Da Vinci has been getting our attention with their increasing lineup of saddles over the last couple of years. After first seeing them with their first few offerings at Interbike 2015 and then again with their latest BiSaddle ShapeShifter at Interbike 2017, we were hopeful about the development of the company, and very excited when we finally got our hands on one to test.

The saddle is a pleasure to sit on, a great blend of both durability, firmness, as well as a small but crucial amount of foam for long-term comfort. The next thing we noticed is the weight of the saddle, while certainly on the heavier side when compared to it’s Dash counterparts, the ShapeShifter weighed-in at about 365 grams, over 200 grams more than similar Dash offerings. The ShapeShifter begins to set itself apart from other saddles as indicated by its name, easily shifting into an infinite number of positions allowing for the rider to make micro-adjustments to how they interact with their saddle. The saddle adjusts both horizontally and vertically with included shims that allow each side of the saddle to operate independently from one another. This wide range of adjustability could serve the needs of an athlete recovering from an injury or someone with a disability who might need to utilize the unique features of this saddle.

In addition to injured or disabled athletes, there is a wide range of bicycle enthusiasts who could make use of a product like this; from the bike fitter helping an athlete achieve that perfect blend of comfort and performance, to the recreational cyclist focused on comfort, to even the elite-level athlete who wants to constantly tweak their position for optimal performance throughout the season. Even with the weight penalty we think this saddle would be enjoyed by the majority of riders in their athleticcareers,andshoulddefinitelybeonyourradar.