Bontrager Arvada Elite
£99.99
This dual-discipline road and mountain saddle doesn’t have a visible cut-out, but rather has a hidden hole in the shell that matches up with the long pressure-relief groove in the padding. The shell also has slits cut into it on the underside, which allow the wings of the seat to flex as you pedal. As a result, the Arvada scores well for comfort, even if we found the padding itself a little firm and would welcome a little more up-and-down flex. A perforated microfibre top gives a tidy appearance, but there’s a visible glue line around the edge if you look underneath. The hollow rails are made from austenite (an iron-carbon alloy) and are claimed to be lighter and stronger than titanium. We can’t say we got close to breaking the saddle, but they do help to keep the overall weight down to 240g. www.trekbikes.com