Specialized has released a new £390 / $450 S-Works Romin EVO road bike saddle with Mirror technology – a 3D-printed polymer matrix that “perfectly reflects your anatomy”.
The new S-Works Romin EVO with Mirror is Specialized's second saddle to use the tech, following the Specialized S-Works Power with Mirror saddle released in June 2020.
The 3D-printed polymer was developed by Californian company Carbon 3D and first appeared in Adidas running shoes. It is also used in Fizik Adaptive saddles.
Specialized says 3D-printing the upper of the Romin EVO saddle from a liquid polymer allows for “infinite tuneability”. This means a more even distribution of seat bone pressure on the saddle upper, rather than the soft tissue around your sit bones supporting your weight, which can help to reduce saddle sores.
The polymer matrix, with its distinctive open lattice appearance, is said to consist of 22,000 individual struts and 10,700 nodes. This allows for more “travel” (squishiness by any other word) in the Romin EVO’s upper compared to the S-Works Power with Mirror, which has 14,000 struts and 7,799 nodes.
Using a test group of five female and five male riders, Specialized says the Romin EVO decreases pressure across the three main road bike riding positions when compared to an unspecified, traditional foam saddle.
Riding on the tops saw a claimed 18.5 per cent reduction in pressure, on the hoods a 17.51 per cent reduction and on the drops a 25.95 per cent reduction.
Underneath the 3D-printed upper is a carbon shell and oversized 7×9mm carbon rails.
At 26cm, the S-Works Romin EVO is 2cm longer than Specialized's Power saddle. Specialized says this allows for a more aggressive position and lets riders shift their weight back for climbing.
The S-Works Romin EVO with Mirror is available in either 143mm or 155mm widths, and the 143mm version is claimed to weigh 190g.
