Bontrager have unveiled the latest products of their inForm Science of Comfort program — two new team edition saddles developed with feedback from the Bontrager-sponsored Leopard-Trek and RadioShack professional teams.
Each of the two new saddles are linked back to specific riders: Fabian Cancellara is named as key to the new Team Issue TT saddle, while Andy Schleck is said to have had a role in the creation of the Team Issue road saddle.
The inForm Team Issue Road saddle features a leather cover, solid titanium rails, full carbon fiber shell, and carries an price of US$279.99. The inForm Team Issue TT saddle features a premium microfiber cover, hollow titanium rails, a carbon fiber reinforced nylon base, oversized gel-stuffed nose with no-slip cover, and has an price of $129.99.
Bontrager says that the inForm Team Issue saddles offer advanced ergonomics and premium user-specific materials — titanium rails are used, as opposed to carbon, for their durability — to deliver the performance to their sponsored professionals. “We are fortunate to be able to design products in partnership with the world’s best cyclists,” said Bontrager saddle product manager, Amanda Schulze. “Our new Team Issue saddles are the direct result of our close relationship with Bontrager-sponsored pro riders. From a product feedback standpoint, you couldn’t ask for a better group of test riders.”
The new Team Issue inForm road saddle
Both inForm Team Issue saddles use Bontrager’s proprietary Size Specific Curvature and Posture Specific Design technology to deliver ergonomic support and improved blood flow; additionally both saddles use Zone Density foam, putting the right amount of padding right where it’s needed, without compromising skeletal support.
“Pros put more miles on a saddle in a single day than a lot of enthusiast riders are able to put on in a week,” said Schulze. “And in a time trial situation, pros need to get in as aerodynamic of a position as possible and then feel comfortable enough to hold that position for, in some cases, over an hour. Pros have specific needs that require specific solutions. With our inForm Team Issue saddles, we addressed those needs by combining our scientific understanding of proper skeletal support with our materials expertise. The results are two of the highest performance saddles we’ve ever created.”
Cancellara, who previously worked closely with Prologo to create their Nago Evo TTR time trial specific saddle, says that the Bontrager designers created shapes that he’s happy to ride; both the Prologo Nago Evo TTR and Bontrager Team Issue TT share similarly shaped large noses. “Bontrager has done a phenomenal job of addressing my needs with the Team Issue saddles,” said Cancellara. “I ride the inForm Team Issue Road. It’s very supportive and very comfortable.”
Both saddles are slated for July delivery to Bontrager retailers worldwide.
