EC90 Saddle 1.5yr Review! (Power Saddle/Stealth (153mm) Knockoff)

[@Jvset]

I've been using their aspide model for a year on my touring, theyre still in good shape and as a man the hollow design is a lifesaver. pressure free on that certain area hahaha

[@railthegutter]

I was actually looking at that saddle but I ended up with another saddle recently from Fabric and it’s working out for me. But that Aspide does look sweet! If it doesn’t hurt the goods then it works! Lol

[@C.Medina]

I had the one in the right and after 8 months (today) It fall apart in a gravel ride. It worth the money for the beaten I gave it and the experiment having a power saddle before. But! Can't do this all the time. Order minute ago a fizik Argo R5. Will see. Good review my friend 👍

[@railthegutter]

Oh man, lol. Yeah I don't do any gravel rides. So that's probably why mine still look in good shape, lol. That sucks, but it did last a while for a cheap price! Hopefully your new R5 lasts a lot longer since I've heard good things! Stay safe out there and thank you!

[@C.Medina]

@@derekschwartz8545 yes mate, it's a solid saddle. I loved the specialized power, but the Argo R5 gives a run for its money.

[@C.Medina]

@@railthegutter thank you! Same to you.

[@dabooge]

Just picked up 2 saddles ( 143) on ebay for $18 ea I just installed it but I noticed right away how short these are compared to an average saddle. Seems pretty comfortable. I'm going to hit the local single track this afternoon to test it out.

[@railthegutter]

I use the 143mm myself and I haven’t really had any issues with it. Yup, it’s a bit of a short nose saddle, but it’s meant for a more aggressive position (racing oriented would be the best way to describe it). Aero is everything, lol.

[@dabooge]

So after my ride yesterday I have no complaints. I'm glad I got these. I have tried a few saddles from Ebay and this is my new favorite. I was riding a Vertu all plastic seat on my hardtail and really liked it up to this point. Very flexible and comfortable for a non padded seat. There is actually a knockoff of the vertu seat which is garbage. One seller ripped me off advertising photos of a vertu seat and sent me knock offs. Plastic was brittle and cracked in 2 spots just by sitting down for the 1st time. Luckily Ebay refunded me. I had a Gub saddle which was comfortable but had very rubbery grippy sides that had so much grip it tore my shorts lol. I saw a similar looking saddle as this ec90 ( Bontrager Verse Comp) at my LBS and it was $120...well past my budget.

[@railthegutter]

Sweet! Glad it worked out for you as well! Yeah, some LBS’s go a bit over the edge on pricing, but I don’t blame them. They have to make money as well. But there is always good alternatives with a little research and luck! 🤘🏻

[@beaniril8870]

This EC90 saddle is good for the money 27$ compared to specialized phenom that cost almost 160$. I’ve tried both mtbiking and can’t tell the difference. If EC90 last me for 6mo, 3 or 4 rides /wk, then it’s worth it and I’ll buy another one. If I can get the EC90 below 20$ I’ll probably buy 10 of them.

[@railthegutter]

I’ve had a total of three, the 155 didn’t work for me, but the 143’s haven’t failed me in terms of build quality and comfort. They’ve been great and super cheap too! 🤘🏻

[@ianmangham4570]

Awesome saddle, I have RockBros branded very similar £11 ebayUK 🇬🇧 specs are 350 gramme 270mm length, width at rear is 155.5mm ,beautiful comfy saddles 👍

[@johnvmtb5440]

thanks for the detail review on it, it helps a lot for us cyclist looking for a better saddle if your looking for a better and comfortable saddle. specially those having discomfort on some saddles. thanks. have a safe ride always

[@railthegutter]

yeah it's hard to find anything suitable that is inexpensive. sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you don't, lol. you are welcome for the information and safe riding out there! better riding days and races to come!

[@jaymin2189]

Ordered the EC90! Hopefully its better than the saddle that came with my bike. Thanks for your review!

[@railthegutter]

You are very welcome and thank you for watching! Hopefully the saddle works out for you too!

[@legacygaminginc.]

How was it?

[@jaymin2189]

​@@legacygaminginc. Not that great TBH. I tried it with and without a bib and it was uncomfortable. I got a carbon fiber saddle on ebay and thats pretty good with a bib.

[@legacygaminginc.]

