Specialized 3D-prints saddle magic with the S-Works Power with Mirror saddle

Touch points get us all riled up, don’t they? Nowhere else on a bike is as important for rider comfort as the saddle, which is why saddle development is no longer a process of wrapping leather around a plastic form, in the way shoes were once designed.

The Specialized S-Works Power with Mirror saddle is based on some of the development process used for the women’s Mimic saddle, but that’s where the similarities stop.

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This Specialized saddle has been 3D-printed from a liquid polymer, and was designed without limitations of foam cushioning.

The Specialized S-Works Power with Mirror saddle was engineered to allow for optimized blood flow, and reduced pressure in sensitive areas. This was accomplished through pressure mapping studies, so that the rider’s weight is transmitted through the sit bones instead of soft tissue.

Specialized saddle product project manager Garrett Getter claims that the design team pushed using foam in the construction process to the limit, and a lighter and more responsive material was needed.

The short, wide shape of the Specialized Power saddle, along with the 3D-printed construction, reduces the overall weight and material used. The 3D-printing process also allows Specialized to adjust the firmness of the contact point underneath the rider, across the entire seat top.

Specialized indicated its design team worked its way through nearly 70 iterations of the Power with Mirror saddle before settling on the final design.

The Specialized S-Works Power with Mirror saddle is available in two widths, 155mm (194g) and 143mm (190g), for $450.