Technique
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Parent Category: Technique
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Category: San Marco
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Published on Tuesday, 13 April 2010 08:22
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Written by Luca Salvatelli
A good compromise between comfort, weight and efficiency pedalling
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New saddle Regale or REGALe, where the "e" indicates the evolution of a historical model of San Marco, is based on the reinterpretation of a saddle born in the late seventies and used by many professionist. The new seat is available in three versions: Regale Racing, Regale Racing Team and Regale Carbon FX. The model Racing Team differs from model Racing only for graphics, model Racing is available in white or black, while the Carbon FX model is characterized by the hull and the slide in carbon. The Regale Racing, however, has a hull nylon with carbon fiber and a sled Xsilite. This is an alloy made of silice that allows you to have a sleigh resistant and rigid as titanium, but lighter. The padding is Biofoam, a material fact made by San Marco, who despite having the characteristics of the gel padding is much lighter for the same comfort perceived by the athlete. The hull is then achieved through a bi-injection manufacturing process, which allows the saddle to be deformable in the central part, thus reducing the pressure on the perineum. The coating surface is microfeel, lightweight, durable and stable over time. The seat has a dimension of 278x148 mm and a declared weight of 220 grams (+/- 10% tolerance), 238g we detected with our instrumentation.
Road test
Regale is undoubtedly a saddle perfectly realized, even if the weight is not much content. It ranks, therefore, to those saddles that before looking to the light weight and ride comfort on long runs. Excellent union of the various parties, as the sled with anti-skid finish, unfortunately, this solution has prevented the realization of the classical scale, useful to better position the saddle. The size of the latter are good, especially in width, so as to provide a good support, good conformation even the tip of the saddle, hold, so as to minimize contact with the inside of the thigh. On the move to appreciate the good support of the hull, drive right in the back and with a good flexibility in the central one. So the perineum does not suffer much, indeed almost nothing and only the most sensitive may experience some discomfort after several hours in the saddle. This is easily solved by tilting the tip of the saddle a few millimeters lower, further reducing the pressure on the perineum, or get a look to San Marco’s catalogue and choose another kind of saddle. Good comfort even on bumpy, but with new boats and sledges in carbon, some competitors are able to do better. Those who prefer a perfect isolation from vibration of the ground, will do well to choose, then, the model Carbon FX. The comfort remains on excellent levels, however, even after several hours in the saddle. Good rear width, not only assures a safe place being thrust on the pedals, especially uphill, where we can appreciate the stiffness of the hull, but also the comfort that comes from distributing your weight over a relatively broad. The padding of the saddle, to feel quite stiff and fine, in practice offers comfort comparable to other saddles from pad thicker and softer. Remains a saddle to be coupled with a good pad, so as to have a good comfort even on long journeys. Good, then, the definition of the front edge of the seat, and rightly so compact, so as to allow a perfect alignment of the legs and a very small contact between inner thigh and the edge of the seat. Conversely, as always, is not the saddle most suited for those who like to ride a lot in the saddle point, because the support is very low and the share slightly thick and comfortable. In conclusion, a saddle that much more with the characteristics of very homogeneous and with no particular flaws. Has a good comfort, good rigidity of the hull, a good base of support, allows for efficient pedalling and even a good decompression of the perineum. Frankly, the only real drawback is that we would have expected a lower weight, even if it is aligned to many competitors. A saddle, then, for those cyclists looking for a quality product, which ensures good comfort and pedalling efficiency, without looking much weight. The price of 159 Euro is not content when referring to his weight, but adapted to the construction quality of the saddle and the used materials; conclude, note that the carbon version Fx has a cost of 219 Euro and the version Racing Team of 169 Euro.
Positive aspects
General comfort
Good support of the buttock
Rigidity of the hull
Build quality
Pedaling efficiency
Negative aspects
Weight
Absence of reference points on slide
To learn more:
Selle San Marco
Website: www.sellesanmarco.com
