DSC03740-denizmerdano reform tantalus saddle
Review

Reform Tantalus Saddle

Photos Deniz Merdano
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While Cycling may seem enjoyable from afar, it can be a physically and mentally demanding experience that requires a great deal of effort and perseverance. Sit on a saddle for hours and pedal up a steep hill? 'No thanks, not for me' would be a common response. On the other side of the spectrum there are fit, and ambitious people who love taking on challenges like 200km Fondos. Craziness!

Reform Saddles out of East Vancouver set out to solve one of the keys to the comfort puzzle with their new line. Tantalus is their Titanium-railed, carbon-shelled, heat-moulded off road saddle. They stand behind a, one-size-fits-all promise with a perch that can be used for road, off-road (call it gravel if you need to) or mountain biking.

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Titanium rails and and a Carbon Shell which can be heat moulded for personal fit.

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142mm wide x 242mm long compact footprint.

Most bikes mountain bikes come with decently shaped and sized saddles these days. For many complete peformance bikes, apart from a few boutique options, it is in the form of a rebranded WTB Silverado. It is a saddle with a great shape and padding and you can perch yourself right on top of it for a while and be OK. For anyone else who is not OK with OK, they spend time finding the magic formula that works and buy a pile to put on a few bikes or to last a few decades. With the infinite shapes and sizes and comfort requirements humans come with, the bike industry has been trying to find ways to make sitting on top of a 140 millimetre wide perch as comfortable as possible.

What if the Saddle adjusted itself for your sit bones?

Ever since I spotted an unrecognizable saddle underneath the butts of the Rocky Mountain Enduro team and some local, fast people, I had my curiosity piqued. At the time, I too was struggling to find my forever saddle, bouncing between a narrow and a wide Ergon SM Comp series and a WTB Silverado, I was content with my options. I used a chamois for most of my rides to help with sore sit bones generally caused by excess saddle height or firmness or not enough width.

The problems with saddle angles and shapes in dual suspension mountain bikes are directly related to the rear suspension. This variable, that changes with load, angle and effort, can make nailing your seat angle a challenge. Our climbs are steep here on the North Shore and Sea 2 Sky trails. There is merit to steep seattube angles and tall stacks for comfort and all-day efficiency. More often than not, the tips of our saddles point down to our front wheels to retain some sort of flat surface when the bike is pointed up the hill. But with steep seat tube angles that knock at 79°, the experience of pedalling the bike around on flatter surfaces can be a delicate dance.

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Nose down for a smooth landing...

I met up with Blake from Reform to set up the Tantalus for my bike and have a look underneath the vinyl cover to see what makes this new technology interesting. To put it simply, Reform saddles use extreme heat to soften up the resins in the carbon layer of the saddle to facilitate an acceleration in the brake-in process. Most saddles, offr-oad ones especially do not break-in during their lifetime. They tend to break down instead as the foam and padded layers compress and compact and the rails that support them collapse under the weight of the rider landing heavyily while seated. I have seen many bent, popped out or broken saddle rails. So the idea of a hammock-like system where the tip and the back of the saddle are suspended makes sense if the material can be manipulated with heat and time. Reform uses proprietary tech to achieve this very Brooks-like riding experience. This is a particularly tough challenge thanks to the unforgiving environments our saddles have to perform in.

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Don't forget to unplug before riding

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Plug it in, start the timer and wait 5 to 10 minutes. The temperature of the heating element were not disclosed but apparently it's very hot.

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Apple-like magnetic port.

The majority of the Reform saddle components are made and then assembled in East Vancouver. The heating core (which I am not allowed to show you) is an exception, coming from the Far East. Landyachtz, Reform's parent company, has experience in lamination, heat moulding and composite engineering, easing their entry into this category.

I sat down on the assometer (what I call the sit bone measuring gel) to confirm a narrow-ish pelvic bone structure. 142mm wide Saddles generally work for me and we attached the 142mm wide Tantalus onto the 180mm OneUp dropper of the Orbea Rallon. 7mm Titanium rails presented no challenge and we set the seat in a less-aggressive nose down position than I would normally choose. We plugged the magnetic charging port into the AC adapter and the saddle and let the system heat up for 7 minutes. My weight of 160lbs was taken into consideration for this time but for most people, you would just plug the saddle in, pedal away for 5 minutes on the stationary trainer, unplug the saddle, pedal for another 5 minutes and you are good to go. Being on a mountain bike in East Vancouver for this part meant that I would immediately jump on the bike and pedal around hoping to find some hill that resembled a climb on the Shore. There weren't any, but I did find a steep pedestrian overpass by the tracks that I went up and down a dozen times. Once the seat was cool to the touch of my buttcheeks, I headed back to the HQ to assess the break-in. The carbon material seemed softer and more malleable. Since this is not a final shape, I can modify my saddle shape at any given point in the future by repeating the process. Foolproof!

