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review
Saddles
Charge Knife saddleCharge Knife saddle

Charge Knife saddle

7
by David Arthur @davearthur
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Oct 31, 2012

3
£59.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Light, comfortable and looks great - punches well above its weight.
Weight: 
219g
Contact: 
chargebikes.com
How we test

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A lighter, firmer and slimmed-down version of the ever-popular Spoon, Charge's Knife saddle is a comfortable choice.

You could say the saddle is the most important component on the bicycle, because if you're not comfortable you're really not going to get very far at all. Pleasingly the Knife adopts a simple shape that most will find just works.

There are no fancy cutaways here, just a shape and profile that works for most bum shapes. It's based on the Spoon with a very similar shape, but pared down to reduce the weight. That does mean less padding but I actually, and rather oddly, found it more comfortable as a result. It has the making of a great racer's choice, this one.

It's also lighter than the Spoon. By ditching the underside plastic bumpers and replacing the cromoly rails with titanium alloy ones and using a Nylon-Fibre base, they've dropped the weight to a a very respectable 219g. That puts it in the firing line of some serious rivals from more established saddle manufacturers.

Happily the Knife comes out of the ensuing battle with its head held high. Yes it's about £20 more than the Spoon and only you can decide whether it's a price worth paying. I think, given the improved shape and lighter weight, that it is indeed a price worth paying.

It's available in black, white or brown.

Verdict

Light, comfortable and looks great. Punches well above its weight.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Charge Knife saddle

Size tested: White

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Employing the same renowned shape as the multi award winning Spoon saddle, the Knife features a flexible nylon base that allows less foam padding to be used while maintaining a fantastic level of comfort, hollow Ti alloy rails and a lower profile to combine the comfort of the Spoon with the weight of a race saddle... only 210g.

Despite less padding, the same essential shape as the popular Spoon makes it a very comfortable saddle. The firm of buttocks will get on fine with it.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

A couple of months in, and it still looks box fresh.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10

Lighter than the Spoon, but a little heavier than the claimed weight, it's well in the ballpark for racer saddles.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

It's very comfortable, enough said.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Pricier than the similar Spoon but lighter it scores well here.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Fitted to a race bike it performed well and is a good stylish alternative to typical 200g race saddles.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The shape and slim profile.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Certainly would.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180  Weight: 67

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,

 

Saddle
racing saddle
Charge Knife Saddle
Charge
David Arthur @davearthur

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes. 

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3 comments

Avatar
hicksdesign | 11 years ago
1 like

I love the knife - really comfy and flexy, and while it shouldn't matter, the slimmer look is part of the appeal too.

Just wondering how, after such a good review, it only gets 3.5?

Avatar
Cooks | 12 years ago
0 likes

I hated my spoon, it was complete agony after 20 miles. Then I nudged it forwards but about 10mm and it's the most comfortable saddle I've ever had... 1

Avatar
jonathing | 12 years ago
0 likes

I've been using one of these on my fixed for years and my arse speaks very highly of it.

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