider in place.
- has a squared off nose to prevent rolling off the front.
- feels good to sit up on for long periods of time.
- includes an integrated water bottle mount.
- is low weight.
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Three saddles that were close to meeting the above needs, but lack two or more of the above attributes, are the PN3.0, Stride and Hilo Pro. The V8 is designed with all of these desired attributes in mind. Looking solely at weight, the averaged weight of those three saddles is more than double the weight of a Wove V8 saddle, and the V8 has no rider weight limit and surpasses ISO testing for strength.
In 2017, kileyay from the Slowtwitch messageboards did a crowd funded windtunnel test. He ended up titling the report, “Triathlon Bikes in the Age of Peak Aero”, because only 100g of drag separated the six bikes tested. Kiley later concluded that, if one had to choose, money spent on reducing overall bike weight might be money better spent than seeking to reduce aero drag, if the athlete is on the right saddle and already using high-level TT/tri equipment.
If we take the average weight and price of the three comparison TT saddles mentioned earlier and compare them to the weight savings of the Wove V8, the increase in price of the V8 compared to these other TT saddles comes out to $2.30 per gram saved. For comparison, if we look at a set of NSW 353 wheels and the same company’s 303 S wheels, the reduction in weight comes out to $12.70 per gram saved. We’ll let you decide if during a TT/triathlon, where accelerations are rare, a reduction in rotating mass is worth 5.5x more than the price/gram value the Wove V8 offers.
We’ve created the V8 saddle to check boxes for attributes missing in the current TT saddle market, and we propose that there’s value in the price per gram saved for those seeking that performance advantage.
Saddles Compared: Wove V8 • Gebiomized Stride • Bontrager Hilo Pro • ISM PN 3.0