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Serfas E-Gel Cruiser Review

No need for padded shorts with this cushy saddle, but don't expect much versatility
Serfas E-Gel Cruiser
Photo: Serfas
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Price:  $56 List | $52.99 at Amazon
Pros:  Comfortable, good shock absorption
Cons:  Heavy, lacks versatility
Manufacturer:   Serfas
By Nick Bruckbauer & Curtis Smith  ⋅  Oct 24, 2019
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47
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#12 of 12
  • Comfort - 30% 7
  • Performance - 30% 3
  • Versatility - 20% 5
  • Durability - 10% 6
  • Weight - 10% 1

Our Verdict

The Serfas E-Gel Cruiser truly lives up to its name. Lots of thick gel padding and an ultra-wide width of 200mm make for a comfortable saddle well suited to cruiser duty. An anatomical groove in the rear gives way to a full cutout mid-saddle for pressure relief. The E-Gel Cruiser is certainly not lightweight at 774 grams. The thick padding offers comfort on short casual rides but is too thick to provide any real performance for anything more than a couple of miles at a time. For short trips or a casual cruise, the E-Gel cruiser fits the bill.

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Serfas E-Gel Cruiser
This Product
Serfas E-Gel Cruiser
Awards  Editors' Choice Award Top Pick Award Best Buy Award  
Price $52.99 at Amazon$162.90 at Amazon$113.25 at Amazon$112 List$164.95 at REI
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Pros Comfortable, good shock absorptionLightweight, comfortable, durableLightweight, supportive, comfortable on long ridesLightweight, comfortable, reasonably pricedRelieves pressure, good price, texture prevents slip
Cons Heavy, lacks versatilityNo anatomic relief channel, lacks versatilityNo pressure relief channel, limited colorsUnique shape may not be for everyoneSaddle can stick, excess padding, pricey
Bottom Line Wide, thick, and ready to absorb jolts on your commutes, this saddle puts comfort above everything elseIf you're a racer looking for comfortable and lightweight performance, this may be the model for youA lightweight, comfortable bike seat great for cruising and distance ridingA uniquely shaped saddle that blends comfort with lightweight performanceForgiving 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%)
7
9
8
9
8
Performance (30%)
3
9
8
8
8
Versatility (20%)
5
7
9
5
8
Durability (10%)
6
8
9
9
6
Weight (10%)
1
10
7
10
8
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

The Cruiser is best suited to duty on the cruiser bike or for short trips around town. Weight, shape, and massive amounts of padding make it ill-suited to other higher-performance cycling disciplines. We recommend it as a viable replacement for the worn-out saddle on a cruiser.
The Serfas E-Gel Cruiser was the widest saddle in our review at 200mm.
The Serfas E-Gel Cruiser was the widest saddle in our review at 200mm.
Photo: Curtis Smith

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.
The Serfas E-Gel Cruiser has more padding than any other saddle in...
The Serfas E-Gel Cruiser has more padding than any other saddle in our test group.
Photo: Curtis Smith

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