PRO Turnix Gel Saddle

The PRO Turnix Gel is an understated looking saddle that, for me, has been perfect for long, steady road miles. It's also proved comfortable along unmade roads and less challenging trails.

• Pros: Well engineered and comfortable
• Cons: Pricey at full rrp

This gel version of the Turnix comes in two widths – 142 and 152mm – and with stainless steel rails. The rails are painted, with neat markings for easy setup. Some may feel steel is a bit low rent compared with titanium and carbon alternatives, but personally I reckon it offers the right blend of characteristics, without doing nasty things to bike weight or bank balance.

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Staying with the underside, construction is precise and well executed. It's a screwed and slotted construction, pleasing but no less than I'd expect. More interesting are the curved carbon reinforced polymer base and lugs for accessories, such as an action camera and mudguard.

Sandwiched between the composite base and durable PU upper is comfortable EVA foam padding, while the rear of the upper is textured, with tiny dimples that enhance comfort.

The nose is leaner than some, the idea being to minimise chafing, which it does very effectively in every situation although most noticeably when going full pelt and hunkered low on the drops.

A break in the seasonal gloom saw me pluck my TT bike from hibernation and, with the Turnix installed, complete a favourite 16-mile 'blast' loop in 46 minutes, on three consecutive occasions. Comfort was every bit as good as the 140mm BBB Razer it replaced and, from memory, the 143mm Specialized Toupe Gel I'd used prior to the BBB.

At this time of year, the majority of my road miles are done on my fixed gear 'crosser, which has a more upright position than the TT bike, a more 'cross-typical cockpit height. Adding the PRO and extending rides from 20 to 30, 50 and 70 miles plus continued the same comfortable theme, confirming again that the millimetre differences were neither here nor there.

Aside from weary legs there's been no hint of soreness around the thighs or buttock. Tingling and numbness around the crotch have also been moot points over these distances and surfaces, although a titanium seatpost certainly helps on the fatigue and shock-absorbing fronts, especially across the washboard tarmac that typifies my local lanes.

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I like to shuffle about slightly and the cover has been very permissive of this, regardless of clothing. There's been no irksome slip either, which can strike with very shiny Lycra.

I've also used the saddle on my rough stuff tourer for 120 miles or so. This also sports a titanium post but the build's more upright stance puts more pressure upon the sit bones. I wasn't hugely surprised to discover some chafing of my right buttock after 45 off-road miles, but mixed terrain escapes of similar distances were abrasion-free.

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In terms of durability, cover and finish are holding up very well. Although not rough with kit, I generally lean bikes by the saddle, but brickwork and other coarse surfaces haven't left any calling cards. Porting it between bikes hasn't made any impression on the black painted rails either.

Although comfort is very subjective, I've found the Turnix Gel an extremely comfortable road-biased saddle. On paper, the spec seems unremarkable – especially compared with, for example, the Selle Italia Novus Boost, which is £20 or so cheaper – but the build quality is very high. I've also seen it heavily discounted online.

Verdict

Competent, well-executed performance saddle but slightly pricey relative to the spec