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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE: NOVEMBER 9th
HOW DO WE DECIDE OUR OVERALL RATINGS FOR PRODUCTS WE REVIEW?
Madison Flux Switch Alloy Titanium Rail Saddle
280g £54.99
The Madison Flux Switch Alloy Titanium Rail Saddle is a unisex design promising to be an all-rounder universally good performance for road, gravel, mountain biking, “fast commuters and endurance riders”. A big ask from a saddle and while contact points are extremely personal, models promising to be all things to all riders tend to be better at some duties than others. At 142mm wide and 280mm long, it might be a bit long and narrow for some- women in particular. I’ve found it consistently comfortable fitted to my fixed gear winter trainer, early 90s road bike and Denise, my gravel build. That said (and in keeping with my earlier point), its qualities have been best appreciated on the fixed and 90’s road bikes which have a slightly more aggressive, lower slung front end.
Pros: Good all rounder, supportive padding, high specification for the money, lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
Cons: Not as light as the specification might suggest, might be a bit long for some, especially given the unisex tag.
Specification
For £55 this is particularly favourable, albeit with some compromises. I’d usually expect Cro-Moly rails, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover Titanium. Well, titanium alloy, which basically means a blend, which would also explain why it tips the scales at 280g. Less feathery than I and some others were expecting, although I’m the first to admit that 30 odd grams is a small penalty to pay for comfort (and infinitely preferable to saddle sores).
Aside from some welcome flex, the hollow 7mm thick titanium alloy could pass for stainless steel and is highly corrosion resistant, so another good bet for four seasons riding and winter training in particular. Lazer etched detailing makes for quick and easy adjustments, say when switching between bikes, or should a post cradle slacken mid-ride.
The base is made from Polypropylene which might not give bragging rights on the chain gang, strikes a good balance between support and comfort. The EVA foam padding continues this narrative, but tailored density and the universal perineum channel bode well for pressure relief. The cover is a waterproof satin effect micro fibre (faux leather) which promises good grip come rain or shine, without feeling like you’re sat atop a strip of flypaper. Glued and screwed construction is typical of the price point but neatly executed and hasn’t given any cause for concern. Before I go any further, it's only fair to point out there’s a Flux Aero Short cousin, measuring a very stubby 142x242mm.
Test Bikes/Contexts
As I said in my introduction, I’ve tested on and off road and across three genres of bike. Gravel, traditional road and winter trainer covers most bases and would call Madison’s bluff. Both Denise (my gravel build). Fixed and Denise run similar twin bolt designs, which can be slightly fiddly customers. No issues with fitting and alignment. That said; it wouldn’t play nicely with my 1991 road bike’s twenty-year old Thompson post, so if in doubt, check compatibility first. In this instance, I switched to my Holdsworth.
The fixed and Denise’s posts are inline designs, which place me directly over the bottom bracket shell-my preferred stance. I’ve done 900 miles in total, three hundred on each bike, over an eight-week period.
Performance 3.75/5
I’ve found the Madison Flux Saddle very compatible with my proportions. The first three hundred miles were aboard Denise. I'd experienced chafing courtesy of an elderly pair of shorts (which I promptly retired) but even so, found the tailored padding provided welcome support and having switched the shorts, no issues with chafing. Denise is less aggressive than a purebred cross, or road bike, which should in theory place greater weight on the ischial tuberoses (sit bones).
Yes, Denise has a suspension post (set very firm) but coming from the excellent Ergon All Road’s Cro-moly and another with 7mm stainless rails, the Flux’s ti offered a little more zing over washboard surfaces and trails. I initially attributed this to “new component” bias but as the miles and ride durations increased from 90-minutes to three hours plus, it remained consistent.
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It’s also worth noting that I tend to stay seated on the gravel bike, while I’m more inclined to move from sitting and standing on a cross-country mountain bike (which probably accounts for my compatibility with very minimalist perches during the mid to late 90s).
