Ergon makes some great products, including one of the best mountain bike saddles; this SM Enduro Comp. It is a new saddle from the German accessory brand that features a lot of technology to improve comfort and support. The first thing you’ll notice is the pressure-relieving cutaway down the centre and the small drainage hole at the bottom, which is a nice touch.

Underneath the cover, either side of this channel, are OrthoCell inlays made from a special type of foam that’s very supportive. The saddle is also wider at this point too, so you’re not sitting on a thin, hard ridge. Ergon uses a similar profile at the rear under the sit bones – the SM Enduro Comp is a lot flatter and there’s more to sit on, again improving the support.

This saddle doesn’t have deep shoulders, which you normally push against when climbing but Ergon gets round this by kicking the saddle up at the tail – this keeps your sit bones in the right place and stops you skidding off the back. A rubberised bumper is also featured here to resist scuffing and tyre rub.

Underneath there’s a nylon composite base and a set of CroMo steel rails. The latter are pretty conventional, but they do have gradients down either side, which are handy for repeating your position if you’ve had to remove the saddle for some reason. The leather cover is neat on the top but the finish isn’t the best we’ve seen and is a little rough in places underneath. Ergon makes a big deal about the pressure relieving properties of this saddle on its website, and to be honest they’re justified. The saddle is comfortable and feels that way even after three to four hours of hard shredding. The padding round the channel doesn’t really feel as soft as the WTB Volt but there’s more padding under the sit bones and it has a better overall profile.