Price Paid:
$59.00
at http://www.neuvation Favorite Ride:
Old La Honda Bike Setup:
Schwinn Fastback 27 Summary:
When I first decided to order this saddle I was a bit reluctant due to past experiences with other saddles under $100. Either they are too hard, have too much cushion or the shape is all wrong and I end up with saddle sores. After looking at the Neuvation S2 for several hours online and trying to imagine what the saddle would feel like I decided to pull the trigger and give it a try, the 100% satisfaction guarantee was what sealed the deal for me.
Just to give you an idea of processing & shipping times, it took about 7 days before I recieved the saddle via UPS Ground to Northern California (shipping times may vary to other parts of the country). Once it arrived I mounted it on my bike and took it for a 48 mile test ride. Usually after about 40 miles I can tell if a saddle is going to work for me or not. It also gives me enough time to get past that "This feels great!" after the 1st couple of miles impression.
The good news was the Neuvation S2 felt as comfortable after 40 miles as it did after the first. The shape is also nice because I didn't have any hot spots on my thighs or butt-cheaks. This saddle also felt comfortable in the drops due to contoured shape of the "love channel", this resulted in no numbness.
What originally attracted me to this saddle, as opposed to the S1 or S3, was the fact that my sit bones are suspended on rubber instead of sitting on a piece of thinly cushioned plastic. I ride a full aluminum frame which transmits every single road vibration directly to my saddle, the Neuvation S2 actually made my aluminum bike feel as comfortable as my steel cyclocross bike (my benchmark for plush).
From an astetic standpoint the Neuvation S2 appears to be well constructed. When you turn the saddle over and look at the undercarriage it appears to be top of the line. Everything is nip, tucked and finished with care and there isn't any weird staples sticking out or sloppy glue marks. The only astetic issue I've found is that you can see an impression of the rubber supports (where your sit bones are) in the top leather after you finish riding.
One complaint with the S2 is when I remount, from an out of the saddle sprint or stop light, I have a tendicy to catch the nose of the saddle on my shorts. I suspect this issue will go away once I get use to the length of the saddle. But it's pretty embarassing when I'm not wearing bibs and my rear-end is hanging out for everyone to see.
For me the Neuvation S2 is pretty close to the perfect saddle. It has all-day comfort and eases the road vibrations transmitted through my frame. The construction and finish is comparable to many other top brand name saddles on the market.
Strengths:
Comfortable, construction, reasonable weight, excellent value. Weaknesses:
Long nose occasionally catches your shorts after out of the saddle climbs or remounting at stop lights. Similar Products Used:
Selle San Marco SKN, Selle Italia Prolink, Forte Classic, Specialized Alias, Koobi Si Classic 
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