A sore behind and being hours from the car is a sure fire way to ruin your day, so making sure you’ve got the right gear for your rear, is must for any cyclist. A good saddle is of course only one part of the equation needed to keep things from getting sore, but seemingly quite a hard one to crack. A good pair of shorts is a good pair of shorts and getting your saddle position right isn’t brain surgery for the experienced rider, so why is finding a good saddle such a pain in the ass?

Words: Olly Forster | Photos: Nathan Carvell & Olly Forster

This was an unplanned review and by chance, had heard a few good things about this particular saddle and in dire need of a new one, hit Google and started looking for where I can get one – yes, I bought it! With prices varying across the net, I picked this one up from a reputable retailer for the poultry sum of £20, which is pretty good. Sure, we are talking chromoly rails and a pretty bog standard synthetic cover here, but this is my ass we are talking about here and it’s done it’s fair share of hours perched on uncomfortable saddles while I’m cursing the very existence of the razor I’m resting on so price is neither here nor there.

With a nice upward sweep towards the rear and gentle drop at the front, the Charge Spoon’s shape is very much the archetypal modern saddle and although a multi-use item, road or off-road, it does really come into its own out on the trails and in the elements. For me, I like a saddle that not only gives you a good perch, but also the ability to alter my body position to suit the terrain I’m riding over and the Spoon never gave me any real concerns.

Not only does the shape support the rider looking to manhandle their bike, but also to sit there in comfort and the ease in knowing that no permanent damage is being caused below – pressure relief channels are nothing new in saddle design, but there are a few out there that don’t quite get it right. My maximum single ride is usually about 3ish hours with perhaps a total of 5 to 6 on a long days ride and I must say, this is one of the comfiest saddles I’ve had the pleasure of bolting to my bike.

Specs wise your looking at a heavy ‘ol saddle; 300 grams is no fly-weight, but this was only £20 and it is really comfy… Moving on to dimensions – at it’s widest point the Spoon is 138mm and about 275mm long. For 2012 the Spoon is available in Black, White and Brown, but for next year, which is kind of now, Charge have added a bright Red, Yellow and another White option, this time with pink stitching. Nice! Oh, it’s also available in Ti too…

This Charge Spoon lives on a 150-170mm, 1 x 10 speed, dropper post equipped all mountain bike and you know what? It’s right at home, just as it is on my Plug pub bike, but this is the beauty of this saddle and indeed any good saddle.

Conclusion.

So why is it so hard to find a good saddle? In brief, we are all different and have different behinds, but sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you do your research and see what works… Charge bikes have a thing for naming their products after kitchen utensils, but there’s also something inherently comforting about the spoon. Maybe it’s because we envisage a smooth, soft shape that you could easily slip into with ease or perhaps it’s something far deeper in our psyche? That’s neither here nor there as this is a great saddle. It looks good, and apart from the red logo, which has long since worn away, is still intact and hasn’t begun to fall apart…

There’s still time, but then again this was £20 and how important to you is that pain free loop through the forest you’ve been waiting all week to do? Answered that question for you haven’t I? A bloody good bit of kit that’s well worth checking out. Designed in the UK, made somewhere else, it’s great value for money, looks rad, is from Charge, so it’s kind of rad anyway and then it’s just a really nice saddle. Thoroughly recommended!

Charge Bikes, Parts and Accessories are exclusively distributed in the UK by Cycle Sports Group and for everything Charge Bikes and beyond, tap the big logo below and get involved! Their new 2013 website is imminent by the way…

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