TESTED: WTB Volt Carbon

Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB) were one of the first brands to make saddles specifically for mountain biking. Back in the mid 90’s, they launched the SST, with a dropped nose and rounded tail, aimed to helping mountain bikers stay comfortable in the variety of positions they find themselves in on the bike.

The Volt range fills some of the 30+ options in their line up, and features a noticeable nose drop and rounded back, reminiscent of the original SST.

A saddle’s comfort involves the construction, materials, and shape. The Volt Carbon has carbon rails and a carbon composite shell, with WTB’s own DNA padding and microfibre cover. Carbon is a pretty wondrous material, and in a shell and rail setup its firm, efficient – but shock absorbing too. Certainly more than steel rails and a plastic shell which you will find on many stock seats, and entry level models. The shell is a little stiffer than the Soft Shell or Flex-Tuned Shells on the lower Volt models.

The DNA padding is very dense but quite light – its name comes from its ability to ‘remember’ a shape. So it’s sort of custom fit. Along with the Love Channel, there’s very little pressure on sensitive areas – not always the case with light weight performance saddles like this.

Carbon rails take a little care with fitting, but are some of the strongest out there save for solid Ti. Some seat posts won’t be compatible, like the fully enclosed rail clamps on some Ritchey or Bontrager posts. But there are typically clamps to suit.

On the bike, the WTB Volt Carbon had all day comfort in regular padded shorts, and was easy to forget about. A great sign when trying a new saddle. Although it does have a shape that lends itself to getting off the back easily, and riding forward on the nose for climbing, I think it still fits more in the “sit in one spot” type of seats. Thanks to the low 182g weight, I tested this on my XC race bike, and while I don’t dislike my regular saddle, the WTB Volt Carbon was a step up in comfort.

I prefer not to crash, so I didn’t test the efficacy of the reinforced shoulders. But in the months of testing the saddle still looks great, and is as comfortable as when I fitted it. If you’re after a premium saddle for performance riding or your dream trail bike, the WTB Volt Carbon is worth a look. But if it’s beyond budget, check out the Team which drops the carbon but keeps all the other benefits at about half the price.

Hits:

• Top quality materials and construction

• MTB specific shape

• Very comfortable

Misses:

• Gold trim

RRP: $329

From: au.wtb.com