SDG Bel Air V3 Overland Lux-Alloy Saddle

The SDG Bel Air V3 Overland is really solidly good for the kind of riding that name implies – ‘overlanding’ being a kind of adventurous 4WD touring across rough, but not insane, off-road terrain. In bicycle terms that’s trail, cross-country or gravel, and for such riding this specially reshaped Bel Air proves comfortable, tough and stylish, with a weight (and price) that’s just as quietly suitable.

For more options for every budget, check out our guide to the best road bike saddles.

Saddles are hard to review because arguably their most important aspect – their comfort – is subjective. We can't really say if they're going to be comfortable for you, which is awkward, because what else do you really want to know?

Well, you might want to know the weight, which in this case is 234g. That’s actually 4g heavier than claimed (gasp), but in line with many rivals at similar prices. It’s not going to impress those running the fastest, lightest gravel or XC bikes they can, but if you’re speccing a more regular bike (or even a winter trainer), it’s not going to trouble you at all.

You might want to know what it's made of, though you can probably guess given the price and weight that it's not carbon or titanium. It's not heavy steel either – the rails are 'lux-alloy' aluminium, while the base is 'nylon glass', which we assume means glass fibre-reinforced plastic.

The slightly flexy rails and base, in combination with the injection-moulded EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam padding, result in an instantly comfortable ride. Which you may or may not find comfortable. I found it excellent, with a great combination of pedalling-efficient firmness and shock-absorbing give.

Both the central pressure-relieving channel and the nose itself are on the wide side of things, but far from excessive, and very supportive in all the right places. Or the wrong places, if your right places are elsewhere.

Despite the cutout, I never found wet rides creating unfortunate bidet-like water jets; presumably it’s far enough forward to be out of the line of fire from rear wheels.

Like Mickey Rourke, the Bel Air has been around for roughly 1,000 years and has clearly had a bit of work done of late. The shaping has been rejigged: while elsewhere in the lineup the padding and tail rise have been increased to suit modern geometries (such as the the V3 Max), the Overland’s tail has actually been lowered.

It’s done no harm when it comes to old-fashioned geometries like those found on gravel bikes – not a million miles away from those of decades-old XC bikes – and I found this ideal on my steel Temple Adventure Disc. It’s secure under power, doesn’t get in the way when you stand up, and its seamless cover stays grippy enough once it’s filthy.

A word on that cover – the saddle in the official product shots has a big ‘Overland’ logo embossed across the rear edge, while ours is blank. Presumably we were sent an early model and the retail versions will have that logo.

I found this V3 more comfortable and flexible than the earlier Bel Airs I ran on mountain bikes about, oooh, 2,000 years ago, even though I was younger and bendier and stupider then. Well, younger and bendier, anyway. If you’re familiar with the older models, the V3 Overland has a noticeably less ‘hammocky’ feel to it, which makes moving around (both for control and long-ride comfort) easier. It’s still a supportive shape, though, and it works very well, at least for me.

The Overland is well up to dealing with mud, flying stones and occasional crashes too, despite having no extra bumpers around the tail, and it hasn’t suffered at all from being ground upside down into car parks while I fit and remove wheels. Apparently the highly advanced cover uses neither staples nor glue, and is effectively vacuum sealed on there like a lamb chop to a polystyrene tray. 

Value

At £70.83 this is reasonably priced for its weight and quality, especially given how comfortable it may or may not be in this unnavigable world beyond objective reality.

The Prologo Dimension AGX 143 T4.0, for example, is £94.99 and slightly heavier at 248g, though it scored an impressive 9/10 from our reviewer Stu.

There are cheaper and still very good saddles, though: the Smanie GT 137 is only £59.99, though it's heavier still at 267g. Also at £59.99 – and frankly this one's a bit of an outlier – is the Prime Doyenne Shorty Saddle with titanium rails. If a shorty suits you, it's a real contender (check out our review) and only 215g.

Overall

This is a great ‘do anything, go anywhere’ sort of saddle that’s very much at home on trails and gravel tracks – or rough back roads and winter streets, for that matter. The shaping tweaks for this Overland model have only improved the Bel Air.

Verdict

Stylish yet no-nonsense, tough saddle with well-judged tweaks to the shape