In this article I’m going to give you my top picks for the best downhill mountain bike saddles.
If there’s one thing you don’t want is your saddle getting in the way of you moving at breakneck speed down a tactical trail. That’s the reason why some performance-oriented downhill saddles prefer to have a flat and round shape, to offer maximum flexibility.
That being said, a lot of riders prefer the swooping shape of a saddle that locks you into place and provides more support that way. With a curved lip in the back to push your body against when you want to feel maximum control.
I’ve offered a number of very affordable options in this list. Most of the time, the thing that makes a saddle really expensive is using carbon. But carbon doesn’t really make much sense downhill. And the last thing you want is breaking your precious carbon seat in a crash.
As for the damping abilities of carbon, my guess is it’s so little you don’t want to make use of the damping ability of carbon anyway to get you over tricky trail sections.
But enough talk, let’s head over to my list of the best downhill mountain bike saddles.
Ergon SMD2 Comp
The Ergon SMD2 Comp is a lightweight MTB saddle.
It offers a flat and rounded shell for maximum riding flexibility and weighs a mere 215 grams for a very narrow 256 x 124 mm.
That’s very narrow indeed and is meant for not getting in the way of you riding and pedaling, though some riders may prefer a bit wider saddle.
It means this saddle falls into shorter MTB trips and downhill sections, and when used for that purpose it’s one of the best.
- Flat shape, performance oriented
- narrow shell might not suit everyone
Ergon SM E-Mountain Pro Men
Ergon is one of the few saddle manufacturers that creates distinctive gender-specific saddles. The Ergon SM E-Mountain Pro Men is their go-to saddle for mountain biking.
Plus padding and loads of comfort in an ergonomic nylon composite shell. The arc in the back means you can push against it to stay in control of more demanding sections of your trail.
A long channel in the center takes care of necessary pressure relief to soft tissue and sits between orthopedic foam halves covered in durable microfiber.
All that plushness does push it over 300 grams at 335. The saddle comes in two widths; 143 and 152 millimeters depending on your personal preference or sit bone width.
- Gender specific ergonomics
- Heavy
Fabric Scoop Sport Gel Radius
Fabric makes fantastic affordable saddles and Fabric Scoop Sport Gel Radius is a great example.
The nylon shell has a pronounced swoop, which makes going on and off the saddle easy for dynamic riding. The shell is held by steel rails and measures 260 x 155 mm.
At 374 grams it’s anything but light, but for downhill purposes this doesn’t really matter anyway. And it’s the most budget-friendly offering on this list.
You really can’t fault this saddle, especially not for this price. So if you’re looking for a comfortable mountain bike saddle that definitely doesn’t break the bank, this is the one.
- Budget-friendly
- Not for weight weenies
Fizik Gravita Alpaca X5
At 130 millimeters, the Fizik Gravita Alpaca X5 is a narrow performance mountain bike saddle.
With a flat shape and rounded corners, you’ll have loads of flexibility to move around as the trail dictates your handling.
Some riders prefer a saddle to do nothing else but not get in the way as part of the ride is spent out of the saddle. This saddle does that and still offers enough padding at a very light weight of just 210 grams.
An excellent and affordable option for your tactical trail riding.
- Flat shape, performance oriented
- None
Selle San Marco GND Dynamic Wide (Open)
The Selle San Marco GND Dynamic Wide with the cut out version is slightly lighter at 210 grams, which is incredibly light all things considered.
It has the same overall features as the one without the cut out, and uses the same type of materials. That means you get a glass fiber reinforced shell on top of manganese steel rails, with plush padding in a semi-short length.
The version of 145 millimeters is more neutral than the narrow 135 millimeters, which allows for a bigger platform to support the rider. You might argue that that actually improves because the rider has to spend less energy staying into position.
The microfeel cover onto the star shaped design looks great and the finish is superb, which makes this saddle the perfect choice for adventurous riders on a budget.
- Has cut out, excellent and durable build quality, budget-friendly
- Too stiff for some
WTB SL8 Cromoly Medium
The WTB SL8 Chromoly is a plush MTB saddle with a large swoop.
There are also titanium and carbon rails versions of this saddle but they significantly bump up the price whereas every other feature stays the same.
It’s a more allround mountain bike saddle that offers loads of comfort in a 142 millimeter shell width.
The chromoly version has memory foam padding that’s less stiff than the titanium and carbon versions. The shell has noticeable flex. So even though its wider than some of the more performance oriented entries, you’ll hardly notice it because the saddle moves with you.
- Plush and comfortable, great all-round MTB option
- None
Specifications downhill mountain bike saddles
Name | Rail | Price | Dimensions | Weight | Shell | Padding | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ergon SMD2 Comp | CroMo | 100 USD | 256 x 124 mm | 215 g | nylon composite | ||
Ergon SM E-Mountain Pro Men | CroMo | 120 USD | S 274 x 143 mm – L 274 – 153 mm | 335 g | nylon composite | Orthopedic Comfort Foam | |
Fabric Scoop Sport Gel Radius | steel | 47 USD | 260 x 155 mm | 374 g | nylon | ||
Fizik Gravita Alpaca X5 | s-alloy | 99.99 USD | 251 x 130 mm | 216 g | nylon | ||
Selle San Marco GND Dynamic Wide (Open) | manganese | 79 euros | 262 x 145 mm | 210 g | glass fiber reiinforced | Biofoam | |
WTB SL8 Cromoly Medium | cromoly | 96 USD | 265 x 142 mm | 266 g | Flex-Tuned Shell | HLX Padding |
Johan van Seijen
FoundeR Restoration.bike
Johan van Seijen is the founder of restoration.bike. His passion for cycling in general, and restoring older bikes turned into a website to share his knowledge with a broader audience. Starting out on his father’s road bike and riding classics as the Amstel Gold Race and Liege Bastogne Liege he has shifted his attention to trail, XC, and gravel riding since. No matter how much he loves writing about everything related to cycling, nothing beats actually using his ever-expanding bicycle collection.
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