3West Design has taken a different approach to saddle shaping, removing most of the material from the center section to reduce soft tissue pressure. We reviewed their original Reprieve saddle, which uses an adjustable air bladder to let you customize the cushioning. Lately have been riding the newer Trinity model, which replaces the air bladder with a low profile foam cushion. Now, they’re introducing two new models -the Grace and Trust- designed for women and triathletes.
3West Design Grace gets the air chamber
Technically a unisex design, both the Grace and Trust share a new profile with a wider 160mm tail. That cushioning section tapers more gradually into the nose, and brings the cushioning farther forward around that center drop section. This creates more of a “V” shape 1″ drop, which they say better fits a woman’s soft parts, but still works for men, too.
The key difference with the Grace is it gets their “Active Surface” adjustable air chamber so you can change the height and firmness of the drop. Claimed weight is 282g with black hollow ti rails. Length is 277mm. Retail is $160 and includes a small pump.
Trust us, it’s comfortable
The Trust uses their “Comfort Surface” foam insert in lieu of the air chamber, so the drop stays a constant 1″ deep. Both use a MicroTex cover that’s quite soft. Same claimed weight, rails and length for this one, but retail drops to $155.
The key difference in 3West Design’s saddles is that they don’t just rely on a central cutout, they effectively remove the whole center section’s bulk. While it looks odd, it works, but it does take a bit more fiddling with the tilt angle to get it right. If you’ve been unable to avoid that pressure spot in your perineum or women’s parts, check them out.
