Specialized Phenom SL

Price Paid:  $85.00 at Ebay

Favorite Ride:
Anywhere

Bike Setup:
OCR Alliance Comp
Dura Ace Shifters, Dura Ace Hubs, Dura Ace Rear Derailleur, FSA Carbon Force Cranks, Ultegra Front Derailleur, Dura Ace Chain, Ultegra Cassette, Areus Carbon Handlebars, FSA K-Light Seat Post, Specialized Phenom Saddle......
That'll do pig......

Summary:
Like many cyclists I have ried numerous saddles looking for that nirvana that some people seem to be able to find in a saddle. This one is the best so far. I was ready to officially give up and then discovered the Phenom. It's not perfect but it is damn close so I won't be buying saddle number 9 just to make sure.

You must remember to get sized right. I tried the Toupe in a 143 as the LBS told me that was my size - wrong! The Phenom is a 130 and fit's me much better.

The saddle looks real nice, it is almost the same as the Toupe but with a much squarer nose. As stated in the other review - very few people have them so you kind of stand out in the crowd.

Strengths:
Light, comfortable.... for me anyway.

Weaknesses:
None so far

Similar Products Used:
Fizik Aliante
Fizik Arione
Fizik Arione Tri
Selle Royale Viper
San Marco Aspide Gel
San Marco Arrowhead
Specialized Toupe

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
This is a good, firm saddle. for me, numbness is less of a problem on this saddle than it was on my Fizik Arione or Selle Italia SLR. I'm not sure if that's because of the Body Geometry cutout of the extra width (I ride the 143mm saddle, which is a full centimeter wider than the Arione or the SLR). You can still go numb on this saddle, however, particularly when climbing or hammering in the drops.

The Phenom is an MTB specific saddle, but I use it on the road. I chose it over the Toupee for it's slightly dropped nose (which is supposed to be better for climbing) and to distinguish my bike from the crowd (everyone seems to be on a Toupee where I live). The weight penalty (about 20 grams) is irrelevant--the Phenom is still plenty light.

As I've already mentioned, this saddle does a good job of alleviating numbness. I can ride for hours on my rollers with few problems, and things only get better on the road. However, I have been experiencing chafing on my inner thighs (chamois cream helps), which has never happened with other saddles. I'm not sure if it's the stiffness or the width that is causing me problems.

One final note: during the first week or two that I rode the saddle, I occasionally had problems with the cutout pinching me in the wrong places. However, the problem has since gone away.

Strengths:
Wide, firm seating surface
Anatomic cutout seems to reduce numbness
Relatively cheap (steel-railed version)

Weaknesses:
Shape seems to cause chafing
Pinching during break-in period

Similar Products Used:
Fizik Arione
Fizik Aliante
Selle Italia SLR