OK folks, this is going to be one for the real bike nerds out there.
As a short legged rider, I'm almost always looking to get more drop on my enduro bike. Alongside shorter cranks, or low insertion depth posts, getting a low profile or low "stack" seat is one way you can squeeze a dropper with a few extra mm of dropper into your bike. Unfortunately, most manufacturers don't seem to list this measurement for their saddles.
What I'm hoping is this - folks can break out the measuring tape or callipers and measure from the bottom of the saddle rails to the top of the seat and provide a measurement in mm (see photo below). If enough of us do this, this forum thread will serve as a catalogue for folks looking to find a low profile seat that will help them maximize their dropper post length.
I'll go first with a few of the seats I have measurements for:
- WTB Silverado (45mm, but the raised back end might make it higher)
- Fizik Taiga (44mm)
- SQ Lab 612R (47mm, thanks to SQLab for going and measuring when I emailed them!)
I am tall but like low stack height for that dirt jumper ish feel when my dropper is low, so I bought a couple nukeproof horizon Enduro seats. They are advertised as 10mm lower than a usual seat. I'd say that's fairly accurate. Combined with a oneup dropper or even the oneup dropper rail-clamp assembly on another dropper that fits it, it makes for a great reduction in seat height when the dropper is slammed.
Unfortunately the horizon Enduro seat is hard to get now for obvious reasons but CRC still had a couple on sale if they are still liquidating.
*EDIT .... seems they are all out but maybe some will show up used somewhere else online.
The oneup lowered clamping mechanism on a dropper of your choice is also a fairly inexpensive mod but the risk is whether it'll fit your existing dropper. (Oneups dropper rail clamper is designed with a heavily reduced stack height)
Nukeproof Enduro: 40mm where the rails start to curve up at the front, 45mm at the rearward equivalent ...but I don't know if it's still available to buy.
Side note, this is about as thin as you can go and still cram a Switchgrade under it.
As a fellow short legger- I really like the sqlab 612 and active component. Lower back main is hugely minimized. Also the various seating positions are a big plus for enduro riding as you can sit upright and soft pedal without feeling the saddle up your ...
The SDG fly RL Cromo or ti are about 45mm also, 127 wide. i ve ran in similar problem with older frame without a lot of insertion. companies are much better at leaving enough room now tho.
I was actually looking into that too. Battle with more comfort seat Vs. almost full length dropper. I have a newest Medium Yeti SB, have options either:
A – running a 200mm KS Dropper. but not extending all the way in full pedaling (about 5mm to 7mm down from full 200mm)
B – running a 175mm dropper
I ended up going with Option A. so in math, I have about 190mm in true slam down. I just need to adjust the height when pedaling. After a while, I am kinda used to it.
It would be expensive, but maybe a Selle Italia SLR Boost Tekno is super thin, no padding, straight carbon shell. It would also save weight, but try not to crash since it might not hold up haha. Do you notice those few millimeters that much when you ride though?
Ergon Dh is cheap and very low, if you can put up with how narrow it is for trail riding. One up post goes very low too. I have 28” inseam. I’ve run some wild saddles over the last few years, brooks cambium, selle Italia flite, bontrager Serrano all v low.
I just found one of the Nukeproof Sam Hill Enduro saddles on a buy and sell and snagged it. I had my friend measure his and it came out around 35mm, 10mm lower than my current WTB Silverado. I figured that is likely going to be the thinnest option, so wanted to get my hands on one before they are all gone.
I've always been curious about that 'no padding' style saddle. Never ridden one, but theoretically they could be very thin and get you the extra drop.
As for noticing the extra few mm - I probably wouldn't notice the difference between 2 or 3 mm of saddle height. But often, I find I am somewhere in the middle of the 10mm increments of drop in the OneUp post. If I can get a saddle that's 10mm lower, I could go up a 10mm "shim" in the OneUp post. For me, 10mm of extra drop is definitely noticeable.
A lower seat doesn't mean more drop. If you have the seat up to where it should be for pedaling, and you drop it, the top of the seat is only going to move the amount of the seatpost travel. The only way a lower seat will matter is if you are going to slam the post to the collar and not have it come up to the correct height for proper leg extension.
I think the advantage would be that you would then add more dropper post travel either by installing a new post or simply adjusting the shims on certain models like the Oneup or PNW dropper ranges
Doing god's work here @ eblackwell
Argument against ultralight saddles with no-padding: the entire reason you're asking this question is to minimize the impact of your saddle on body position when you're descending.
Well, you can be darn sure that a thin, unpadded, saddle-shaped carbon fiber blade at roughly knee level will impact your body position when descending. You're going to be consciously and unconsciously working around it all the time to make sure you don't bump into it. Heaven forbid you bump your business end into it like Gee at Mont Sainte Anne. I think you're gonna miss that padding when it's gone.
SDG Circuit Ti is ~44mm from the bottom of the rails to the top of the padding, measured at the middle of the rail's length. Kind of a slim, racy and firm padded saddle (originally a roadie model) but the minimal profile makes the saddle disappear when the dropper is down.
5'3" rider on a small sized frame with 170mm dropper, I need every mm I can have and the OneUp/SDG combo has even given me 5mm to spare.
Nukeproof Enduro was going to be my next saddle but unfortunately it's not an option anymore. Mate has one and is extremely happy with it.
Oof, you know it’s bad when a visual inspection is required
Ergon SM Enduro Comp ~44mm.
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