Liv Contact Comfort Forward Saddle

Liv's Contact Comfort Forward Saddle has decent padding for the sit bones without being too squidgy, plus a narrow channel that offers some relief for the more sensitive areas. It's competitively priced, designed to last and has an innovative attachment point for specific accessories.

• Pros: Durable, well padded, Uniclip feature
• Cons: May be too bulky for some

The Contact Comfort Forward sits at the bottom of Liv's performance saddle range. It's a significant step above Liv's Connect Models which are rather large, designed with comfort over performance in mind. If it looks too chunky for you, the Contact, Contact SL and Contact SLR models (£69.99-£129.99) are worth investigating. It's great to see a company offer a comprehensive range that reaches out to all styles and types of riders.

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Like other Liv performance saddles, there are 'Forward' and 'Upright' versions depending upon your riding style, the distinguishing feature being the channel which extends to the tip of the nose on the Forward models, relieving pressure on your more sensitive bits.

The saddle is solidly made, with hardwearing chromoly rails and a synthetic water-resistant cover. There appear to be no weak elements and there is nothing to 'rub off' over time. It's worth bearing in mind that, given its lack of cutout, it might be harder to mount on a bike with a 'top bolt' on the saddle pin.

It features Liv's Particle Flow Technology – free-flowing granules that allow the foam to conform to whatever sits on it. This, in turn, increases the contact area and reduces pressure points. I really noticed the effect around the sit bones.

I've used it on a couple of different bikes and it certainly looks at home on my commuting hybrid. Liv's promotional video shows it on similar bikes – and it never features on a road bike being ridden by a cyclist in full Lycra. As ever with saddles, it's horses for courses; if it suits you it certainly won't look out of place on a road bike, and I did try it on mine for a couple of weeks.

> Buyer's Guide: 11 of the best women's saddles & how to choose

I am very used to a much narrower saddle, something more akin to Liv's SLR that I reviewed a short while ago, so sitting on this saddle took some getting used to. The channel was too shallow for me personally – I prefer a cutout – but I know a lot of female riders who appreciate this kind of saddle on their road bike, so I'm sure it'd be a good option for many.

After a couple of weeks I moved it to my commuting bike, which I use twice daily for a six-mile ride to work. I have a much more upright position on it, and I adjusted to the wider, softer platform for this daily jaunt much more easily than I did on the road bike. I rarely put on cycle-specific shorts for commuting, so the saddle was providing much more protection for the sit bones than anything I have used previously. I still missed having a cutout, though, or at least would have liked a little more depth to the channel.

On either bike I couldn't have tolerated more than 90 minutes on consecutive days; my bum was fine but other areas were aggravated by the shallow channel and bulk of the nose. It was ideal for short rides to work over potholed roads, riding with a slightly more upright position. On both bikes it was noticeable how well the rails/saddle absorbed surface vibrations. On top of this, although it's early days it seems as durable as they come, so can handle the everyday use and weathering.

One potential extra benefit is the Uniclip feature at the rear of the saddle, which is uniquely designed to accommodate Liv's accessories, such as a tail light and saddle bag. While I didn't actually test these accessories, I can see the appeal – especially for a light. If you have the saddle on a commuting or touring bike and you're loaded at the rear, covering or blocking potential light mounting spots, Uniclip overcomes this.

The Contact Comfort Forward is £34.99, which is good value compared to similarly specced options. We haven't reviewed many like it, but a quick search brings up alternatives such as Selle Italia's Donna at £49.99 and its Sport Gel Flow at £39.99. And while Ergon's ST Gel Women is a similar design and is available in two different sizes, it costs an extra £20. If £35 is still too much for you, head to Wiggle and check out its Prime offerings.

Overall, I'd say the Liv is a good, well-priced model that will appeal to many tourers and commuters, and potentially keen road riders who appreciate a wider, more padded platform.

Verdict

Not a fan of hard, narrow 'racing' saddles? This might be for you, with decent cushioning and handy Uniclip feature