Wil reviews the Ergon SR Allroad Core saddle
German brand Ergon has taken a unique approach to saddle comfort in recent years, drawing on an innovative material called Infinergy. Made by BASF, this springy E-TPU material forms a thick, vibration-absorbing layer that is sandwiched in between the saddle’s firm base and soft upper.
Being suited to a wide range of applications from road and gravel riding through to mountain biking, Ergon produces a range of different saddle types that incorporate this ‘Core HD Technology’. Here we’ll be taking a look at the premium SR Allroad Core saddle to see what advantages it brings to the trail.
Ergon SR Allroad Core Pro Saddle
- Weight: 257g
- Price: $239.95 AUD
The Ergon SR Allroad Core saddle is primarily designed for road and gravel bikes. However, given its bump-soothing abilities, we reckon it’s also well suited to long-distance XC riding and bikepacking.
The overall shape isn’t dissimilar to the regular SR and SM saddles, with the SR Allroad featuring a broad platform, a central relief channel and a moderately scooped tail.
It’s available in three different versions including the Comp, Pro and Pro Carbon. We’ve got the middle option, the Pro, which features titanium rails and a carbon composite shell. If you want to save thirty bucks, the Comp model swaps those for slightly heavier CroMo rails and a nylon shell.
What’s that foam sandwich?
It’s the middle part of the saddle where things get interesting. The ‘Core’ part of the name refers to the Infinergy layer, which is made from the same closed-cell particle foam that you’ll find in high-end Adidas running shoes Adidas.
This E-TPU material is designed to improve the saddle’s damping characteristics by absorbing shocks and vibrations from the ground. Ergon and BASF also claim that the Infinergy foam is able to quickly spring back to its original state after being compressed, giving it the necessary stability that’s required to support the rider’s sit bones over the course of a long ride.
Ergon adds its AirCell foam on top of the Infinergy Core layer, and then wraps it all up with a soft Microfibre cover. It all adds up to create a very comfortable saddle that offers a high degree of damping without being overly bulky.
Testing the Ergon SR Allroad Core saddle
As with most Ergon saddles, the SR Allroad Core is offered in two widths. There’s a Small/Medium size to suit a sit bone width of 9.5-12cm, and a Medium/Large size that’s made for 12-16cm wide sit bones.
To find out which one you need, simply sit down on a piece of cardboard, then measure the distance between the centre of the two impressions that are left behind. I’ve found this to work well with the SR, SM and E-MTB saddles that I’ve tested previously, and it resulted in a great fit here too.
That still didn’t prepare me for how comfortable the Ergon SR Allroad Core saddle was going to be out on the trail. The overall shape and feel is very familiar, but the Infinergy material works wonders at filtering out smaller high-frequency vibrations as well as medium-sized bumps. Whether I’ve been riding over shuddery corrugations on a dirt 4WD track, or across broken up bitumen on a disused road, the SR Allroad Core saddle has impressed with its magic carpet-like ride quality.
Flow’s Verdict
With its fancy Infinergy material, the Ergon SR Allroad Core saddle is a really impressive piece of kit. It’s been a great match for my Giant Revolt X gravel bike, which I seem to be taking on increasingly rougher and more technical terrain of late. That’s put a greater focus on overall compliance, and in that regard the SR Allroad Core has brought about a noticeable improvement over the stock saddle.
Of course saddles are highly personal preference, and what’s comfortable to you may be a very different experience for others. If the Ergon shape does work for you however, and you’re looking for more damping and comfort from your gravel bike or XC hardtail, then we can thoroughly recommend checking out the Core saddle range.
