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New Ergon ST Core saddles float your butt on cushiony cloud

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Ergon has reinvented the way bicycle saddles support the rider, separating the hard supporting shell that connects to the rails from the padded shape that you sit on. The new Ergon ST Core Ultra sandwiches a layer of Infinergy, a thermoplastic polyurethane foam, between two shells. The lower shell attaches to the rails and is rigid. The upper shell has the covering and flexes with the rider. Between them is the new composite, developed in partnership with BASF, that uses the same highly resilient and elastic foam technology found in today’s popular running shoes…

The use of Infinergy allowed them to bring the concept to a useable, production part. It holds up to repeated and constant pressure, springing back to its original shape. It also allows the upper to move with the rider, improving overall comfort and reducing vibration.

The saddle makes its official debut at Eurobike in men’s (shown) and women’s versions. Other features include a central relief channel and metal rails. The shape mirrors their fitness and comfort saddles, so our guess is that’s where this one’s positioned, but could be a nice option for cobbles and gravel, too.

UPDATE: It’ll be available in S/M (9-12 cm) and M/L (12-16 cm) with an MSRP of $149.95. Available early 2018.

ErgonBike.com

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18 Comments
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Hoshie99
Hoshie99
7 years ago

This looks like a really smart design and use of materials technology; hope the reality matches the ideas. It’s amazing how a good saddle shape and design can make all the difference in ride comfort.

Filling the gaps
Filling the gaps
7 years ago

…Running shoes from Adidas Boost family to be precise…

JBikes
JBikes
7 years ago

Is it e-bike certified?

tyler
7 years ago
Reply to  JBikes

LOLLLL

jasonmiles31
7 years ago

The white Infinergy looks a lot like Styrofoam, almost reminds me of the cheap helmets you see with exposed foam.

The use of Infinergy seems to make sense in the Adidas running shoes, but I am not sure if you would want the energy rebound in a saddle.

jon
jon
7 years ago
Reply to  jasonmiles31

That’s the thing about chemical technology, it all looks the same, but can have very different material characteristics. If you learn about Engineering, you learn that materials have many different properties besides appearance. While polyurethane foam certainly looks like any other foam, it has some very useful characteristics. I grew up with Polyurethane wheels on my skateboard, they are essentially indestructible. It took a few years to wear them down from daily abuse. A polyurethane foam is also resistant to chemical attack, and has good UV resistance. It’s going to be superior in every way to a cheap, and easily destroyed material like styrofoam. I’m certain it will cost a pretty penny as well.

satanas
satanas
7 years ago

If it’s anything like running shoe midsoles, then presumably after a while the flexy later is going to compress permanently. Is t replaceable, or does one buy a new saddle every few thousand km?

Eli
Eli
7 years ago
Reply to  satanas

If its the same as Adidas energy boost shoes it won’t wear any faster then the rest of the saddle

joe
joe
7 years ago
Reply to  satanas

boost actually has very good longevity. traditional EVA breaks down rather quickly. boost doesn’t.

JD3
JD3
7 years ago

Pfffft… Comfort?? Road cyclists care about, #1 weight, and #2 looks. How do you think the whole “wait for your sit bones to adjust” concept came from? They would spend $847 on a slab of whatever if it saved a gram and impressed their friends on the weekend no drop group ride.

JBikes
JBikes
7 years ago
Reply to  JD3

But your sit bones due adjust, and ultimately provide a comfortable perch (much more than riding on a softer saddle for 4, 6, 8+ hours) How do you account for that?

JBikes
JBikes
7 years ago
Reply to  JBikes

…do adjust…
yikes

knarc
knarc
7 years ago

Ergon ST Core Ultra Boost.

Ergon
7 years ago

Thanks for your comments regarding our new Core saddle design. We are very excited to show it off at Eurobike in a few days! The saddle is design for the the urban, touring, and commuting rider. Maybe in the future we will produce a performance line of Core saddles for the road and mtber. The Infinergy material will not break down and cannot be replaced. This amazing material comes from German partner BASF, while similar visually to Boost by Adidas, each material is uniquely different in that the material is tuned for its specific applications.

ascarlarkinyar
7 years ago

Softer saddle equals more rubbing on sit bone area. Saddle comfort is more about the shape. That is why we do not use big fat comfy schwinn Cruzer saddles.

Brad Comis (@BradComis)
Reply to  ascarlarkinyar

From what I can tell this isn’t a new foam for the contact area of the saddle. It is below the saddle in between the rails and the shell, so it acts as a cushion the whole saddle floats on, which should dampen vibrations and help absorb big bumps a little bit. I’m guessing the weight penalty is fairly small.

Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin
7 years ago

Sorry to dissappoint, but the weight penalty is going to be pretty big. All they did was add a second foam and a second shell, so apart from the rails they pretty much doubled the weight of the saddle…But you are right Brad, it is just a cushion underneath a regular saddle. So does that make it a city saddle? Who needs another cushion on a MTB and who will buy that saddle for a road bike?

Benny
Benny
7 years ago

Paint that foam.

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