If you’re looking for comfort and not that worried about aesthetics, then this perch from SQ Labs is up there with the best mountain bike saddles out there.

The full name of this SQ Labs saddle is the 60X Infinergy Ergowave active 2.1, and to break that down, Ergowave is the shape and Infinergy is a new material that replaces the standard PU foam. SQ Labs claims this stuff is almost indestructible, which is why there are just pieces of tape bonded onto the high-wear areas, instead of a cover. So far, we’ve not had any issues with the surface cutting up.

As you’d expect from SQ Labs, the Ergowave has a distinctive shape. The saddle has three tiers that extend from the rear to the front creating a sort of a natural wedge that stops you pushing too far back. To reduce pressure, the saddle is flat at the nose and also features a deep channel running mid to back. It’s also available in four widths (130-160mm) and interestingly SQ Labs says it’s unisex, so there’s no need for a women-specific version.

When we first fitted this saddle, it looked massive on the bike, but it doesn’t feel that big when you’re sitting on it. It’s really comfortable, and when SQ Labs says the shape reduces pressure in the perineal area, that’s absolutely true. Unlike some saddles, where you can fly off the back, you also stay really centred on this and that rear hump does work.

The saddle features hollow cro-mo rails and these are anchored in a T-shaped bridge, under which sits an elastomer. You get two other densities in the box, but to be honest we couldn’t tell the difference.

We had a couple of issues – the paint flaked off the rails on one ride, which is not good for a saddle costing nearly £145. Also, if the conditions were wet, that deep channel would often fill with mud, causing us to float around on the surface. The patches on the surface have also got a little bit polished, which doesn’t help with traction.

This won’t win any awards for styling, but it’s supremely comfortable. Unfortunately we’ve had to peg it back a point due to the slightly high cost and poor rail finishing.

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