Chinese Prologo Saddle vs Selle SMP Full Carbon

Selle SMP Full Carbon vs. Chinese Prologo Saddle



This is a quick compare video of the Selle SMP Full Carbon vs. Chinese Prologo Carbon Saddle.



First off, these two saddles are nearly identical.

The Prologo Full Carbon is a total knockoff on the Selle SMP Full Carbon.

Both have the approximately the same design, width and length.

The Selle is lighter by only 10 grams.

Both are truly full carbon and both have carbon 7 x 9 rails.

Before purchasing this type of saddle, you must first make sure your saddle post is compatible with 7 x 9 rails.

The Selle goes for $200 to $600 USD and the Prologo sells for $30 to $60 USD.



If you are a seasoned XC racer, the light weight significantly reduces the top heavy pull on fast sharp turns.



If you are a beginner to XC mountain biking or a casual mountain biker, I would not suggest using a carbon saddle, let alone a carbon saddle with carbon rails.



It is very important to note that the same manufactures of the Prologo saddle are also producing counterfeit Selle saddles.

The Selle website has a warning with the specifics.



If you are going to purchase a Selle SMP full carbon, the easiest way to determine if you have a counterfeit is to weigh it.

The lightest counterfeit is 130g.

However, Selle inspects every saddle prior to distribution, and their SMP Full Carbon saddles all weigh 121g or less.



Since I am neither a cross country racer nor a smart man, I decided to give the Chinese Prologo a try.

If you want to see how that worked out, please check out my prologo full carbon review video.



I would be happy to answer any of your questions in the comment section of this video.



Thanks, and have fun out there.



Chinese Prologo Carbon Saddle o

Size:         270mm x 128mm-135mm

Weight:      130g-150g

Shell:    Carbon

Rail:     Carbon 7 x 9

Price:   $30 - $60



Selle SMP Full Carbon

Size: 263mm x 129mm

Weight:  120g

Shell:    Carbon

Rail:     Carbon 7 x 9

Price:   $200 - $600

MTB Suspension Seat Post Review - XC Mountain Biking for Beginners

In this video we will be quickly cover the suspension seat post options for hard tail XC mountain bike riders.

For clarification, this video will not cover dropper seat posts and not intended for racing, riders of full suspension bikes, all mountain, endureo, or downhill.

Not all XC riders need or want a dropper post and there are plenty of dropper post compare videos out there.

I will also not review any of beach cruiser linear suspension posts since they function at the wrong angle.

As with all other bike parts, weather, temperature and rider weight should also be taken into account before purchasing.



Currently, there are several seat posts that are appropriate for cross country ridding that function at an appropriate angle.

Since weight is a big factor for XC riders, I decided to start with the heaviest seat post and end with the lightest.



At the top of our list:



SR Suntour NCX SP12

This seat post uses a spring loaded piston inside the post.

It weighs 765 grams or 1.69 lbs and has 50mm of travel

And the price is typically about $125

This post is recommended for riders that don’t want the un dampened spring bounce that occurs with other posts.

The bottom of the post has an adjustment for the preload.

The biggest complaint about this post is it can wear against the saddle rails.

Also, the rail clamps from the sides, instead of the top and bottom.

Therefore, if you have carbon or other 7x9 rails, they will not fit properly.

It is possible there may be a 7x9 adapter for this post, but I have not found one.

So, the dampened shock is good, but the rail rubbing is not a good sign.

With all that said, it is important to note this post is top heavy.

As a beginner XC rider, when you gain confidence and speed, the top weight starts becoming a hassle when making tight quick turns.

The safe angle of the bike in turns is much tighter and you run a higher risk of a washout or overshooting a turn.



Next up



The Cane Creek Thusbuster LT

This seat post has become the recommended standard in suspension seat posts for casual XC riders

it weighs 495 grams or 1.3 lbs and has a huge 75mm of travel

It is available in various sizes and lengths, accommodates various rider weights with an included set of insert elastomers.

The build quality is excellent as well.

I rode my thudbuster LT for four years, and it still looks and rides like the day I got it.

It can also get bouncy in rough terrain if you do not get off your saddle much.

Also, the extended amount of travel can be a concern.

At a going price of $130, it is a reliable post and great for beginners and riders concerned about their back side.

But, it is still very top heavy.



Next on the list is



The Tamer Pivot Plus XC

This suspension seat post also has a spring piston like the suntour.

Its weight is just 460 grams or 1.01 pounds and has 65mm of travel

Like the thudbuster, it does not have dampening and can get bouncy.

However, it does have a preload adjustment like the suntour.

The price is just $115 and I consider it to be a slightly lower weight, lower quality and price from the thudbuster.



And we also have on the list the



BodyFloat Bike Suspension Carbon Post

This post is rather new and there are not many long term reviews on it yet.

It weighs just 428 grams or 0.94 pounds and has 38mm of travel

It uses replaceable springs and also has no dampening.

The price is a whopping $395 and is the most expensive one available.



And last is the honorable mention of the



Niner RDO seat post

This seat post is just 220 grams or 0.46 lbs

The price is $190, but the travel is just 8mm.

(Less than 1 cm)

So it may take a tiny bite out of the ride, it is not intended for the casual middle aged schmuck like me.



So, what suspension seat post am I using now?

Well, like a true lab rat, I am trying something that may not be the best of ideas for an idiot XC rider.

I am testing out a knock-off seat post of the canyon VCLS 2.0.

I know the seat post is a knockoff because I got the 31.6mm size, and the real canyon seat post is only available in 27.2mm.

With that said, it weighs just 225 grams or 0.5 lbs and cost me just $55.

Since it uses a side rail clamp, I had to special order a 7x9 flip head kit from Germany for it to work with my carbon rail saddles.

The total cost (with the 7x9 rail kit) was $99.



So far I love it. The combined total weight of this post and my carbon saddle is just 365 grams or 0.8 lbs.

The travel is only 20mm,

But, I have found that it is enough to ease the ride and greatly reduce the top heaviness of my bike

Making it MUCH easier to turn quickly with less kissing the ground.



How long will this knock-off saddle last on the XC trails?

I have no clue.

I have had to tighten it a couple times on the first few miles, but for now it is holding very well.



How long do you think the knock off seat post will last?

Let us know in the comments below.

Also, if you have a suspension seat post, tell us your model and experiences.

Thanks and have fun out there.