SELLE SAN MARCO GROUND DYNAMIC
£82.48 SPECIFICATION Weight: 273g • Rails: Manganese • Width: 152mm, Height: 50mm, Length: 255mm • Contact: zyrofisher.co.uk
Although the Selle San Marco Ground Dynamic shares a lot of DNA with the
Selle Italia X-bow Superflow, there are some subtle differences that improve ride performance. It has a similar-sized cutaway designed to take pressure off and reduce numbness, and also comes in the same two S3 and L3 (145 and 155mm) widths, but it doesn’t deform as much when you sit on it. The padding under the sit bones is the same thickness, but the saddle feels more supportive. Unfortunately, there is not a smooth transition around the cutout and we could definitely feel an uncomfortable ridge as we pressed down.
Like the e-bike-specific SD:ON saddle that featured on Canyon bikes a few years ago, the Ground Dynamic does have a high rear spoiler. This not only increases tyre clearance when the saddle is dropped, it provides something to brace against whilst climbing and actually stops you scooting too far off the back when descending.
In the blurb it says the rails on the
Dynamic saddles are manganese, but Selle San Marco has omitted a key detail; the manganese is alloyed with steel. From a comparative point of view this is marginally stronger than cro-mo, which means you can use less of it and save weight.
Like the X-bow Superflow, this saddle features a Silk-soft-touch synthetic cover that is neatly bonded to the base. There’s a couple of threaded holes at the back, which are the same size as those on the Specialized Bridge, but spaced differently. Currently there’s no standard for bolt-on saddle bags, so we’re assuming the company has something in the pipeline.
The Ground Dymanic is a little wider and longer than the X-bow Superflow, but it’s still a stubby saddle with a less than pleasing aesthetic. It feels supportive but it doesn’t have that armchair ride of the
Specialized Bridge. Build quality is very good and it’s lightweight but we’d only rate the comfort as average.