Fabric Line-S Race Flat saddle

Fabric's Line-S Race Flat saddle will appeal to performance-focused riders looking for a stable, supportive design for fast riding – the Flat in the name means flat-out. Its stumpy length and wide, slightly-sloped rear encourage an efficient fixed position, while the full-length channel relieves pressure. Mostly, it works extremely well, but the angular channel sides can occasionally irritate and there's no real wiggle-room to ease pressure on long rides.

The Line-S is pretty different to the old Line Elite we tested back in 2015. About 40mm of the length has gone (20mm either end), the channel is now uniform in both construction and depth, and the base is a single platform.

> Find your nearest dealer here

It's worth pointing out that, while the packaging was labelled 'women's', Fabric has purposefully designed a unisex saddle here, and lists it as such on its site.

Construction and ride

As is clear from the photos, the Line-S is a simple construction: two waterproof, microfibre-covered foam pads sitting on a flexible nylon base to create a deep, full-length central channel.

The pads slope down gently at the outer edges so there's minimal rub against buttocks/upper-inner thighs. The drop of the pad to the channel is more of a square edge, which caused me a small amount of irritation. I know this won't be the case for everyone – I'm very used to the rounded edges of my Specialized Oura (now replaced by the high-scoring Romin).

The padding is firm but, for me, provides enough cushioning. There's a little flex in the nylon base and titanium rails, and that helps absorb rough surface vibrations too.

I have always used long-nosed saddles and had, until now, never got on with shorter, wider ones. Models such as Specialized's Power Expert Gel with Mimic simply don't offer the wriggle room I'm used to and, in the case of the Expert, I missed a proper cutout. I've been pleasantly surprised by the Line-S, though. The full-length channel means I can get into a low position, stay there and experience no soft tissue discomfort from pressure.

I managed rides of up to 2.5 hours at a tempo pace and the saddle stayed comfortable throughout, fixed though I was in position. This position allowed me to put down power efficiently and effectively.

Obviously, saddle adjustment is critical too, but no matter what I did, anything longer than 2.5hrs and I was wanting to shuffle about a bit more. The shape doesn't really allow it, though.

While I genuinely got on with it and saw huge benefits to my pacier rides, I wouldn't be swapping it on a permanent basis (unless I had a bike solely dedicated to short, sharp sessions).

The construction has at least one added bonus if you're a no-mudguard rider: you get a channel without the hole, so dirt and road spray stay on the underside. The flat, smooth underside also makes it really easy to clean, while also meaning the padding doesn't need reinforcement. This may add to longevity – I have a couple of cutout saddles whose reinforcements have weakened significantly over time.

If this colour scheme is not to your liking, Fabric does a black version with its logo on the upper, and it's definitely less conspicuous.

Fabric has priced it well; £79.99 for a 235g (240g for the 142mm) performance saddle is perfectly palatable. The similar Specialized Power Expert is £105 and 210g, while the men's version is effectively the same weight as the Fabric at 233g.

Fizik's Tempo Argo R5 is a tenner more than the Line-S Race Flat, and comes in 150mm and 160mm widths (claimed 241g and 247g respectively). It's 20mm longer than the Line-S, too, so if you're reluctant to give up wiggle room it might be a good compromise.

> 10 of the best short saddles - compare the new generation of fast seats

Fabric's Line-S Race Flat is an innovative saddle that offers exceptional comfort and stability for riders looking to maximise power and efficiency. It's well priced, with options to up or down-grade (the £60 Elite and £150 Pro versions) should your budget differ, it's well made, and it promises to last. Just be aware it might not suit if you like your rides long.

Verdict

Brilliant for hard, fast riding, but sharp-edged channel can irritate on endurance rides