Bontrager Evoke RL Saddle Review - BikeRadar

Bontrager's new Evoke mountain bike saddles mark a distinct change from previous offerings with their much flatter profiles side-to-side and slight central depressions designed to relieve pressure on sensitive soft tissue – and it works.

Traditionalists will scoff at the more level profile's lack of a distinct sweet spot and the notably more concentrated pressure on the sit bones but for the rest of us, that's just where the pressure should be. 

We experienced no pain or numbness even after three-hour rides on rocky terrain and no soreness, either, thanks to suitably high-density padding on the main seating area. Multiple widths – each with their own specific side-to-side curvature – help fine-tune the fit to your personal anatomy even further.

Manoeuvrability is very good as well, with cropped rear corners and a rounded nose that rarely snagged even our baggiest shorts and a suitably slick synthetic cover that was never too grippy. 

Bontrager tout the Evoke RL's fatter and flatter nose as being more comfortable on steep, technical climbs and we'd largely agree, though we'd perhaps fatten it up and flatten it down even further based on our experience with some other saddles.

Our medium-sized Evoke RL was reasonably light, too, at 229g with hollow titanium rails and a carbon-reinforced nylon shell. 

If curvier shapes such as the Fizik Aliante are your cup of tea, the Bontrager Evoke probably won't suit you. But if you prescribe to the new school of thought on saddle designs, the Evoke RL is definitely one of the better ones we've used.

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