Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB Saddle Review

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Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB Saddle

Let’s get one thing straight up front. Being able to get out on my bike is a thing I truly appreciate. With life, work, or family always getting in the way of my two-wheeled fun, I do not take my MTB trail time for granted.  With that said, so many things go into making for a good day on a bike, and the place you put your behind can determine success or great discomfort. The arrival of the Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB saddles coincided perfectly with an annual Camping/MTB trip into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. 4 days of hanging with friends and riding twice a day (as well as night) to enjoy some truly amazing rolling single track.

First Thoughts on the Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB Saddle

I have always viewed Ergon as an innovator of products pushing the design limits to provide for comfort and efficiency on the bike. From the slightly larger ergonomically designed grips to the wide array of saddles.  I have also met Dave Wiens several times. He is either sponsored or one of their brand ambassadors, and represents the Ergon Brand (and mountain biking in general) quite well. If you haven’t heard of him, you might want to check him out. Dave is a 6 time winner of the Legendary Leadville Trail 100 MTB.

Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB Saddle

Out of The Box

German innovation at its finest, and you are made aware of that with the packaging. A protective baggie with a saddle would have been fine, but in this case you get to see the story behind it all. There was some basic information on the front, and I thought that was it.  Holy cow, look at the amount of detail provided when you flip open the package.  I could just post the packaging information and be done. Oh wait….taking this oh so important piece of MTB equipment out on the trail is very important of course.

Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB Saddle

Technical Specifications

• Weight: 255 gram
• Rail: TiNox
• Shell: Nylon GFRP
• Padding: Orthopedic AirCell Foam
• Cover: Microfiber
  

  Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB Saddle

Features of the Ergon SMR3 Comp Mountain Bike Saddle

The Ergon SMR3 surface is constructed of a microfiber that provides some solid support. I say solid because this saddle certainly does not have much in the form of cushy soft padding. It’s an efficient streamlined cover, and my initial take on it is that I like it. I am not a fan of all that squish. I want a simple yet supportive saddle. This cover is durable and easy to clean with an anti-friction coating to provide abrasion resistance.

I did mention the lack of super soft padding, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any. The machined orthopedic Aircell padding does give some support, but more importantly, it distributes the pressure put upon it by my behind.

Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB Saddle

The rail attachment is pretty straight forward and attached quickly to my seatpost.

The 3D Saddle Shell is created with Nylon GFRP and is a tough solid cover. It still looks good after about a month of testing, and time will tell if it can stand up to the Rocky trails I navigate. You lose some comfort as it is pretty hard, but if you are reading this, you are probably a trail veteran and you’ve built up some saddle time.

Here comes the comfort part with the Flexible Side Wings. The wings have performed well as I am in and out of the saddle and getting bounced around a bit going through technical ‘rock garden’ terrain. I didn’t feel like I was getting that paddle slapping effect on each and every bump. The great thing was that I was able to maintain great positioning and balance by shifting ever so slightly in descents, sweeping rollers, and technical terrain.

At home on the rocky red dirt providing proper support

Is this Saddle Trail Worthy?

Enough of all this technical jargon and detail as it was time to take the Ergon SMR3 Saddle out to some of my favorite trails. I am pretty active while riding which means getting out of the saddle often, and sliding forwards, backwards, and sideways. The anti-friction coating provides for smooth transitions and solid support when staying put.

The ergonomic saddle series provides anatomically correct position on the bike. We are all different shapes and sizes, but going completely custom is really not an option. Most companies in the saddle industry will make numerous styles, shapes, sizes, padded, etc., and Ergon is no different.  They have a wide line that will surely fit whatever kind of posterior you sport.

I live in Denver. We are not a mountain town by any means. I do have to get in my car anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to find, discover, and explore trails that probably 40 other states can only dream about calling their ‘local’ trails.  One of my favorite areas to play in is the Buffalo Creek area. It provides such an amazing array of trails that you’ll never get bored. It’s also not super high altitude stuff, so anyone rom lower elevations can come to play and enjoy.  A long Mountain Bike weekend with friends was on tap, and the Ergon SM3  was going to see some serious action.

Several 2 a day rides of 3-4 hours were on tap, and I tell you I never even thought about my saddle with regard to soreness or discomfort. My focus was entirely on the trail, and excitement factor. Handling and balance through those sweeping rollers was fantastic and that little bit of ‘flex’ really allowed me to do my thing. I will not be going back to my stock saddle anytime soon.  And as soon as my new frame comes in for my very own custom build, I will already have a saddle!

Available sizes:

Small: 9-1 cm (3.5-4.3”)

Medium: 11-13 cm (4.3-5.1”)

Large: 13-15 cm (5.1-5.9”)

Ergon has an online selector for determining your sizing for this particular saddle. Click HERE.

It took me a few minutes, and it was an interesting and different method of finding the correct size. In the end, it told me I needed a Small saddle which surprised me a little as I am not necessarily a little guy at 6’-1”, 165 lbs, but that’s what it gave me so I went with it.  It worked well and seems to be the correct size, so I would say it’s “true to size.”

An interesting comparison to my old saddle.

Final Thoughts on The Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB Saddle

The Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB saddle is a great lightweight option that is surprisingly comfortable for the long haul. The marathon or Cross Country (XC) rider will really see its benefits no matter the terrain. The price point is reasonable, so pick one up for your next build, or swap out that stock saddle.

MSRP: $99.95

For more information and purchase please visit: www.amazon.com/ergon.

Ergon SMR3 Comp MTB Saddle