WTB Gravelier: A SoCal Perspective – by Grannygear.
Back in April we posted a Quick Review of the WTB Graveleir Saddle. Now the Gravelier has been checked out by Grannygear in SoCal, so this will be his take on this new saddle.
“Su-prise, Su-prise, Su-prise!”
Thanks for that lead-in there, Gomer Pyle, because for me and my butt, this saddle has been a real surprise.
When I first saw it upon delivery to the vast and sprawling Grannygear Rancho, I thought, “Meh…looks a bit short and such…”
I was replacing my very well liked WTB Silverado which is a much flatter and longer AND more padded saddle, so I was not expecting to like the Gravelier very much.
But 25 hours into this new saddle, including two very hard 5 hour rides in hot temps and with lots of bumps included, I am very, very happy. Here is why.
- Compared to the Silverado, which lets you scoot back and forth easily enough and does not really care much, the Gravelier has really only one sweet spot but that sweet spot is sweet indeed. I can move forward if I need to and the cut-out is very well placed (WTB tried multiple positions for that cutout and finally settled on this),l but moving back up onto the rear ‘kick’ is not so good. It allowed for the sides of the saddle where it flares to annoy. But I never needed to move much at all, so comfy was the main seating spot.
- It is very compliant. I think the shell is the deal here, but it sucks up a lot of the chatter that makes it way up into the bike. It has some padding of course, but it is supportive enough so you do not sink into the padding and get hot spots over long rides, something the Silverado was wont to do.
- The width feels better to me than the Silverado, which always felt like I was seated on a flat, narrow, and square-ish padded thing.
- The Gravelier truly did disappear underneath me, in the best way.
If I have any negatives, it is that the rails, while long-ish for a short nosed saddle, are still shorter than the Silverado so I was not quite able to get my saddle back as far a normal. However, I have been getting used to being a bit more ‘up and over’ the cranks and that has its merits.
I have some saddles for fizik coming up next, so maybe those will be the ‘new hotness’ for me. Until then, the Gravelier will remain in place, keeping my undercarriage happy.
And that is not a bad thing.
Note: WTB sent over these Gravelier saddles for test and review to Riding Gravel at no charge. We were not paid, nor bribed for this review and we always strive to give our honest thoughts and opinions throughout.