With four months of riding and several hundreds of miles logged, (most off road), I am here to give my thoughts on the long term usage of the Bontrager Inform RL saddle.

Since the last update on these saddles, I have outfitted the entire stable with Inform RL’s. The saddle just plain works for me. I haven’t had any pain or numbness since switching to these saddles and I can’t say that about any other saddle I’ve ever tried. Even from a mechanical, practical point of view, the Inform RL is really easy to get along with. No bending rails, no stitching coming apart, no graphics falling off, and no significant wearing. Remember, I ride mostly off road and even with the occasional crash, the Informs are holding up well.

Nits? Well………nothing is perfect! I found two minor things that are a bit annoying. First, and I have mentioned this before, the Inform RL needs to be put through the “mountain bike cycle” so we can all enjoy totally snag free riding. I will say that it is not a huge issue with me, but when snagging on clothing does happen, it is annoying and I have nearly toppled over several times trying to dismount in a hurry for one reason or another. Make me an Inform RL that has a dropped nose and less pointy bits in the rear and I’ll be forever grateful!

Secondly, the saddle squeaks when it gets wet and you slide around on it in your bibs. I know, it is a very minor thing, but it can be alarming if you aren’t ready for it. Just a minor annoyance, really. Otherwise I can’t find fault with the saddle,and you’ll have to pry them from my cold, dead hands before I’ll give them up. They are that good!

I was totally sold in July when I put on a ride on gravel that is a century ride over some pretty hilly terrain, 95% of which is gravel, with the rest split between pavement and dirt roads. After ten hours in the saddle, I can honestly say that I wasn’t feeling anything but fatigue at the finish in my “nether regions”.

Finally, I will conclude that the Bontrager Inform Fit System and saddles that go with it are well thought out, and will guide you to a much improved saddle fit than you probably have ever had before. Will the Inform become your final perch of choice? Who knows, but with a satisfaction guarantee, and the likelihood that you’ll discover you were on the wrong saddle to begin with, I don’t see how the experience could be all that bad. Saddle fitting isn’t new, or exclusive to Bontrager, but this system is top notch and well worth seeking out. It gets my vote for “Mechanics Choice” here on the Bike Lab.