"It's certainly a more comfortable ride from the start and I'll look forward to trying it on some longer rides in due course"

The original Rido saddle, reviewed in Issue 15, was a surprisingly comfortable all-plastic wonder which cost just a tenner. Now there's a new version...

Taking it off the bike after almost four years, my blue-and-yellow Rido saddle was looking a bit battered, but functionally it was none the worse for wear. It had done pretty well as a town bike saddle, being wipe-dry in the rain, durable, and more than passably comfortable.

Now there's a new model, with the original being phase out in its favour. The new Rido 'R2' is clearly an evolution of the original design: you can still see the dual density plastic structure under the new 'cheek pads'. But it does look smarter, in sober black rather than the sometimes garish colour schemes of the original. The pads also have a visually reassuring effect - the hard plastic of the original looked, perhaps, rather uninviting.

The general idea stays the same as before: your weight is all taken on the sit bones, spread via the two pads and the pattern of the plastic reinforcing ribs below. But the nose of the saddle is retained, unlike many 'revolutionary' comfort saddles, and this is essential for control of the bike. The nose section is unpadded but recessed below the level at which the pads support you, so there's no pressure on the perineum. This is especially important for male riders with prostate problems - although Rido say that the shape of saddle works well for both male and female riders.

In practice the pads both distribute the pressure and conform to your shape, preventing the 'slipping forwards' problem which I sometimes found on the original. It's certainly a more comfortable ride from the start and I'll look forward to trying it on some longer rides in due course.

Unfortunately the price has risen to GBP24.99, still reasonable for a saddle, plus postage. It's available direct from Rido. The original all-plastic model is sold out, except for the last few in a 'limited edition' in pink and lilac (!) for GBP10.99 plus delivery. They supply worldwide.

Peter Eland

Editor - VELO VISION, October 2008