I headed home excited about a potential new best friend on my bicycle and started planning some big sans-chamois test rides. With the warm summer ahead, there would be many opportunities and I spent a lot of time on the Tantalus. There were a few days of big effort, where my core was so thrashed that I could no longer roll my hips forward to even engage my sit bones; a 3000-meter day in Squamish, hours of slickrock torture in Moab, you name it. The Reform Tantalus did a respectable job of keeping my bits from going numb. The comfort of the sitting surface is not what I would describe plush. There is ample support and combined with the general flex of suspended carbon suspended serves up comfort. The promise was realized and although I will reach for a thin pair of Mons Royale padded shorts for the biggest rides, I am 90% chamois free these days. The Tantalus just works for me regardless of my trouser or shorts selection.

pressure points

Pressure points before (left) and after moulding

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It's not worn out but it holds onto stains more than smooth fabric, but the added friction keeps you stable.

There isn't much to complain about the experience of pedalling from the top on the Tantalus or its carbon-railed sibling the Seymour from where I am standing. The idea of taking the guesswork out of your riding comfort seems pretty sensible. I had grown to like the Velo Senso Wilson saddle I spent a considerable amount of time on and I liked the overall support more than the Silverado. The shorter overall length meant I had more room to move around in front of the saddle when it was down. The Tantalus builds on that pleasant experience and improves my saddle time. The wings of the Velo got caught on my shorts a few times and made for some spicy moments on the trail and the Tantalus's overall length is on par with the Velo and shorter than the Silverado.

Price may be the deciding factor for most. I can't tell you how to spend you money but I take comfort in a product made mostly locally and in the cutting edge technology. You also get a $50 credit if you return the AC adapter back after your fitting. You'll be pleased to find that most bikeshops in the lower mainland do carry the adapter if you wanted to refresh your fit. A 6-pack of Bubblys will probably get you access to one for 10 minutes.

I asked Blake about combining the Tantalus with an Aenomaly Switchgrade. He told me Reform saddles are designed to eliminate the need to adjust saddle angle on your rides. I don't have any experience with the Switchgrade but I'd be curious to try and compare the results.

Aenomaly Constructs SwitchGrade NSMB Andrew Major

Andrew reviewed the Aenomaly Switchgrade that offers another way to eliminate climbing discomfort.

If I had one criticism, it would be the fabric cover's tendency to hold on to dirt and other stains. Some scrubbing with a mild brush helps but the traction it provides for your shorts is also a magnet for dirt. The durability however is spot on. I have no concerns about that.

Hit up your local shop for a test or just bite the bullet online for one. They are working on a wider saddle to accommodate more sitbones. I'm excited to see what's in store for Reform in the upcoming years, particularly if the technology can be adapted to contact points on the bike.

REFORM SADDLES 350 CAD, 260 USD

denomerdano
Deniz Merdano

5'8"

162lbs

Playful, lively riding style

Photographer and Story Teller

Lenticular Aesthetician

www.blackbirdworks.ca

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Comments

just6979
+8 taprider AndrewR mrbrett Timer Velocipedestrian vunugu DancingWithMyself Tremeer023

The name is quite interesting. In the Odyssey, Tantalus was condemned to Hades, forced to stand up to his chin in a pool of water with fruit hanging above, but when he tried to drink or eat, the water or fruit would recede. Tantalus is often a symbol of being able to endure great punishment, in the nether regions of the world. Weird name for something designed to reduce punishment of the nether regions of riders.

Reply

cooperquinn
+3 Andy Eunson AndrewR Justin White
just6979
+5 AndrewR BarryW ohio Dan DancingWithMyself

Named after a mountain named after a dude condemned to be forever tantalized but not satisfied. Slick.

Reply

andrewbikeguide
+4 mrbrett Andy Eunson ohio FlipSide

@Deniz I have had a good look at your excellent photos but would just like to confirm that the Reform is flatter on the top than the Silverado please?

I ran WTB Silverado on all my bikes for 20+ years (I think I got my first one the year they were released to the public, back when I was young enough to think Brian Lopes was cool).

In the past few years I have transitioned to SQ-Lab 611 Active 13 cm (I have 10.5 cm sit bone spacing) with a brief segue on the Ergon Enduro S/M (the hard rear edge used to catch the shorts and threaten the family jewels fairly regularly).

There is definitely something in the relatively recent change in bike angles that makes it harder to get the sweet spot with a saddle as I have had 25 years of almost no issue and then found it a bit more tricky in the last five years.

I like the SQ-Lab but it is not so perfect for my butt that I can ride 'sans chamois', it has quite a hard edge as the top transitions from flat to the wing/ side and I think that is where I am getting pinched during long rides. As a 350-400 hr per year rider I don't think it is just because I have soft sit bones.

I was hoping that their new Infinergy saddles were going to be available to try in 12 cm but it appears that the marketing campaign is well ahead of their production/ retail schedule. As @ohio stated above it can be a $150-300 experiment only to find that the saddle really doesn't make any improvement to one's longer rides.

