Fabric Scoop Shallow Race saddle review

Early this season, I got a Scoop Shallow Race saddle to test. It’s made by Fabric, a company based in Great Britain that is part of the Dorel’s Cycling Sports Group (think Cannondale, GT and the Guru fit system). Fabric does grips and bar tape, but the bulk of their offerings perch at the top of a seatpost.

The Scoop comes in three profiles: flat, shallow and radius. Flat is for riders who can hold a down-in-the-drops, aero position on the bike. Shallow is for more upright riding, and radius is for those who like to sit even taller. The amount of padding also increases as the riding position rises. The other features that vary within the Scoop line is the material used for the rails and the base. The Race saddle has a nylon base and hollow titanium alloy rails. If you move higher up the line, you see carbon-fibre rails (Pro) and base (Ultimate). All Scoops come in a 142 mm width.

What’s that? You have sit bones that are too narrow or too wide for 142 mm? In those cases, you’ll simply need a different Fabric saddle, such as the soon-to-be-released Line (134 mm) and Cell (155 mm). The company’s website has a handy calculator for figuring out which saddle works best for you. I plugged in my height and wrist diameter. The calculator recommend I try the Scoop or the Alm. (It also said I have “a naturally athletic physique and can achieve well defined muscles,” which is nicely flattering.)

I was a bit skeptical at first. My sit bones are a bit on the wide side. Saddles 142mm wide can work, but 155 mm are generally better. Still, I was game. I put the Fabric Scoop Shallow Race on my regular road bike and took that saddle everywhere. I rode on hammerfest group rides, an early season race, lots of gravel and my regular training loops. The Scoop worked out really well. It was comfortable and helped to manage road vibrations. The 142-mm width worked for me on this model, which shows that a number alone doesn’t tell the whole story. I ride in a more aggressive position than the shallow profile is intended for, but I wasn’t uncomfortable in the drops as the kilometres ticked by. I am hoping, however, to try the flat profile to see how that feels.

Finally, there’s the look of the saddle. It’s very clean. When you ride on the rivet, it’s only metaphorically, because there are no visible fasteners. The design is sharp, both for esthetics and performance. (fabric.cc, $140)

For a chance to win Fabric Scoop Shallow Race saddle, check out our #FabricContestCCM contest.