Saddle maker Repente adds two new short, compact saddle shapes to their lightweight arsenal with the carbon-railed Magnet & Latus CL, both interestingly without their modular rail system. The Magnet was created as an ultralight, snub-nosed saddle for triathlon & time trials, and the Latus CL for riders with wide sit bones. But as we’ve seen the expansion of wide and short saddles across many disciplines, these two could appeal to a wide rider base, employing a new lightweight fixed carbon base & rail design.
Repente ultralight fixed UD carbon bike saddles
Selle Repente’s standout feature had been their modular Repente Locking System (RLS) which created a structural saddle base & rails onto which you could quickly snap interchangeable saddle tops. But their latest Magnet & Latus CL saddles drop that modularity in favor of a lightweight one-piece solution for riders looking for an ultralight, compact saddle.
Repente Magnet lightweight carbon TT/Triathlon saddle
The new 250€ Magnet is Repente’s first foray into the compact/short saddle design that become something of a hit, partly driven by Specialized’s successful Power saddle. With the UCI limiting saddle tips to behind the bottom bracket, riders looking for forward positions have continued to opt for snub-nosed designs. The 240mm long x 140mm wide Magnet hits square in that trend, with a wide-nose, a full-length center pressure-relief channel, and a flat top with lightweight EVA foam padding & a synthetic polyurethane cover with integral grippers.
Underneath, Repente uses an all-new differential section carbon rail structure to support the saddle, with a long clamping area to allow for a wide fit adjustment. Thanks to a hi-mod T700 UD carbon structure for the shell and matching shaped carbon rail, the Magnet delivers an impressive claimed weight of just 135g. Repente says their autoclave manufacturing creates a compact carbon structure that is both strong & lightweight.
The Magnet is meant to be an ergonomic shape suited to both men & women, comfortable especially in a low aero position on the bike. But it has also been adopted this season by a few pro women’s teams, including: Caja Rural-Rga, WNT Rotor & BePink.
Repente Latus CL lightweight wide carbon road & trail saddle
Under the similar trend of short saddles, the Latus CL adds a ‘wider is better’ approach. With a name that means Wide 150 in Latin, Repente made an even wider snub-nosed saddle. In fact it should be called the Latus CLII, because the saddle is actually 152mm wide x the same 240mm long of the Magnet.
Construction of the Latus is the same with a fixed hi-mod carbon base and variable profile carbon rail structure, molded in an autoclave, here simply catering to riders looking for an even wider, short saddle. The saddle has a similar synthetic polyurethane top, but without the additional gripper treatment on its nose, and features a pressure-relief channel designed to be deeper for where the rider’s pelvis rotates forward into a more aero position on the bike.
The 220€ Latus CL has a claimed weight of just 145g keeping it securely in the lightweight category. But Repente still says it is suitable for both road and off-road riding.
