I’ve been using an I-Beam saddle and post ever since they first appeared and I love the simplicity of the system, even going as far as stating that I think this set up is as revolutionary and as much of a no-brainer as lock-on grips! There are many reasons why I like the I-Beam set up, but aside from the low weight, the huge amount of fore, aft and tilt adjustment from the single bolt and centre-rail (which allows for a precise set up when it comes to the top tube length), you’re onto an absolute winner…

Words: Robin Johnson | Photos: Thomas Gaffney & Olly Forster

For example; if you’re riding somewhere steep and tech – in a quick flash of an allen key, you pull the seat forward to give yourself more room off the rear of the bike or vise-versa. Sure, you can do that with some railed post designs, but if you’ve never tried an I-Beam, you really should give it a go… The centre rail means you can pretty much say goodbye to bent rails, and did I mention how easy they are to install, and how good it looks? Okay, so I like I-Beam saddles, but what we have here is something old with a splash of something new, and especially interesting that Canadian compononent supremos Race Face teamed up with saddle stalwarts SDG to create something rad.

Collaborations are cool and especially so when the end product delivers what the ethos of the brands behind it intended! 

The shape and size of the Atlas saddle is pretty much spot on for a DH application, being either too big or too small, but like all things, there are some negatives to the I-beam system. Manufactured as it is, mainly plastic, and lacking the forgiveness and damping qualities of steel or titanium, they can be a tad on the tough side on long rides where they can be a little harsh on the derrier, but for a DH bike the only issue I’ve ever had was from bruised thighs – a trade off when getting loose riding the steep stuff and having such a rigid saddle between your legs…

Build quality is absolutely first rate (as we’ve come to expect from both parties) and in the past few months I’ve had some of the biggest and scariest crashes of my life; cranks have bent, mechs have snapped off, chain devices have broken and I have even managed to break a seat clamp!!! All that and the saddle still looks new…

The seatpost is your typical I-Beam affair and comes with a similar graphics package to the saddle, tying them both in and rather nicely indeed. Available in a lengthy 350mm and in either 31.6 or 30.9 diameter.

For those of you unfamiliar with the I-Beam design, it’s incredibly simple. A row of thin vertical grooves sit either side of the saddle and…

Inside the adjustable clamp on the post. To install or adjust, simply undo the single bolt, give it a little wiggle, find your desired sweet spot, and tighten it back up again.

Conclusion

I know if I’m looking down at my saddle when riding I’m in trouble or not going very fast, so the aesthetic qualities of any component only really matter when the bike is stationary… What I’m getting to is my only real gripe. I’m quite unsure about the use of a contorted map of Whistler for the saddles graphics? I haven’t been to Whistler, spending 90% of my life riding bikes in Europe, but even if I did go to Whistler, I don’t think it would prove useful use for navigation? I’m not for one second suggesting the Race Face designers produce a European version with a map of the Portes du Soleil, but it does seem a little bit tacky in my opinion, but I guess the squiggly lines from a distance look okay?

Also; if any of the Race Face design team read this, I much prefer the contor map to the flames that you used to put on everything, but please don’t forget, Whistler is not the only place in the world where people ride bikes…

Overall the Atlas I-Beam saddle and post is both reliable, durable and very, very, good! While the graphics might prove hit or miss, there’s no denying that it’s nice to have more brands offering I-Beam compatible products, especially ones that work so well together – providing you like the graphics. Graphics aside, we all know this is an SDG product with Race Face branding, but the cool thing is, that’s exactly what it is and neither party is trying to hide it.

I know a lot of riders that love Race Face and would certainly relish the chance to add more of their product to their own pride and joy, and rather than go develop something new they’ve done the smart thing and partner up with the guys who invented the only real viable option to the traditional railed saddle. On the retail front your looking at £60 for the saddle and £65 for the post – not cheap, but this is premium stuff that does exactly what it says on the tin! Smart stuff from Canada via someone else in the US, but who cares – if you love Race Face’s Atlas range, you really need to check this out!

Race Face is exclusively distributed in the UK by Silverfish-UK and for everything Race and Face, tap the logo below – Peace and wheelies, Robin!

Comments

comments

TAGS