Serfas E-Gel Cruiser Review
Cons: Heavy, lacks versatility
Manufacturer: Serfas
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
![]() This Product
Serfas E-Gel Cruiser | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Price | $56 List | $169.95 at Amazon | $122.92 at Amazon | $104.03 at Amazon | $164.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score ![]() |
|||||
Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Comfortable, good shock absorption | Lightweight, comfortable, durable | Lightweight, supportive, comfortable on long rides | Lightweight, comfortable, reasonably priced | Relieves pressure, good price, texture prevents slip |
Cons | Heavy, lacks versatility | No anatomic relief channel, lacks versatility | No pressure relief channel, limited colors | Unique shape may not be for everyone | Saddle can stick, excess padding, pricey |
Bottom Line | Wide, thick, and ready to absorb jolts on your commutes, this saddle puts comfort above everything else | If you're a racer looking for comfortable and lightweight performance, this may be the model for you | A lightweight, comfortable bike seat great for cruising and distance riding | A uniquely shaped saddle that blends comfort with lightweight performance | Forgiving to the sitting bits, but sleek enough for racing |
Rating Categories | Serfas E-Gel Cruiser | Fabric Scoop | Fizik Aliante Gamma Kium | Prologo Dimension | Terry Fly TI |
Comfort (30%) | |||||
Performance (30%) | |||||
Versatility (20%) | |||||
Durability (10%) | |||||
Weight (10%) | |||||
Specs | Serfas E-Gel Cruiser | Fabric Scoop | Fizik Aliante... | Prologo Dimension | Terry Fly TI |
Dimensions | L 270 mm, W 200 mm | L 282 mm, W 142 mm | L 265 mm, W 142 mm | L 245 mm, W 143 mm | L 277 mm, W 140mm |
Weight (grams) | 774 g | 195 g | 252 g | 191 g | 236 g |
Target Use (mountain, road, etc.) | Recreational, Commuting | Road | Road | Road, Mountain, Cyclocross | Road |
Rail Material | Steel | Carbon fiber | Alloy | Tirox | 316 Titanium Alloy |
Seat Cover Material | Synthetic | Waterproof Microfiber | Synthetic | Microfiber | Leather |
Shell Material | Plastic | Nylon, PU foam | Nylon Carbon Reinforced with Twin Flex™ center | Light foam | Unspecified Composite |
Anatomical Cut Out or Channel | Yes, groove | No | No | Yes, full cut out | Yes, cut out |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
Comfort
The E-Gel Cruiser has some of the thickest and softest padding of any saddle in our lineup, making wearing padded bike shorts unnecessary. An anatomical cutout in the center of the saddle relieves pressure, and rubber bushings at the rear rail attachment points isolate any vibration or bumps in the road. While the luxurious padding is comfortable for short rides, it can begin to cause hot spots and chafing on anything longer than a few miles.
Performance
The E-Gel Cruiser is not a high-performance saddle. While certainly comfortable, the thick padding and wide platform are not well suited to efficient power delivery. Comfort is the goal of this saddle and comes at the expense of all other attributes.
Versatility
This is exclusively a saddle for the cruiser bike or town bike with short trips in mind. The Serfas Cruiser is not well suited to performance cycling of any type.
Durability
This bike saddle saw limited use on our performance-oriented road bikes and thus was not exposed to the rigors of racing and day-to-day training like other saddles in our review. It was used extensively for short trips around town and spent a good deal of time out in the elements. During our testing, we did not experience any significant durability issues. However, this is not a saddle suitable for heavy off-road use, and would likely not survive much abuse outside of its intended environment.
Weight
Weighing in at 774 grams, this contender is one of the heaviest saddles we have tested, and certainly won't be winning any awards for weight. With the massive amount of padding and the rubber bushing vibration dampeners, its weight is not surprising. But does saddle weight really matter on a 40lb beach cruiser?
Value
The E-Gel Cruiser is a little on the high end of the price spectrum when it comes to comfort-oriented saddles. Other options on the market offer similar cruising comfort for a lower price.
Conclusion
The Serfas E-Gel Cruiser is only offered in our tested model. Serfas does offer a line of similar comfort-oriented saddles for men and women. While this saddle won't be found on any racing bikes, it's hard to beat its luxurious padding and comfort for cruising around town.
— Nick Bruckbauer & Curtis Smith