Prime Doyenne Shorty Saddle with Ti Rails

The Prime Doyenne Shorty Saddle with Ti Rails, designed with the help of Team Wiggle Spectra, offers all-day comfort and support even when 'on the rivet' in the middle of a race. It only comes in one size, so not everyone will get on with it, but I reckon it's a great addition to the market – at a great price. For more options, check out our guide to the best short nose saddles.

As we always say with any saddle review, when it comes to comfort it's entirely subjective – what I find comfortable might, to you, feel like sitting on a bed of nails, or what is uncomfortable for me might make you feel like you're floating on a cushion of air.

One thing that will limit the Doyenne's appeal is that it only comes in one width, 143mm. If it suits you, though, a perk of a narrower width is that the inside of the thigh can move more freely on every pedal stroke, reducing the chances of chafing.

The Doyenne is 240mm long, which places it in the 'short nosed' spectrum, alongside the likes of the Specialized Power Expert, which is only 2mm shorter.

From a racing and sprint training perspective, the short nose style allows you to get into an aggressive position more comfortably than a traditional length saddle, reducing pressure on soft tissue, so your focus is instead on how much pain is in your legs, not your undercarriage!

As a fan of the Specialized Power Expert, mentioned above, it's no surprise I really enjoyed using the Doyenne saddle as there are a lot of similarities between them.

Both use polyurethane (PU) padding, which would explain the high levels of comfort, and as well as length, both also have a similar sized centre cutout, which also helps relieve pressure on your squishy sensitive parts during long rides. Its short nose also makes it a lot less likely for male genitalia to get caught up when riding, which is also a win!

Material and weight

The shell of the saddle is made from polycarbonate, which has a reputation for robustness; Wiggle describes it as having a 'tough water-resistant cover'. It has plenty of grip, too, so you can get that 'locked into position' feeling. The only problem I found was when the saddle got wet, if going up a climb, the material would squeak with every pedal stroke; I found it quite amusing but it might be irritating for others.

The use of titanium rails helps keep the weight down; in fact on the road.cc Scales of Truth our model was 20g less than the claimed weight of 235g.

PSI

The Doyenne also incorporates Wiggle's Prime Saddle Integration (PSI), which means it's compatible with PSI accessories that can be clipped into the base, such as the Prime 360 Super Bright Rear Light (tested by Shaun last year), further optimising its functionality.

You'll also find a GoPro style mount in the box, so you can attach a GoPro camera to your saddle, as well as any saddle bags or rear lights that also use this mount style, which is a nice little addition.

Value

Prime has really succeeded in making a competitively priced saddle for anyone looking to upgrade to a quality product, with a lot of notable features.

The Specialized Power Expert saddle I mentioned earlier is excellent, rated 9/10 by Ian in his review, and weighs another 20g or so, but costs £115. As mentioned, the Doyenne shares a lot of similarities with it, but is half the price.

Looking at other high-scoring short-nosed saddles we've tested, it's the same price as the Bontrager Aeolus Comp saddle, which Simon found comfortable when he reviewed it back in 2020, but that weighs a bit more, 286g (for the 155mm size).

Giant's Fleet SL, which Liam reviewed in 2020, is a few grams more and an extra tenner, as is Fabric's Line-S Race Flat saddle, though in her review Emma found that could irritate a little on endurance rides.

Selle Italia's Model X, which Lara reviewed last year, is slightly cheaper than the Doyenne at £51.43, but is also a bit heftier at 313g.

Conclusion

Personally, I feel the design collaboration between Prime and the Wiggle Spectra team has paid off exceptionally well. They've created a saddle that achieves all-day comfort, even when racing, at a great price, with a GoPro mount and PSI compatibility thrown in.

I couldn't recommend this product more highly. I've found it to be extremely comfy throughout testing. Its only drawback really is the lack of width options; Bontrager and Specialized both offer their short-nosed saddles in up to three widths, and it'd be great if Prime did the same.

Verdict

If you are looking to upgrade your saddle, the price, comfort and quality materials here make it hard to overlook