Bontrager Aeolus Pro Saddle Review

Short-nose saddles have burst onto the pro cycling scene. These shorter saddles are said to allow you to find that sweet spot in a jiffy and deliver comfort and efficiency for long days on the bike.

The Bontrager Aeolus Pro Saddle is Bontrager’s top of the line saddle in the Aeolus range. Coming in at $230 this is up there when it comes to saddle pricing but not too crazy when you compare it to similar saddles.

This saddle is made for an aggressive riding position and getting aero. This saddle may not be for everyone but if you are a racer looking for an all-round great saddle the Bontrager Aeolus Pro is up there for one of the best saddles I have used.

The saddle comes in 2 sizes, (250mm x 145mm) and (250mm x 155mm) so most riders should be able to find a size that fits them well. The Aeolus Pro is the top of the line saddle but Bontrager also has the Elite and the Comp saddle that is a little more budget-friendly but has a slight weight penalty.

Performance

The performance of the Aeolus Pro saddle was very good for me. Saddles are a personal preference and I really enjoyed riding with this saddle.

At first, the saddle takes a little bit of time to set up and get in the right position for you, especially if you are coming from a long-nosed saddle. The full length cut out provides soft tissue relief and if you ask me, it looks pretty cool too.

With this saddle, I felt I was really locked into a position and I could put down power comfortably. When you are on ‘the limit’ you often tend to sit on the very tip of your saddle with the saddle.

I didn’t tend to feel myself doing this as you are already quite close to the tip of the saddle. When manufacturers talk about short nose saddles they tend to talk about how they maximize power by opening up hip angles, I don’t know if this is true as I’m not a bike fit specialist but I can see where they are coming from.

The saddle has enough padding to be comfortable for an all-day ride but there is not an excessive amount so that they are adding unnecessary weight to the saddle.

The Lightweight carbon-reinforced shell also provides good compliance over rough terrain keeping you comfortable so that you can continuously put the power down for a long period of time.

At 170 grams the saddle isn’t the lightest out there but when you look at the performance of it I would happily sacrifice a few grams for a comfortable ride and some extra power efficiency.

This saddle also offers great strength and durability, I have been using this saddle on both my Road and Mountain Bike and it has held up to the abuse that a saddle gets on off-road trails.

Issues

Personally, on this saddle, I struggle to find too many issues. One thing would be the tip of the saddle could be slightly too wide for me as occasionally I will rub my leg down the seat rail, but nothing too major.

This saddle is made for an aggressive riding position that worked for me but isn’t overly comfortable if you are sitting really upright. If you don’t ride in a pretty aggressive riding position this may not work for you. This isn’t really an issue just something to keep in mind if you aren’t in an overly aggressive position on your bike.

Who Is The Bontrager Aeolus Pro Saddle For?

So who is this saddle made for? This saddle is made for an aggressive riding position. It was designed for the racers who want a nice lightweight saddle that will offer good power transfer and comfort for big days on the bike. It will also work for people that have a naturally aggressive position on a bike.

Ethan Rose

I’m a Cross Country Mountain Bike Racer from New Zealand. I have been racing bikes since I was 9 years old and have progressed my way up to the level I am up now. I have had 3 XC National Titles and am current u19 National Champ, my future goal is to get to the UCI scene and make a living from riding my bike.