off-road.cc

The Fabric Magic Elite Radius is a short, strong saddle aimed at uplift riding and messing about – it's tough and well-padded and yet, unlike full-on jump seats, is also designed to be sat on for pedalling. It's still not for long rides, though, or much more than short spins to the tops of trails.

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Using a simple construction of three parts – the base, foam padding and seat covering – it all feels substantial and reassuringly tough. The saddle is super easy to clean down, and holds little mud due to the smooth finish and unchannelled top.

It's definitely not the lightest at 274g, but weight isn’t a priority with this style of saddle; strength is. It’s quite wide at 142mm given its 255mm length, for a compact stubby form.

I found it never snags shorts and, if I knocked against it, the rounded nose is less of an issue than the usual more pointy shapes.

The cover is waterproof, and it's the usual high quality Fabric build.

The dipped centre comes from Fabric's ‘Radius' hull shape, which is curved specifically for more upright riders. It doesn’t feel awful for short to medium times in the saddle, and while it's okay for the odd long ride too, it's not something you'll be desperate to repeat.

The rear is flared for tyre clearance when you've got this slammed down for descents.

Whilst I can’t even claim to approach anything like the 50to01 crew in terms of jumping and jibbing – or even claim to know what jibbing is – there are definite advantages to the design they've helped Fabric create. If jumping or really technical trails are your thing, but you still need to pedal a bit to reach your spots, this could be your ideal perch. 

If your riding is just short, playful and fast, then its all good; the upright position and chunky shape don't make for longterm comfort, but then it's not made for that. Yes, it's fairly niche, but if you really ride just downhill or uplifts and want a bit more comfort from a tough, unobtrusive saddle, it's a strong choice.

• fabric.cc

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