The German engineering involved with every Ergon product is immediately noticed. Now with a variety of saddles in their product mix, there’s one for any style of riding. Riding aboard the SR3 Pro has been delightful and comfortable.
Ergon SR3 Pro Saddle Features:
- Carbon composite shell
- Synthetic leather Alocosto micro-fibre cover
- Silicon coating to minimize friction
- TiNox rails
- Available in three sizes: 13.5cm, 14.5cm and 15.5cm
- Length: 28.5 cm
- Weight: 215g (small), 235g (med), 245g (lrg)
- Price: $169.95
I’ve enjoyed many comfortable miles aboard this beauty.
Ergon SR3 Pro is a Comfortable Shovel
One of the most common comments about the size Large SR3 Pro is its likeness to a shovel. There’s no getting around how large this saddle is, but that’s all dependent upon the width of your sit bones — for me the Large width matches my anatomy, so shovel it is.
The construction of the SR3 Pro is nothing short of impressive. Every bit screams quality and my saddle experience has followed suit. With three flavors, I’ve had the mid-level SR3 Pro, which gives a carbon composite shell and TiNox rails for a reasonable $169 price.
Saddle setup is critical, so be sure and follow the setup guide. At nearly 2cm longer than every other saddle I’ve got, my typical nose-to-bars measurement had to go out the window — keep that in mind. And, like all saddles, Ergon recommends setting it up level. Referencing the setup guide, Ergon does not include the rearward flare into the level plane, so keep the level within the center relief channel, as shown below.
For best results, start with a level saddle, as shown.
The SR3 Pro has been ridden for eight months on two different bikes. I started off with it aboard the Scott Addict SL rocket and then rounded it out aboard the versatile Argon 18 Krypton XRoad. The broad, flat profile of the saddle really provides a large perch and has made for many great miles.
As a full disclaimer, I’ve got tricky sit bones to fit properly. No matter how well I set up most saddles, I get a bit of numbness on extended rides. I’m happy to report that Ergon has my number with the size Large SR3 and I can only think of a couple of times when I experienced just a slight amount of numbness — the kind that goes away after an extended effort out of the saddle. Again, the proper setup will pay dividends.
At 28.5cm, this is one long saddle. It’s been nice having so much nose to work with on extended climbs while also being able to maximize power on the meat of the saddle. With just a slight upward curve at the tail, my hind end knows where to land and still provides more fore/aft wiggle room than I typically get (again, a nice trait for long-distance comfort).
Early-season climbs in American Fork Canyon aboard the SR3.
In all hand positions, the SR3 maintained its comfort level. Looking over the size guide, it provides additional confirmation that Ergon has built this saddle to maintain proper comfort for all riding positions — I can personally confirm that.
As you’d imagine, I’ve ridden this saddle with just about every pair of bibs I’ve got (Hincapie, Bontrager, Castelli, Craft and Garneau). Every one felt nice and comfortable, with the exception of one pair of Garneau winter bib tights, which had my junk feeling a little awkward on one ride. It never happened again, so I’m not quite sure what to make of that.
Some saddles do a great job of absorbing road chatter while others are racy and stiff. I’d say this saddle is more on the chatter-reducing side. It’s not squishy by any means, but it does a good job of taking the edge off of rough roads.
The Good
- Nice, wide platform
- Cutout does relieves pressure
- Rides very smooth — cuts road chatter
- Standard rails are easily fit to any seatpost clamps
- Riding numb-free in hoods and drops
- Extra real estate is nice on extended climbs and long miles
The Bad
- At 245 grams, this thing is heavy, but a carbon version is available to cut 50 grams
- Sheer width gives some chamois a bit of trouble
- Extended nose length makes fit measurements difficult
The Bottom Line: Ergon SR3 Pro
With three sizes and three flavors to choose from, the “middle child” Ergon SR3 Pro has impressed with its wide, flat profile and extended comfort. It has a unique look and delivers predictable ride quality on a variety of bikes and bibs.
Buy Now: Available at Nashbar.com
2 Comments
Nice review! Very curious about the Xroad. I have a friend that owns a shop that carries Argon 18, and he can get me a deal on a frame. How do you like it? Looking at this, the GT Grade and the Roubaix disc as possible candidates for my next bike (want discs and the abiltiy to fit CX tires if needed), but have found no reviews for the Xroad online. Thanks!
Mike
Thanks Mike! So far, the XRoad is performing like a dream. I’m still riding it as shown and it is fast, responsive and very compliant. Even though it does knock out a bunch of road chatter, when you step on it, the bike responds in a jiffy.
They have figured out how to essentially deliver race-like responsiveness and power transfer while delivering excellent ride quality. Steering is quick, but not twitchy. I continue to be amazed every time I saddle up. I’ll be rounding out the review with some 32mm CX tires in the next month or so, but my gravel time thus far has been fantastic.
Without pedals, my build (as shown) is right about 16.5 lbs. Look for my full review in about a month!