I have a Specialized Mirror Pro 3D on my Arrival 170 at the moment but I am not convinced and the main issue is that the Pro has a really round profile rather than one with a flatter top section that I seem to ass-gree with. I could not decide whether it was better or worse than the SQ-Lab during my 30 day "no questions asked return" period so I am stuck with it.

Anyway thanks for the good article and I think I might try the Tantalus and hope it bring a bit more of the wonder of viewing a mountain range on a perfect day and not so much of the endless torment in Hades.

Reply

ohio
+2 BadNudes Andy Eunson

I've been intrigued by these since the carbon Seymour was first unveiled. The intro of the Tantalus at $300 USD makes it a no brainer vs cycling through 3-5 $100-$150 ill fitting saddles and still being miserable. However, with a sit bone C2C of 125mm, I need a ~155mm saddle, and the Reforms seem to only come in a 142mm. Any word from them on offering additional widths at any point soon?

For reference, I have tried WTB, Bontrager, every Fabric profile, BikeYoke, endless Selle Italia models, have an SQ Lab 611 Active on the way, and the best fitting saddle I have found for me so far is the Specialized Power Arc Mirror, but it's not perfect, works best at the lean angles of my road bike, and is awfully expensive and fragile for off-road use. And I paid more for it than the Tantalus.

(Also, the article is missing pricing info - $400 USD for the carbon Seymour, $300 USD for the Ti Tantalus)

Reply

denomerdano
+1 ohio

I'm certain a wider saddle is in the works. But in the meantime, give the Ergon a try. I quite like the sm comp men emtb(little extra padding)

Moat saddle makers also offer w certain period comfort guarantee. You can always take them back. Although i would bring my bike to the shop and try a few personally. 

Pricing info was always there but seems like USD pricing is a bit off. Thanks!

Reply

DaveSmith
+1 vantanclub

I'm interested to hear how the Switchgrade trials go. It might be cool if two local companies doing unique things teamed up to solve the sore butt equation.

Reply

FlipSide
0

Interesting product. Very cool to see heat-molding carbon technology being used for saddles.

After years of using various Selle Italia Flite saddles, I recently settled on the Chromag Trailmaster LTD as my favorite saddle. If I didn't have a brand new one waiting to be used for my new build, I'd be really tempted to try this Reform saddle.

Reply

denomerdano
+1 FlipSide

I love the LTD look of the trailmasters.

Less interested about the leather aspects of it but the visually, they are awesome

Reply

andy-eunson
0

Way back Pearl Izumi and Ritchey had seats with a foam that deformed under the heat of your butt. I know people that really liked them. This seat may be pricey but it might be cheaper as someone pointed out above than spending hundreds more on seats that are a poor fit or merely ok. Thermofit is a big thing in ski boots.  Some have not only moldable liners but moldable shells too.

Reply

just6979
0

Were those saddles just memory foam? High-density memory foam is heat and pressure activated for deformation, but it bounces back when the pressure is removed. As opposed to thermofit-type foam for ski boots, hockey skates, and this saddle, that is a (semi-, usually resettable with more heat) permanent deformation.

Reply

andy-eunson
0

Yeah pretty they were a memory foam of sorts. But IIRC the foam would sort of stay where it was after a few rides. I think it was referred to as thixotropic foam.

Reply

denomerdano
+1 Andy Eunson

Problem with memory foams in general is that they offer very little support for the bones themselves. They tend to distribute the pressure over a larger soft tissue area that eventually goes numb but feels good in the short term. The thermofit shell, the tech directly borrowed from ski industry here, offers a fit and comfort with shape rather than padding. So it doesn't drift as much over a long period of time.

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Sethimus
0

i use the gebiomized software several times per week doing saddle analysis with customers. that pressure map is far from ideal?  usually you want next to no pressure in the front and the whole pressure more in the middle of the 2 thirds in the back. way too much pressure in the nogo zone in the middle

Reply

denomerdano
0

That pressure map was a gif that I failed to embed into the article. They have a better one on their website. Do you believe that one is flawed also?

Reply

Sethimus
+1 ohio

depending on sitting position, for a mtb or riding on the hoods i would say too much forward and too much pressure on the nerves/blood vessels, riding on the lower part of a racebike handlebar it’s acceptable. i‘d move the seat to a more forward position to get the weight back

Reply

BarryW
0

"I asked Blake about combining the Tantalus with an Aenomaly Switchgrade. He told me Reform saddles are designed to eliminate the need to adjust saddle angle on your rides."

@Deniz I'm failing to see how any saddle could possibly achieve this. Some kind of black magic makes it all angles to all butts at all times? Did Blake have any more information on how they claim to accomplish this bit of unicorn?

Reply

just6979
+1 BarryW

Yeah, isn't Switchgrade about changing the alignment of your hips and back as opposed to just properly supporting them when the alignment is good?

Reply

denomerdano
0

I guess what he meant was they solve different problems. And tilting the SAddle down with switchgrade, you would undo the benefits of the Tantalus. Unless you moulded your tantalus with the seat pointed down.

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