Nimbus are releasing the new Nimbus Flat saddle in April which is designed for Trials and Street rides. Naturally every new product is tested extensively so who better to give this product a good testing and review, Jason Auld. If you don’t know who Jason is, former UK Street Champion and the team manager of the UK’s only Extreme Unicycle Display Team Voodoo Unicycles. Their head man was sent the first production version and here is what he said:

After around 3 years of riding the sturdy, reliable, war horse that is the chunky KH street saddle, I decided it was time to go our separate ways and find a younger, slimmer model. After breaking the slim line KH Street saddle within 10 minutes of using it, it seemed that my old girl really was the only thing that could keep it together under the pressure, until Roger from Unicycle.com gave me a call and told me about the new Nimbus saddle and how he thought we’d be a match made in Heaven.

When it arrived, I was immediately impressed by how light it was yet it still seemed incredibly firm. I also picked up on the handle, without the sinister hole that has claimed many a finger of many a rider. Once out riding, I found myself having to raise my seat height slightly as the saddle was so thin, it had taken about half an inch off my normal seat height. When performing tricks or hops pulling up on the handle, it’s the perfect thickness to fit ones hand, allowing a comfortable yet uncompromising grip.

One of the biggest points for me when using a new saddle is gripping it seat out when doing unispins. I must admit, my first impressions were not overwhelming but after a couple of weeks of getting to know each other better, the puzzle began to fit together. It seems to hit that middle ground, thin enough to get a good grip but thick enough to cushion your hands without slicing off a finger or two like a helicopter rotator blade when spinning. The material covering the seat is comparable to that on the standard KH seats, so it does allow for ideal purchase, even when your hands are clammy. Although I’m no expert, the seat feels comfortable for seat out side hops, providing plenty grip and easy hand positioning.

The saddle feels more like a gel than foam inside and consequently it feels like one piece rather than multiple parts of a whole, which means it also lacks that horrific draw string cover that resembles someone’s shoelaces. In my previous foam saddles, I have had trouble with gripping too hard and relieving the foam from the base. That feels extremely unlikely with this saddle, it couldn’t be stiffer. The rigidity also gives me piece of mind that I’m not going to snap it in half like a soggy chocolate biscuit, the fate that most of my saddles meet.

The shape is perfect and could probably give your girlfriend a run for her money. Often have I had to get used to a seat with an exaggerated incline, which feels more like sliding down a poorly lubricated lamppost, not here. The contours allow comfort when rolling up to an object, clearing a stair set, tricking or just plain riding. That being said, I’m sure like the majority of Street/Trials saddles out there, prolonged riding will eventually bring about discomfort.

Convenience wise, the saddle is attached and detached with the use of an Allen key, a system I fine far superior to nuts and bolts, if not for the laziness of having to carry fewer tools, for the simplicity, which no doubt saves some weight for those obsessives who try to shave off every gram.

If you’re looking for a Street/Trials saddle, look no further than the new Nimbus. It’s practical in almost every way and definitely rivals it’s closest competitor in the Impact saddle. With a paint splattered design on the front, which is started to rub slightly but then again I have some powerful thighs, it looks far better than the previous mentioned, it’s also cheaper, so why waste your money? Go Nimbus and it’ll be a long loving relationship between you and your saddle.

Jason Auld | Voodoo Unicycles