When we first laid eyes on Cobb’s Max saddle we weren’t completely sold on its looks. However, after spending just a few rides on it, we can tell you that the Max saddle makes up for its odd looks in comfort.

While it’s certainly not going to win any beauty contests, Cobb developed this road/triathlon saddle with maximum comfort and speed in mind. Many riders compare the Max with split-nose saddles like those from Adamo, and we agree that the Max provides all the benefits (and more) of a split-nose design. The Max’s lowered nose section combined with the deep-cut channel relieves soft tissue pressure for both men and women. The saddle’s narrow rear section is designed after Cobb’s popular VFlow series. According to Cobb, this design encourages riders to sit further back on their sit bones, facilitating a more natural rotation of a rider’s hips for better efficiency and power in the saddle.

Setting it apart from the rest of the VFlow series, Cobb has chosen a new higher density, light weight foam for the Max, which we definitely noticed on our very first ride with this saddle. While it was an initial shock to the sit bones, we can honestly say that this surface has grown on us. And that’s exactly what Cobb had in mind. Cobb’s ongoing tests has shown that a harder saddle foam is more comfortable over longer distances, and we have to agree that we’ve remained comfortable in this saddle on rides lasting more than two hours. We’ll be continuing to test this saddle over longer distance rides, but so far the comfort only seems to improve over time.

One thing we have noticed with the Max is that it does require some tweaks to ensure the proper fit. We initially installed the Max to match our existing saddle position only to go back and readjust the fit after a few initial rides. We’ve found that even the smallest adjustments made a big difference when it came to fit with this saddle. So far we’ve found the Max to be most comfortable when we tilt the nose down slightly. And while it did take some finessing, the time investment was well worth it. Fortunately Cobb took all of this into account with a unique seat rail design. The Max features the longest rail lengths of any of the “triathlon” type saddles, which definitely makes it much easier to obtain your ideal positions as well as proper setback for International Cycling Union (UCI) sanctioned events.

As for weight, the Max is definitely no light weight. The saddle weighs in at 270 grams. However, that’s still quite a bit lighter than saddles like the Adamo Road, which comes in at 304 grams. Weight and measurements aside, so far we think a few extra grams might be a small price to pay for the Max’s comfort.