@@jaymin2189 okay thanks glad I didn't buy lol, can you please tell me which one you got?

[@nickyburnell]

The 155 one has a silly little screw on front holding rails in. It will fail and the top will come off. The 143 design is fine. I have both, 100kg rider too.

[@railthegutter]

The 155 bolt you're referring too definitely had me worried for a bit, but I've had that thing forever (use it literally every day for training and just used it in a race), and I haven't had that issue with mine. I'll chalk it up to luck, lol. As long as you have ONE good working saddle, that's all that matters! Thank you for commenting!

[@Nevermind913]

What is the width of your sit bones? I'm reading about total saddle width vs. effective widths (the "usable" width) and I'm a bit confused about how these are measured. I read I should add about 25-30mm to my sit bone width (105mm in my case) and then that's the saddle width, but then that sounds like it should be the usable width, not overall. Interested to know your measurement, since you say you like the 143.

[@railthegutter]

Oh man, adding 25/30mm to your width? That’s not something I’ve ever heard of, but it doesn’t really sound wrong? Lol. My sit bones measure right at about 115-120mm (it’s been a while since I measured). So for me, I just went with something that was close, but not too wide (150-155 is just too wide for me since I’ve rubbed my thighs badly a few times). So I went with 140-143mm and those haven’t given me many problems at all. I know companies like Fabric make 3 sizes (135? 142/143 and 150). So if your sit bone width is on the lower end you MIGHT be good with a 135/140. For me, 10mm on both sides of my butt does me just fine. Anything more and I’m hurting for sure, lol.

[@Nevermind913]

@@railthegutter Yeah the Fizik Argo Tempo saddle I ordered only comes in 2 widths, 150 and 160...their online calculator recommended the 150. That's where the "usable" width comes into play, some saddles are wide with a rounded profile so you only sit on a portion of it. Some are widest in the back where you don't sit at all. The overall width given is kind of arbitrary then.

[@railthegutter]

Yeah in the end it’s really whatever works best for you and suits your riding style. I’ve ridden 155mm saddles in a more upright position and they worked just fine, but due to my somewhat semi aggressive position 50% of the time, they don’t work well for me at all, so that’s why I stick to 140/143mm saddles. My current Fabric Shallow Elite Line saddle is 147mm (slightly over what I usually use, and most likely due to a manufacturer issue), but I find it comfortable due to the shape (cut out in the middle for pressure relief (butt trench as some call it, lol) and a semi scooped back to keep me locked in, so far so good).

[@Samazing01]

I would like to point out that the saddle with stabilizers is a knock-off Shimano Pro Stealth saddle, and not the Specialized power saddle. Hence, the difference in measurements.

[@railthegutter]

Thank you for the correction! A king among the squire. I will make a correction in the video. I was pretty new to short nose saddles when I made this, lol.

[@fts3865]

Actually not. There is other one which is a Pro Stealth knock-off. This is a Specialized knock-off

[@Samazing01]

@@fts3865 There are Pro Stealth knockoffs with different/no branding, such as the one in this video.

[@fts3865]

This saddle has just the reinforcements which can make it have a similarity with the Pro Stealth. The rest of the saddle is completely different…

[@Samazing01]

@@fts3865 The one with the reinforcements in the middle IS the Pro Stealth knockoff. Recall that the original Pro Stealth comes in two variants, the wider 152mm one and the 142mm. The one in the video is a knockoff of the 152mm Pro Stealth saddle.

[@rookiegamer8132]

Hi , really nice review . Think to get one, but not sure should I go for 143 or 155 . My bike are 20inch foldable bike . And single ride can up to 80 to 100km. Can provide some advise if which I can use : ). Really not sure which one I should go for .

[@railthegutter]

Thank you! Unfortunately, I can’t really recommend one or the other. Main reason is because everyone has a different measurement when it comes to sit bones. So you should really measure them before you buy it. One method I’ve tried and has worked somewhat well (at least got in a decent ball park measurement), was I took some cardboard and put it on a hard surface that is a little lower than a chair (roughly toilet height). Then I just leaned slightly forward and sat down and applied a lot of pressure to the cardboard. Then I took some chalk and outlined where my bones made contact. Then I took some measuring tape and measured the middle of one sit bone to the middle of the other and that was my estimated sit bone width! This method isn’t perfect but it certainly worked for me! 🤘🏻

[@arvids2252]

very nice review. you covered everything! thanks!

