Velo Angel Revo saddle
- Price: $125
- Buy from Velo.
Chances are you’re already intimately familiar with Velo bike saddles, even if you don’t know it. The company claims its four factories in Taiwan and China pump out 10 million saddles every year, some under the Velo name, though most are produced for countless other brands. The Velo Angel Revo saddle I’ve been testing features the brand’s own design and styling, and they claim it’s packed with “future-friendly technology.”
Reviewer profile height: 190cm (6’3″) weight: 72.5kg (160lb) testing zone: Southeast, USA
I’ll get to the features that make the Velo Angel Revo “future friendly” at the end of my review. After all, comfort is priority #1 for most riders when it comes to choosing a mountain bike saddle. Saving the earth is a nice side benefit, but if the saddle sucks it’s not going to do anyone any good. For me, the first and most important question is, is it butt-friendly?
Velo Angel Revo saddle specs and ride feel
The Velo Angel Revo saddle is 248mm long and 148mm wide. That length is generally on trend with the shorter saddle lengths we’re seeing in mountain biking, giving riders plenty of room to maneuver on the bike.
The 148mm width is on the narrower end of the spectrum, and those with wide sit bones will need to look elsewhere. Curiously Velo sticks with a single width for each of their saddle models, and most of the current ones tilt narrow. It turns out 148mm is a good width for me — I have medium/narrow sit bones — and I’ve found the Velo Angel Revo to be quite comfortable, on both short and long rides.
First impressions can be deceiving, and looking at the Angel Revo I didn’t think I was going to get along with it. For starters the cutout is massive, and the short length only serves to make the saddle look tiny. It also looks like the saddle should be super flexy with just a narrow piece of plastic connecting two chicken drumsticks together. As it turns out the base is quite stiff, and in concert with the titanium rails there’s just enough flex to damp high-frequency trail vibrations.
I’m also impressed with the padding. While it’s not thick, the padding is quite comfortable — even riding without a chamois — and feels similar to the midsole on a quality running shoe.
The cover isn’t the most grippy I’ve found, but it’s not too slippery either. The Velo lettering — which looks like Love to me — adds a little extra texture and traction to the otherwise smooth cover.
It’s clear the Velo Angel Revo is well constructed. The transition between the base and cover is literally seamless. I’m not entirely sure how the two are attached — really strong glue maybe? In any case, the saddle feels like one solid unit that’s proven to ride as silently as a freshly lubed chain.
My sample weighs 280.7g which is fairly lightweight compared to other MTB saddles I’ve tested.
Future-friendly = sustainable
Velo positions the Angel Revo, the newest saddle in the line, as future-friendly, which in practice mostly seems to mean it’s environmentally friendly. For example: the base is constructed using a bio plastic that’s made up of plant and glass fibers.
Similarly the cover swaps synthetic materials for recycled knitted fabrics. Even the process used to create the AtmosFoam padding beneath the saddle cover is said to be less damaging to the environment. Velo describes these choices in terms of their economic impact, which presumably helps the brand keep the price of the Angel Revo reasonably affordable.
It’ll be many months, or possibly even years, before I can comment on how durable the Velo Angel Revo remains. It’s off to a good start, and obviously the longer any bike part lasts, the longer it stays out of the landfill.
Pros and cons of the Velo Angle Revo saddle
Pros
- Quality construction
- Comfortable padding and good vibration damping from base and rails
- Environmentally friendly materials are a bonus
Cons
- Shape lends an unusual aesthetic
- Only one size
Bottom line
The Velo Angel Revo saddle is comfortable and features quality construction, making it friendly to both the rider and the environment.
- Price: $125
- Buy from Velo.
