Bontrager InForm RXL

Price Paid:  $159.00 at Helen Cycle

Bike Setup:
Specialized E5 S-Works with Shimano Ultegra powertrain and wheelset.

Summary:
I bought this saddle is because of the 90 money back guarantee. However, this is by far the worse saddle in terms of material, quality, and workmanship I have witnessed. How in the world they command a $159 price tag is beyond me.

First of all, comfort wasn't there. Perhaps it may work for your body type.

Secondly, the quality control sucks! The saddle came with covering seem already undone from one side. The covering is held down by staples and glue - talk about cheap.

Finally, the covering material is paper thin. Whatever it is made from, it will rub off very quickly thus exposing the white padding material. With less than 150 miles on this saddle, the edge around the nose of my saddle was worn from the occasional light contact with my thigh.

I'm going back with my Selle Italia leather saddles at this price range.

Strengths:
90 Money Back Guarantee.

Weaknesses:
Material, Workmanship, and quality control

Similar Products Used:
Specialized Gel Toupe, Selle Flite Gel Flow,

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I tried it on a few rides. 45-70mi. Couldn't stick it out like some of the others.

Looks nice, but I was not crazy about the painted rails.

Strengths:
90 day refund policy.

Weaknesses:
This was a stone to me.

Similar Products Used:
Specialized Toupe - good (worth trying)
Selle Italia SLR - great but hard nose
Selle Italia SLR GelFlow - best so far
Classic Flite - classic benchmark

Price Paid:  $130.00 at Rochester (MN) Cycle

Bike Setup:
2008 Trek Madone 4.5, Easton's EC90 SLX3 bars, Easton EC70 Sl wheelsets, Ulterga setup.

Summary:
I have a wide sit bone for a male and needed a new pro seat. I looked at Bontrager's website and there R&D on this saddle. Needless to say, a custom fit will taylor your pelvic bones. The custom fit is painless and only takes two minutes without any measuring tapes poking around. I tried this saddle on a 50 mile ride and had a sore butt for a week. I rode it on a trainer and got over the soreness. This saddle is very comfortable and there is enough padding to keep your happy. There is a slight flex on different positions, but the flex fits your contour during different positions. On the website Bontrager warns of soreness that's only because your body is trying to get comfortable and healthier. This backed by a 90 day full refund and 5 year warranty. Thats hard to beat. I did have to get re-adjusted to my bike and raise the seat post up. No penal soreness!

Strengths:
Cost, the custom fit, the flex, the power transfer, and stiffness.

Weaknesses:
sore butt on first ride.

Price Paid:  $165.00 at Helens cycles

Bike Setup:
Specialized 09 Ruby Expert/Dura ACE shift-brakes, 09 SRAM Rival compact crankset, 3t team stem-carbon bars. Wheels-Velocity Aerohead/CX-Rays/White Industry hubs.

Summary:
Being a 'wide sit-boned' woman, looking for a saddle that doesn't look like a chunk of foam from the couch was a waste of time, till I saw the RXL with a blue '154' sticker on it. 'Is that 154mm?' I asked the salesperson at the LBS. 'Yep.' I nearly fell over. It's light, carbon composite shell, hollow TI railed, no gel, and fits women? So I bought it real quick. The first ride had me thinking it was a mistake, but with the 90 day return, I kept at it. After the 3rd ride, it no longer hurt, but wasn't very comfortable. It took a good 10 rides to 'break in' (or for my rear to acclimate.) Now I feel nothing- it really does disappear and I don't think about it at all. Even after several hours I just feel nothing- almost a floating over the bike feel. Best saddle I have ever had. Gonna get another for my MTB. And it doesn't hurt that it comes in white with red accents, to match my white and red Ruby Expert.

Strengths:
What more can I say that I haven't already said in the summary. It really does disappear in moments and creates no pressure points. The feeling is of floating. It's light weight, feels well made and looks good too.

Weaknesses:
Only weakness I could find, was that it had me fooled at first. It hurt. Took 3 rides to stop hurting, and 7 or 8 more to actually feel good.

Similar Products Used:
Brooks B17 and Swallow TI, San Marco Aspide Glamor, Sella San Marco Royal, Terry Butterfly TI, Specialized Jet. Concor light, WTB Divo carbon - and others.

Price Paid:  $165.00 at bikeline

Favorite Ride:
madone

Summary:
Nice design. Looks good. Feels horrible. This saddle for me was rock hard on my sit bone area. No penial problems though. I sure did expect a better comfort out of this saddle at a 165 dollar price tag. I do understand that everbody is different in how a "feel" is for any given saddle out there. Saddles to me are the same as shoes. They either fit or they don't. Bontrager has a 90 day trail period, I lasted 1 week of pain. I returned it for a full refund.

Strengths:
Nice looking. Well built saddle. Good quality.

Weaknesses:
It does not work for me.

Similar Products Used:
specialized rl and bontrager rl