[@railthegutter]

I tried my best! Glad you enjoyed and I hope it helps! 🤘🏻

[@armancelorico2202]

Mines comfortable but the leather was kinda deteriorating when I was caught in the rain. But still the saddles fine

[@railthegutter]

That’s a bit weird. Mine has been doused in water multiple times and I’ve never had that happen?

[@enmirror5545]

Thanks for the video. I wanted to buy 155mm, but I think 143 would be the safer choice (My sit bones measure right at about 120mm).

[@railthegutter]

Yeah I wouldn’t go with anything that’s far too wide. Get the appropriate size, if for some reason after say a week or two it’s giving you issues, then I’d return it and go with the other size. I’ve had to do that before. It sucks but in the end your entire under section will be happier, lol. Thank you for watching and commenting! 🤘🏻

[@mikediazong]

which of the two has a more flexible plastic body?

[@railthegutter]

Mmmm. Well they are both really made similarly if not the same (with the exception of the nose triple mid bar in the Large). However, I’d say that the wider one has more flex than the smaller one. The smaller one definitely has a little less “give”. But I would say you should go with the one that fits you as oppose to the one that has more flex in it. Could be a better choice.

[@mikediazong]

@@railthegutter thank you

[@railthegutter]

No problem!

[@legacygaminginc.]

Good for commuting?

[@railthegutter]

Honestly, it depends on how far we’re talking about? Personally, my commutes were roughly 18.5 miles (pre covid), and it was pretty comfortable (even with a backpack on that weighed around 13lbs). A lot of it had to do with flexibility and getting used to it. BUT, for a really long ride (25 or so miles), for me personally, it got slightly uncomfortable, but I can’t really blame the saddle, I personally had an ill fitting bike and my bibs were not really good. So in the end, it comes down to: how long of a commute, bike fit (comfort), and in a way the ability to withhold a fairly aero position (this saddle isn’t intended to be used with a very upright position, this took some time to get used to for me personally, but it works well for going fast? Lol). Hopefully this info helps! Any more questions, ask away! 🤘🏻

[@legacygaminginc.]

@@railthegutter thank you so much for taking the time, I don't go far usually to work less than a mile lol, and exercise I ride around a Stadium. I got the ec90 seatpost today and I'm using a Velmia MTB saddle

[@railthegutter]

A one mile (two miles back and forth), you can get away with virtually anything! Lol. If you’ve never ridden a less padded saddle that is short nosed, just be mindful that you get the right size (know your sit bone size), because it can cause you discomfort if you get the wrong one (been there and done that, lol). Make sure it’s also straight (an awkward setup can unintentionally rub your skin), and remember to ride it with “fast position” in mind, even if you are just riding around! 🤘🏻

[@legacygaminginc.]

@@railthegutter aha so much complications, I don't know my sit bone size at all, but I adjusted my saddle straight and it feels okay , I have a gel seat cover for long rides I guess I can use that

[@aizamiemban8995]

Very nice

[@csren8328]

Knock off isn't the right word, coz it didn't have a Specialized logo or brand. The correct terms is copied design.

[@railthegutter]

Hmmm. Although I do agree it is a copied design, it’s technically still considered a “knock off”. A copy is more like a replica, where a knock-off is a similar design but doesn’t have the same name and it slightly varies in materials. In the end, maybe both words are neither right nor wrong? Lol. Either way, I appreciate your comment. Some critical thinking was needed for this one, lol. 🤟🏻

[@Dennis12141978]

Don't even think about buying this. It's terrible. After 2 weeks of use, I can bend it so easily with my hands. It offers no support for the butt. BTW, I am only 68kg....

[@railthegutter]

It’s not the greatest (it is a knockoff), but I’ve been fortunate to not have any major issues while using it for the entire time I’ve had it, but of course experiences do vary and I appreciate you letting everyone know what your experience was like.🤘🏻

[@BMWPROGRAMMINGJAMAICA]

The EC90 China knockoff are very harder than specialized. avoid the chinese cheap crap and buy the specealized. I bought a EC90 seat but after several rides my hard tell my ass tell me a different story, "i'm sore".

[@daveylim9725]

The greedy people that made the originals should reduce the price and close the gap so that it will not be worthwhile to buy the knockoffs.