FABRIC LINE S ELITE FLAT
Neat, light and well-priced – surely there's a catch?
WEIGHT 240g LENGTH 237mm WIDTH 142mm SIZES 142mm, 155mm WOMEN’S Unisex COLOURS Black, black/gloss
Looking a lot like an experimental hypersonic aircraft or a UFO from a 1950s sci-fi film, the Line S Elite Flat from Fabric is the short-nosed version of the celebrated British brand’s highly rated full-length Line saddle.
Aided by its compact proportions, the Line S Elite Flat is very light for a saddle at this price; in fact, it’s almost miraculous in today’s market that it costs the same now as it did a couple of years ago. If you’re desperate to shave off a few more grammes you could go for the Line S Race with its titanium rails. Both the Elite and Race models are available in 142mm and 155mm widths, and Fabric considers them to be a unisex design.
Apart from its size, the Line S’s pressure-relief channel is probably the saddle’s most notable feature. This measures around 50mm at the rear, narrowing to 15mm at the front, and it’s around a centimetre deep for its entire length.
For quite a racy saddle, and in contrast to most of the other saddles on test, the Line S Elite Flat has deep and quite soft padding. It’s exceptionally neatly done, however, with the padding very well placed and pairing smartly with the short nose to deliver an exceptionally comfortable ride for hours on the bike.
When you’re riding in a low and aggressive position, the extensive channel and truncated nose ensure there’s no unwanted pressure on your perineum, while the slightly kicked-up rear keeps you stable for more endurance-based riding.
Despite its smooth surface, the outer covering also helps with stability, shrugging off the effects of even heavy rain so you don’t slip as you ride.
If you’re interested in seeing why there has been a lot of hype about short saddles recently but don’t want to spend a fortune, I reckon Fabric’s Line S Elite Flat with chromoly rails is one of the very best places to start.
It’s extremely comfortable for a variety of rides, supportive where it matters and you don’t notice the absence of the nose. To finish things off – and not surprising from Fabric, a brand known for its great value – that £60 price tag is the icing on the competitively-priced cake.
The Fabric Line S is extremely comfortable for a variety of rides