Deity Speedtrap saddle review

As a gravity-focused brand, Deity isn’t necessarily going to be at the top of the list of those riders looking for a trail saddle. That shouldn’t necessarily be a rule, though, and its Speedtrap seat is the result of a collaborative effort with component behemoth SDG.

Made with an SDG hull that’s mated to hollow chromoly rails, the saddle’s tough synthetic cover should help to reduce wear. Internally, Deity has specced mid-density EVA foam for the padding that has been moulded to its own specifications.

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The saddle’s edges are made from Kevlar to help brush off knocks and scrapes, but in a bid to help reduce abrasion and painful rider contact the edges are flexible. The saddle is 281mm long and measures 140mm wide.

In a bold move by Deity — signalling the saddle’s intended purpose — it’s entirely missing a pressure relief channel. The saddle's overall shape is virtually flat, though, but there’s a slight convex shape to its profile.

Deity Speedtrap saddle performance

The Speedtrap’s a surprise performer on the climbs. Despite there being no pressure relief channel, the saddle’s almost flat shape certainly helps localise your body’s weight through your sit bones.

However, after long climbs or undulating sections, I did begin to notice pressure building on the perineum, leading to numbness.

This is down to the lack of cut-out that, when combined with a generously soft chamois, causes a ridge to form on the soft tissue in front of your sit bones, although the pressure and numbness wasn’t as pronounced as other saddles we’ve tested recently.

The saddle’s length wasn’t noticeable when climbing seated, and neither was its width. It didn’t interfere with my ability to pedal and didn’t chafe the inside of my thighs either.

On descents, the saddle’s performance is a no-fuss affair which comes as no surprise considering its intended use. It didn’t bash or rub the insides of my legs, which can hinder downhill progress, and its smooth surface certainly helped to glance unwanted contact away. I feared its nose length could be an issue but, after riding the saddle, this didn’t turn out to be the case.

It also comes in multiple colourways, so for those of you who like to style your bike it’s a good choice.

Overall, the saddle surprised me with how well it performed on the climbs, but a central cut-out would improve it without any detrimental effect on its descending prowess.