Burgtec The Cloud MK2 Saddle

Known mostly for their much-loved Penthouse flat pedal, Burgtec is a small, UK-based company that puts out all kinds of components ranging from handlebars and stems to mudguards and chainrings. They’ve just recently updated their The Cloud saddle model, which now offers 3 different versions at quite reasonable prices. We’ve plopped our tired behinds down on one to see what gives.

Burgtec The Cloud Highlights

• Interface: Railed
• Materials: Synthetic, Chromo/Ti/Carbon Rails
• Colors: Black
• Versions: CroMo rails molded plastic base, Ti rails molded carbon base, Carbon rails molded carbon base
• Weights: Carbon rails, 200 grams // Ti rails, 248 grams // CroMo rails, 261 grams
• MSRP: Carbon rails, $150 USD // Ti rails, $82 USD // CroMo rails: $45 USD

Initial Impressions

The Cloud saddle shows up looking great, in any of the 3 versions. The appearance is sleek and elegant, and the materials chosen give off a distinctly “modern” impression, for lack of a better word. The synthetic upper is precision molded onto some kind of gel-like material, the embossed graphics are a particularly nice touch. The carbon version feels impressively light, tipping the scales at a mere 200 grams.

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The base plate is molded in one piece, with a recessed center channel for pressure relief. The basic version of the saddle makes do with a plastic base plate, while on the two other models it’s made from molded carbon. The two higher end models get Ti and carbon rails, respectively. The overall shape was designed to provide enough comfort for long days out, while still being low-profile enough to not get in the way of your more acrobatic moves. As such, the saddle tapers off both towards the rear and the front. The Cloud exists in one single width and with a classic railed interface only.

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On The Trail

The fit of a saddle is quite a personal thing, and what might be comfortable for one person could be completely wrong for somebody else. Having said that, the Cloud was comfortable for this tester from the start. The saddle is on the firm side, but the shape is right and spending a few hours sitting on it was not a problem.

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The Cloud appears to have been manufactured with care, and our samples have remained creak-free so far (about 1 month of ride time on the Ti and Carbon versions, each). The saddle is also easy to clean so it still looks fresh, even after a few muddy outings.

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What’s The Bottom Line?

With literally hundreds of options out there to choose from, a saddle needs to do a lot to stand out in the crowd. Burgtec’s new The Cloud is comfortable, lightweight and comes in at a reasonable price point. Add in a sharp design and a shape that’s suitable for all kinds of riding, and it certainly looks as though they’ve done enough to warrant our attention.

More information at: www.burgtec.co.uk.

About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.

Photos by Johan Hjord