SQlab continues to refine the tunable side-to-side Active rocking flex in their latest Comfort Active 2.1 saddles which add on-the-fly adjustability to help reduce back pain while riding. Developed for cyclists with a moderately bent forward to upright riding position, the new ergonomic saddles allow trekking and urban riders to switch to more active comfort when they need it most.
The same ergonomic concept carries over through all of SQlab’s horizontally-rocking Active saddles – elastomers at the rear of the saddle allow for controlled side-to-side movement as the hips rise & fall with each pedal stroke, allowing a more natural walking-style movement of the pelvis while retaining pedaling efficiency and on-the-bike stability.
Developed with Dr. Markus Knöringer – a specialist for neurosurgery, intervertebral disc & spine surgery, and overall sports medicine – the Active system allows controlled “pelvic swing” and thus, “minimizes the risk of discomfort in the lower lumbar spine, the pelvis and the hip and results in targeted relief of the intervertebral discs and facet joints.”
What’s new?
Now, in Comfort Active 2.1, SQlab introduces a new rotating lever in between the shell and the rails, that allows riders of their comfort, city & trekking saddles to easily flip between the Standard-active level of their previous Comfort Active saddles, and a new High-active setting that allows more side-to-side movement.
The idea is simply that riders might use the standard setting for regular riding or shorter rides. But if they experience back pain or spend a longer time than usual in the saddle, they can flip the switch to increase comfort.
SQlab Comfort Active 2.1 – Pricing, options & availability
For now, this on-the-fly adjustable new SQlab Comfort Active 2.1 tech will be limited to just two of their saddle lines – the 602 & 621, both of which are thickly padded saddles that lean towards a more upright sitting position than most performance cyclists use. Specifically geared towards trekking and city bike riders (respectively) these saddles come with two versions of padding – double-stepped Ergolux for longer riding or thicker M-D for maximum pressure relief.
602 Ergolux, 602 M-D, 621 Ergolux, 621 M-D (l-r)
The narrower SQlab 602 Active 2.1 saddle will be available in 14,15,16 & 17cm widths starting next week, for 130€ with either Ergolux or MD padding.
The wider and more padded SQlab 621 Active 2.1 saddle will be available in 18,21 & 24cm widths from the first full week of March 2023, for 120€ with either Ergolux or MD padding.
SQlab’s performance-level sport saddles already got their own Active 2.1 upgrade for 2022, but in the interest of lighter weight, reduced padding & lower stack heights, those saddles get user-swappable elastomers to dial in your ideal side-to-side flex before the start of the ride.