SDG BEL-AIR 3.0

£79.95

SPECIFICATION Weight: 233g • Rails: Lux alloy • Width: 140mm, Height: 45mm, Length: 260mm • Contact: silverfish-uk.com

The new Bel-air 3.0 was a test winner previously and, apart from some new colours, it remains unchanged. It still has a distinctive high tail and stress relieving channel, but this has mellowed out over the years, so it not only looks sleeker, you transition between the different areas a lot easier.

It’s one of the lightest saddles here, so is not as well-padded as some and there’s less depth across the nose, but when you rotate forward for a steep climb there’s a central cutaway to help alleviate perineum pressure. Overall, the Bel-air feels a lot firmer than the Specialized Bridge, but the fit is still very good.

Like a lot of saddles, the rails are suspended slightly on the base, so there’s a decent amount of flex when you’re rattling along a bumpy track. These are a Lux Alloy, which is still essentially cro-mo but it’s around 15% lighter and stronger.

Like most manufactures, SDG is using a Atmos 3D co-moulded construction, which is the same as the Spank and Burgtec saddles. There are no exposed seams, no staples showing or rough edges, but the cover on our sample has started to lift slightly in one place at the back. On the top are two sonic-welded patches, which stop abrasion, but they don’t collect mud like the Kevlar patches on the WTB.

Adding a cutaway to the Selle Italia

Xbow makes it feel flimsy, but the one here is quite small and it’s covered, so there’s no issues with excess flex or, importantly, spray. The channel is quite shallow too, so doesn’t hold onto slop like the SQ Lab, and as a result the Bel-air does feel grippier. There is a load of support here, but the test winning Specialized Bridge is definitely plusher and comes in more widths, which is the main reason we’ve pegged the

Bel Air 3.0 back a point this year.