Thirsty (for knowledge) Thursday: a New (PAINFUL LOOKING) Saddle Design

There's some new "technology" in bike saddles, and it looks a little horrible:

No it's not a joke. Yes it's for real.

This is the Essax Shark saddle, seen on Cycling Weekly:

We’ll start by addressing the elephant in the room: that fin. According to the Essax Shark’s designer, Jon Iriberri, the fin should distribute weight evenly between the rider’s sit bones by achieving better alignment of the knees, preventing rocking and rotation when pedaling, therefore increasing the efficiency of the pedal stroke and preventing injury.

Well, that kinda makes sense.

They recommend getting a professional fitting so you don't get a fin lodged up your ass you're comfortable on the saddle. Testers say the fin is noticeable, but it wasn't a discomfort. Here was their final word on the saddle:

Verdict

The Essax Shark saddle is an interesting concept and certainly makes you concentrate more on keeping your hips straight in the saddle. The ride is nowhere near as uncomfortable as you’d expect, and performance good. We were also impressed by the light weight, especially given the chrome/nickel rail and the price.

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