While still limited to Specialized and Fizik, the technology of 3D printing saddle pads from liquid polymers is beginning to permeate the saddle hierarchy.

Whether Fizik or Specialized, the goal of these saddles is to provide a higher level of comfort, and by using 3D printing, each brand can adjust the level of cushioning to a greater degree, avoiding transition zones between pads of different densities that could result in ridges. zones can be avoided. In addition, the mesh structure allows for weight reduction.

Specialized power saddles are not the newcomers they once were, and many brands now offer snub-nosed options. This shape has become very popular and is multi-layered: standard foam padding for Comp and Expert, elaston beads for Pro, and Mirror for S-Works Power with Mirror.

And now the Pro tier has been redesigned: the elaston beads are gone, replaced by the same padding as the S-Works Power with Mirror, with the goal of providing a higher level of comfort for more riders, over a wider range of terrain. According to Specialized, the titanium rails make it the strongest Mirror saddle available.

The shell is still made of carbon fiber, and the rear incorporates SWAT mounts for Specialized accessories. To shift away from virgin materials, Specialized has decided to use 15% of the carbon in the saddle from carbon scraps leaving the factory. The company claims this is the first step toward creating a more sustainable product and closed-loop production. It is also, as the cynics point out, good business sense.

The Specialized Power Pro with Mirror is available in both 143mm and 155mm widths, priced at £290 / $325 / €370 / A$500

On our scale, the 143mm Power Pro with Mirror weighed 255g. This is remarkably heavier than the old Power Pro, which weighed 231 g. The S-Works Power With Mirror weighed 192 g.