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review

B'Twin 900 Sport Saddle

8
£19.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Very comfortable and reasonably light saddle, at a bargain price
Weight: 
247g

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The B'Twin 900 Sport Saddle is an own-brand product from sporting megastore Decathlon, designed for 'sport' bikes rather than, say, leisure or commuting, hence the slim profile and narrow nose. It's comfortable, reasonably lightweight, pleasing to the eye and remarkably good value.

Saddles are a personal thing, of course. A slim and narrow seat with minimal padding might not suit everyone, but this style will be ideal for sportive or training bikes – and the design won't look out of place on fancier racing bikes either.

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The narrow nose means no rubbing on the inside of your thighs, a major plus in my opinion, although some riders might prefer slightly wider support.

A cut-out slot in the middle of the saddle is effective at reducing pressure – and unnoticeable when pedalling. Some cyclists will prefer a larger cut-out, while others prefer a solid top. As with padding and profile, it's a personal thing.

Padding here is minimal – a thin layer of gel under the cover – which is no bad thing; for many riders it's the padding in your shorts that counts, rather than the padding on your saddle.

Some saddles have extra-grippy panels, but although there aren't any on the 900 Sport I didn't notice myself slipping around particularly. The dimples might be helping here, as well as providing a touch of extra ventilation.

The B'Twin 900 Sport retails at £19.99, which is very good value. The low price is not reflected in a cheap look: on the top, the three-colour design is appealing, although some might prefer a single colour, while underneath it all appears well made, with no baggy seams or ugly rivets, although the fabric has frayed slightly in some areas.

The rails are chromoly, but despite the lack of exotic materials, the 900 Sport's weight of 247g on the road.cc Scales of Truth is very respectable. Top-end saddles costing five times as much weigh only a few grams less. Usually, only when carbon and/or titanium come into play do saddle weights drop below 200g, but then the price goes up even more. The Selle Italia SLR Team Edition, for example, is 178g and £115.

All in all, this is a very comfortable saddle. It's been fine for short training rides, and for a couple of more relaxed 100-mile outings as well. I put it on a bike last month to go for a test ride, and liked it so much that it hasn't come off since.

Verdict

Very comfortable and reasonably light saddle, at a bargain price

road.cc test report

Make and model: B'Twin 900 Sport Saddle

Size tested: Black/ Red/White

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

This saddle is aimed at 'sport' bikes rather than, say, leisure or commuting bikes.

The Decathlon website says: 'Designed for racing and endurance cyclists looking for a comfortable saddle with minimal weight. Ergofitsystem: Helps make you more comfortable. Durability: Chromoly rails. Easy Adjustment: Graduated adjustment marks on the rails. User Comfort: Central anatomic cut for greater comfort.'

Short and sweet, but a fair summary.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Information on the Technical section of the Decathlon website is even more concise: 'composition - chromoly rails.' But once again, it's a fair summary.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Quality of construction appears good. The upper is neat, while underneath the saddle – the usual giveaway spot – there are no baggy seams, misplaced staples or ugly rivets, though there is slight fraying in some areas.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Performance is very good, in that I found the saddle very comfortable, but saddles are a personal thing, so it may not suit everyone.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10

At 247g, weight is very good, especially for the level of comfort provided and the very fair price.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10

Comfort is excellent. The limited padding, slim profile and narrow nose all combine to make this saddle ideal for long or short rides. But – as mentioned above – saddles are a personal thing, so it may not suit everyone.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

Selling for a penny less than 20 quid, value is excellent for the level of comfort provided. That the saddle is well made and reasonably stylish as well is an extra bonus.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Overall, the saddle performed very well, in that it was easy to fit and comfortable to ride from the get-go.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfort and price.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Not a dislike, but it would be good to see this saddle available in a single colour.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

This saddle doesn't pretend to be top-of-the line, and it may lack some features of the more exotic brands, but the combination of instant comfort, reasonable weight and very fair price earns the 900 Sport a well deserved score of 8.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 53  Height: 5ft 10 / 178cm  Weight: 11 stone / 70kg

I usually ride: Aluminium Marin Alp for audax riding and winter training, a steel Jensen for tootling and commuting  My best bike is: a classic carbon Giant Cadex for sportives

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, trail riding, gravel riding and rough-stuff (off road on a road bike)

 

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3 comments

Avatar
Freddy56 | 9 years ago
0 likes

Worth a try. Nice review

Avatar
stukelly144 | 9 years ago
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as usual out of stock......

Avatar
farrell replied to stukelly144 | 9 years ago
0 likes
stukelly144 wrote:

as usual out of stock......

In stock for me.

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