Selle Royal Becoz Moderate saddle

Weighing in at 523g (broadly comparable to a Brooks B17), the Selle Royale Becoz Moderate men's saddle is aimed at more relaxed bike ositions that angle the rider's spine at 60 degrees, placing considerably more pressure upon the sit bones.

On cursory inspection this looks like another generously padded leisure orientated saddle but delve closer and it's bristling with high tech, shock absorbing recyclable technology. Yep, those short, steep steel rails might not set pulses racing but they're dependable, nicely finished and plug into a really clever bio-base.

This combines recycled plant-based plastics with elastomer and foam elements derived from natural oils adding some discrete damping. Ah, but the wizardry doesn't stop here. Internally we've got 'Corkgel'- polyurethane gel blended with recycled cork. This clear goo is visible through a discrete centre strip in the wheat cover, which has a unique but not unpleasant texture fortified with FSC approved conifer shavings for additional purchase and recycled leather badges adding a colour coordinated finishing touch.

Build quality is excellent throughout with neatly screwed construction (rather than simply bonded or stapled). Regular abrasion from rendered brickwork, trees, foliage and street furniture have made negligible impression.

I'm suppopsed to fit a 143mm wide saddle, so you'll appreciate my initial scepticism having clapped eyes on the Becoz Moderate's 183mm base. There is an 'athletic' sibling some 19mm narrower, though its male-centric 283mm nose might alienate many women. Similarly, its tendency to position the rider further back may also present reach issues.

Thankfully, ours coincided with my tubby tourer's adoption of moustache pattern bars and 20mm shorter stem but this still dictated moving the saddle further forward. Concerns it was too broad and would chafe, or otherwise hamper respectable cadences evaporated within the first few miles, while still offering ample support, regardless of shorts/insert. Changing position requires a lift 'n' shift, rather than shuffle 'n' slide technique. This became fairly intuitive given twenty odd miles, though thinner, budget shorts/inserts tended to gather uncomfortably as a result.

Rains of biblical proportion had no impression, other than confirming that the cover iss fully water tight. Supportive padding and clever elastomers isolate light to moderate trail buzz handsomely too, delivering a subtle zing, allowing seated procession across washboard tarmac and moderate dirt roads.

Verdict

Surprisingly sophisticated well engineered saddle for more upright rough stuff/touring and commuting