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review

Pro Stealth saddle

8
£129.99

VERDICT:

8
10
A fine saddle for racers and time triallists, with adequate padding and comfort
Weight: 
205g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Pro Stealth is a fine saddle for fast racing and time trials, with the central cutout for pressure relief and quality padding making it good for rides of up to around 50 miles, though not great for much longer than that.

The Stealth was developed in conjunction with the Giant-Alpecin team at every stage of production, which suggests this saddle is primarily aimed at racing, although Pro does describe it as an 'all-rounder'. The carbon fibre base is reinforced for extra rigidity, so power isn't wasted with small amounts of flex. It has lightweight EVA padding for comfort, and a wide platform sealed with a PU material to protect it from wear and to stop friction with your cycling shorts. What's more, the Stealth is compatible with Pro's range of accessories that fit on the rear, such as its CO2, camera and race number mounts.

> Find your nearest dealer here

I tried the Stealth on a Cannondale Supersix Evo road bike and Ridley Chronus TT bike, and I have to say that it performed best on the latter for me over longer periods. I think there are more comfortable race saddles out there for really long rides, such as the Fizik Arione reviewed here, but the Stealth is one of the best all-rounders I've tried for both a more relaxed position and being right on the nose.

Pro Stealth Saddle 2.jpg

It took me a bit of practice and tinkering with the position to get a sweetspot where I could transition from being comfortably on the nose for sprint efforts and then reverting to being sat back without feeling like I was out of position; I found fixing the rails bang in the middle, and not extremely far forward, was the best way to achieve this.

Pro Stealth Saddle - detail 3.jpg

The central cutout is designed to relieve pressure on the perineum and to support the sit bones. Depending on the width of yours, Pro offers two widths: 142mm and 152mm. The Stealth is a unisex saddle, and as women often have wider sit bones the 152mm would be the more likely choice for them. I tried the 142mm and for me this felt fine; I managed to find a groove in the central channel that kept me comfortable on the hoods for well over three hours.

Pro Stealth Saddle - detail 1.jpg

Pro also offers a tri-specific saddle, the Aerofuel, which I also happen to have tried, and there's very little to choose between the two other than the Stealth offering slightly more padding (for a minuscule weight penalty) at the back for some more comfort in a road riding position.

Pro Stealth Saddle - detail 2.jpg

At £129.99 the Stealth is quite pricey for a saddle with titanium rails – Specialized offers its Power Expert saddle for £95 and it has a similar design with a wide, stubby shape and central pressure relief channel. Pro's high-end engineering and lightweight carbon base is the same as its carbon-railed version of the Stealth at £174.99, so for all but the very weight-conscious the cheaper one is the better buy. You can get carbon-railed saddles at a similar price point, such as the Bontrager Montrose we reviewed recently for £149.99.

> Buyer's Guide: Finding the right performance saddle

Overall the Pro Stealth is a very good option for racing and fast training. There's next to no flex and it's very solid. Although it's a little on the pricey side, if you get on with the cutout design and want something truly versatile, it's one of the better options out there.

Verdict

A fine saddle for racers and time triallists, with adequate padding and comfort

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Pro Stealth saddle

Size tested: Width 142m, rail diameter 7mm

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?

It's aimed at racers who want a saddle for all-out efforts, which means a wider nose for greater comfort in the time trial position and a stubby shape.

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

Pro lists these features:

Recess area to reduce pressure in a deep riding position.

Lightweight EVA padding

Smooth PU material to minimise friction with cycling shorts

Fits camera mount and bottle cage accessories

Stiff, lightweight carbon construction

Two different sizes and weights - 142mm (205g) and 152mm (210g)

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Racy yet fairly practical design, and the cutout gives plenty of pressure relief.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Great for fast efforts and it's well made.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

It's stiff and hardwearing, showing no signs of damage after taking it up and down some very bumpy tarmac.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
9/10

It's nice and light for the price, considering this isn't even the carbon rail version.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
7/10

Fine on the hoods, drops and in a TT position, although I found it a bit rough going on very long road rides.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

Comparatively good weight and performance for the price, but at £130 it's more expensive than most with stainless titanium rails as opposed to carbon.

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

For racing it was great and was comfortable on the nose of the saddle, therefore it served its purpose adequately.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfort in the TT position, decent padding that absorbs rough road surfaces well.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

I experienced slight discomfort towards the end of an 80-mile ride, but no more so than on any other race saddle.

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

As a race saddle I'd say it's very good, and I'd recommend it to an experienced rider looking for a racing saddle for road and/or time trials.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 27  Height: 179cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride: Road bike (currently Specialized Tarmac)  My best bike is: Ridley Chronus TT bike

I've been riding for: Under 5 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, triathlon races

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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2 comments

Avatar
mattqsack | 6 years ago
0 likes

so when you put this saddle on - did you have to adjust setback?

Avatar
Freddy56 | 6 years ago
0 likes

Im a convert to stub nose with my two specialized. This looks wider at the front but of you spend alot of time on the drops, and your hips are twisted forward, these are the logical support

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