I don’t tend to shuffle far but am prone to those back-and-forth micro movements. The satin leatherette cover and relatively flat surface has offered reliable tenure-especially when the heavens have opened but without impeding any discrete adjustments. Equally, I’ve been able to press myself against the rear, hunker low and hammer-welcome across the board but particularly battling headwinds on the fixed, or taking advantage of my Holdsworth’s spirited persona.
I tend to get along with most pressure-relieving cut outs and channels. The Flux switch is relatively shallow, especially compared with the Ergon All Road’s deep male specific scoop, but I’ve felt any tingling, discomfort or worse around the crotch, regardless of whether I’ve been cruising on the hoods, or hunkered down on the drops.
Another welcome surprise since the term unisex has the potential to be mutually incompatible. The only slight consideration is the longer nose. A moot point on the road bike and fixed but it did impede quick dismounts off road, so might not be the first choice for cyclo cross, or more competitive gravel duties. For context, 260-265mm seems my best length-my ergonomics aren’t overly sold on the super short genre, at least for rides longer than 2 hours.
Durability/Care 3.75/5
900 miles hence and there’s no obvious signs of wear, especially in the cover. Not that I’d expect so, save for a big spill, or similar significant event, but reassuring just the same. I’ll confess to liking “scuff bumpers” on saddles to protect the cover from abrasion damage when leaning the bike up against brickwork, trees and other surfaces.
No marks are present in the highly polished rails, or deterioration of the laser etched detailing despite being ported between bikes. The ability to snug the fasteners tight, in case of any minor slop is another welcome detail but no call for touching them to date. Pretty much all I’ve done is give the undersides a tickling when treating the bike to a sudsy bucket and soft brush clean.
Value 4/5
A penny shy of £55 is competitive, given the specification. Aside from the Ergon All Road SR, which I’ve made frequent comparison with here, BBB Echelon is a unisex design marketed at road and off road audiences, employs hollow Cro-Moly rails and a choice of three widths (145, 155 and 165mm) wide with a generous and seemingly effective cut out, carbon reinforced shell and choice of two colours. Curiously, it's also 4g lighter than the Madison Flux swift. However, it's also £24 dearer at full rrp. If you weren’t set on titanium rails, Ritchey Cabrillo Comp is £52.90.
Its slightly shorter (260mm) and wider (146mm), features a monocoque, single piece design with their “Vector Wing” technology, which in my experience genuinely eliminates hot spots. Official figures suggest despite the Cro-moly rails, its 14g lighter (266g) and the shorter nose may win favours with women, especially those riding gravel, or competitive cross but who aren’t sold on the latest generation of stubby nosed designs.
On a tighter budget, say upgrading an OEM saddle? Specialized Bridge Sport promises to perform equally well on and off road and is available in two widths 143 and 145mm and with a similarly sculpted pressure-relieving groove. However, the steel rails push the weight up to a relatively portly 315g for the narrower model.
Summary
Ultimately, contact points are incredibly personal things and even when calculated in a bike-fit, things can be very nuanced. Madison also offers a thirty-day money back guarantee if you find the Flux (and stablemates) incompatible. 143mm is defined as my ideal but I’ve also been extremely comfortable on 139mm, 142 and indeed, 146mm, depending on the duty. Traditionally, I’ve pointed inexperienced riders looking to upgrade their saddles to something like an old school Turbo, or Charge Spoon as a starting point.
That out of the way, the Madison Flux Swift has performed well, given the promises. On balance, it is a road saddle first, given the length and despite the unisex design, better suited to men. That said; I’ve also found it very capable for mixed terrain explores and meanders- it's just the nose length that limits the appeal for competitive cross and gravel duties.
Verdict: 3.75/5 Great value for money saddle with a nice spec but on balance better suited to road, rather than competitive gravel duties.
Michael Stenning
Madison.co.uk – The UK’s largest cycle parts & accessories distributor
PUBLISHED JULY 2024