Selle Royal Explora saddle

The Selle Royal Explora saddle is one made for comfort rather than performance or low weight, and is aimed at those of us who enjoy leisure riding, both on and off road. There's no getting away from the fact that at 415g it's a bit of a weighty beast, so if you're a budding racer it's really not one for you. But if you're looking for a comfortable seat for more leisurely riding, then it might be a good option – especially as it comes with a 30-day money-back comfort guarantee.

After a new saddle? Check out our best bike saddles buyer's guide, or our best road bike saddles buyer's guide if you're after something a bit racier.

I found Selle Royal's Explora saddle a great addition to my commuter bike. I ride this on a daily basis in my casual, non-cycling clothing, which means no padded chamois. The Explora's waterproof features helped to keep my backside dry – and I found the shape comfortable too. Which is pretty much the crucial factor when it comes to saddles...

Installation

The first thing I noticed when getting this saddle out of the box was the weight – at 415g you really can't help to be aware of it. For example, the Prime Doyenne Shorty Saddle with Ti Rails comes in at a similar price and tips the scales at 215g, which really puts its weight in context. That said, if your leisure bike is itself pretty heavy, you're very unlikely to notice a couple of hundred extra grams, and if it improves your comfort, it could be worth it.

I found it quick and easy to install, with no quirks.

One neat feature is that the saddle comes with the Clip & Go system that Selle Royal uses, which allows you to attach compatible bags to the back of the saddle. It's very similar to Fizik's Integrated Clip System.

> Video: How to choose the correct saddle for you and your riding

It's a decent-looking saddle with a main black section and a few small orange accents, giving it quite a premium look, and it's all very neatly finished too.

Selle Royal offers the Explora in three different fits: Athletic, the Moderate I tested and Relaxed.

The Athletic is designed if you ride with your upper body leaning forward at around 45 degrees, the Moderate for 60 degrees and the wider Relaxed model lives up to its name, and is the one for you if your riding position is pretty much upright.

Ride Impressions

The clear aim of the Explora saddle is to be comfortable rather than to improve your performance, and I found it very pleasant to use.

It has a slightly unusual shape. From front to back there's a slight dip in the saddle, and that's accompanied by a near-full-length channel that's designed to reduce pressure points on the sensitive parts of your body.

Selle Royal has used Royalgel in the construction of this saddle, which in practice feels like a squishy layer on the top of the saddle. I found this comfortable on my commuter bike but unfortunately there's no guarantee that'll work for you. Which is where Selle Royal's 30-day comfort guarantee comes into play.

One of the Explora's best features is that it's waterproof, which I always think is more handy for a commuter bike's saddle than for a racier one. After all, there's a greater chance that a saddle like the Explora is likely to be left out in the rain, and it's nice to come back to it and find the surface hasn't acted like a sponge. Just make sure you wipe away the surface water and you're good to go.

Value

While £59.99 isn't that expensive these days, when you can easily pay well into three figures for a race saddle, it is £15 dearer than the similarly specced Bontrager Commuter Comp saddle.

The Fabric Cell Elite is an air-sprung saddle that Matt found very comfortable. It comes in around £50, weighs 360g and like the Selle Royal is designed for more upright, leisure-flavoured cycling.

If you're looking for something a little more sporty, Stu really liked the Fabric Scoop saddle, which is not only 100g lighter than the Selle Royal, it's also £20 cheaper.

Conclusion

The price of saddles is so varied that it's hard to compare across models, but the Explora has ups and downs for the price – it's waterproof, looks good and I found it comfortable. But it is pretty weighty – which may or not be an issue on a leisure bike – and it doesn't offer anything novel you couldn't find elsewhere for a little less cash.

It comes in three different widths, which is good to see, and Selle Royal's 30-day guarantee gives you a good deal of peace of mind – and for that I think some extra price is reasonable.

If you're after a saddle that's comfortable, easy to live with and able to cope with British rain, and you want something with a bit of squidge, then the Selle Royal Explora is worth a punt.

Verdict

Comfortable, waterproof saddle for more casual riding, though you couldn't call it light