Prime Primavera Shorty Carbon Saddle

I reckon the Prime Primavera Shorty Carbon Saddle is an instant classic. I found it comfortable straight out of the box thanks to its flowing shape and perfectly judged padding. For a full carbon saddle, it's well priced too.

Short-nosed saddles on road bikes have been around for a while now. I have changed all of my bikes over to this stubby kind of design. For me it gives increased comfort when in the drops on the road bike and less saddle to get in the way when taking on challenging sections on the gravel bike.

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Saddles are a very personal thing – a shape that suits me might be absolute torture for you – but I must admit I'm pretty lucky and can ride pretty much any perch without any major discomfort. I prefer some to others, but nothing is really off limits.

The Primavera Shorty is up in the top few of my favourites list, though.

The shape is spot on: raised at the back slightly to give you a platform to push against when climbing hard, with a subtle arch in the middle for supportive comfort when tapping out the miles, which stops you sliding forward or backwards.

The short nose allows you to get down low in the drops and really crank the pedals over without interference.

Padding

It is probably the padding density that is the winner here for me, though. When I'm riding, feedback is key, and anything that detracts from that isn't welcome. That's why I ride with my tyres pumped up harder than most, and why I like a firm saddle.

The Prime nails it.

The padding is thick enough that it takes out high-resolution buzz without muting all feeling from the road. There is just enough give in it that it'll soak up the bigger bumps of a broken road surface, so it is comfortable for longer rides without being so soft that it gives over the top flex, which I find can cause numbness.

It's neither too firm, nor too soft. It's just right.

Carbon shell and rails

Beneath the padding is a 3K carbon fibre shell which brings its own bit of flex to the ride.

There is very little movement at the front, but the sides bend a little, which takes the sting out of the ride. It does it so well that this has become the saddle of choice on my winter bike, which sees lots of steady miles for three to four hours at a time, with me barely getting out of the saddle.

The rails are also 3K carbon fibre and are marked with easy-to-read measurements.

They are stiff and their profile gives no issues when offered up to a whole range of seatpost clamps.

Overall build quality is top notch. The edges of the upper are sandwiched between the padding and the shell so there are no signs of any excess glue or material ruining the smoothness of the finished product.

It's durable, too. Yes, the shell will scuff if you drop the bike, but the upper certainly does not.

If you like your saddles wider then you're out of luck, as it's only available in the one width, 143mm. Prime says it's suitable for women and men.

> Buyer’s guide: 10 of the best women’s saddles

There's also a mount that clips into the rear of the base, to hold Prime Saddle Integration (PSI) accessories such as the Prime 360 rear light. 

Priced at £119.99, the Primavera offers great value for money for a full-carbon saddle.

> Buyer’s Guide: 16 of the best short saddles

The seat it replaced on my bike was the snappily named Selle Italia Novus Boost Evo Kit Carbonio Superflow, a saddle that I have spent thousands of miles on now, and is very impressive.

I find the Prime slightly more comfortable, though, and it comes in at much less than the £259.90 asking price of the Selle Italia.

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Liam was impressed with the Giant Fleet SLR, which is a similarly constructed short road saddle, but a tenner more than the Prime, at £129.99.

Conclusion

Overall, this is a great saddle. From its shape to its padding balance, through to the quality. Throw in the price, and it really is excellent.

Verdict

Impressive comfort, durability, shape and build quality for a bit of a bargain price