DMR’s Stage 1 is well priced and we found it pretty comfy. The padding is fairly generous and although there isn’t much of a pressure-relief channel, we had no issues with pain or numbness in that area. We did suffer from a little chafing around the sides under the sit bones on long rides, though. The profile is only very slightly concave, so it can feel a little unsupportive on steep or undulating terrain. Because the cover material is smooth and plastic-feeling, it’s quite slippery when wet and muddy. It definitely benefits from having the nose pointed downwards to hold you in place when climbing. The included ‘RideSaver’ Velcro strap is handy for stashing a spare tube underneath, provided you don’t mind it getting muddy. It is possible to improvise a similar set-up with other saddles.
Weight 277g (without strap)
Price $75