SDG's Custom Sam Hill I-Beam Seat - Sea Otter 2010

Apr 16, 2010
by Mike Levy  
Hidden away in the SDG booth was a prototype I-Beam seat designed especially for Sam Hill and team Monster Energy/Specialized. With molded in traction patches and custom graphics, the neat saddle is very unique.

Read on...
photo
SDG "Storm" Sam Hill saddle


When conditions get overly sloppy, the kind of sloppy when most of us stay home, is when you would see riders cutting up old tires and gluing or stapling the tread atop their saddles. The goal is to provide extra traction to keep themselves from sliding off the seat when it gets plastered with goo. These new prototype saddles have built in rubber patches that accomplish the same thing, but without having to mess about with glue or staples.


photo
SDG prototype Sam Hill saddle


What you're looking at is one of the first prototypes of the new "Storm" saddle designed especially for Monster Energy/Specialized rider Sam Hill. Instead of gluing the pattern on SDG has actually injection molded the rubber patches directly into the seat's cover. There are two versions, with the Storm being the more aggressive. The seats shell also features custom graphics to further set it apart. The new saddles are built around the popular 155 gram I-Fly saddle, but this version will weigh slightly more due to the added material.


photo
SDG "Storm" saddle


While these seats will only appeal to a small number of riders who frequent the nastiest of conditions, they should make sense when things get really bad. Production is scheduled at some point this year.



photo
Under seat graphics on the prototype SDG saddle




photo
Brendan Fairclough's version


photo


photo



Visit SDGcomponents.com to see their entire range of seats

Posted In:
Reviews and Tech First Looks SDG Sam Hill


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143 Comments
  • 36 1
 what's wrong with good old fashioned saddles? not keen on the design to be honest,reminds me of a sex toy with the bumps rather than a seat.
can understand the use of rubber for grip etc when riding but the design...suppose it's one way of Sam Hill getting a cheap thrill...roll on the neg props
i no it's only a proto but wouldn't the sides be more beneficial for grip rather than all ontop as you ride your bike stood up not sat down
  • 22 0
 Dumbest crap I've seen in awhile... How much time is your ass spending on the saddle that you need tire tread on it? Add this to the long line of things in the "Just cause it works for Hill doesnt mean you should do it too" catagory...
  • 5 1
 did you read the review? it says that it appeals to a small demographic of riders, but there is a demand, i have seen people do it, and not just pros, local riders cause when it rains it pours and when it pours it gets muddy.
  • 6 3
 Yes I read the review... then I proceeded to make up my own mind instead of just believing everything I read. You can believe that theres a bunch of local riders do it cause it rains but the truth is, theres a bunch of local riders who do it cause Sam Hill does it, period.
  • 4 1
 haha i see where your coming from! but i have biked year-round in weather from everything to -50 to plus 40(and that's centigrade). and i have gotten to the point where my butt is so covered in snow/mud that it slips when i lean, so in that aspect, although i don't need it, if i did it competitvely i can see where they could help. as he said small demographic.
  • 14 0
 Wtf why :/ SDG I-Nsertion saddle
  • 2 0
 lol
  • 11 1
 Disgusting. I prefer my Schwalbe Fat Albert tires to this Wink
  • 1 0
 I love my fat alberts too!!
  • 9 0
 hell it makes very good sense but look horrible, then again good looking seats dont win you world cups!
  • 10 1
 that looks really neat but uncomfortable
  • 3 0
 other than the ass-raping rubber nobs, its a cool looking seat
  • 1 0
 wtf is the point in that?

they could have spent all that time designing something thats actually used in downhill
  • 7 2
 aweful idea. this will sound like a cool idea until you have to actually sit on your seat for more than 2 minutes and get extreme butt chafe. sdg, i have always respected you until now
  • 1 2
 why sud u be sitting on it for 2 minutes! Its only designed to giv max grip for short periods of a couple of seconds!
  • 4 3
 maybe you have to ride your bike to your riding spot or somehting. its not a very handy product. its purely for racing in wet/muddy conditions, nowhere else.
  • 1 0
 and whats wrong with that? for the majority of winter here well ridden dh trails throw up alot of gloop and when you go to sit down on the pedaly straight, you cant cos youre sliding off the back on a layer of shit.
  • 2 0
 it just seems lieka product that is too selective, you can only buy it if you dont need to sit for more than a minute, and only in wet conditions. its definitely not practical. plus its going to cost a ton knowing sdg. but go ahead and blow $100 on a stupid looking seat if you want
  • 1 0
 fallout can u read, it says 'prototype I-Beam seat designed especially for Sam Hill and team Monster Energy/Specialized.' so its not going to get sold
  • 1 0
 i think it will get sold, most things "designed especially for pro riders" are custom colors, like ano blue hope brakes or something. i bet this will become available tot he public
  • 5 1
 clearly most of you have never raced in extremely wet and muddy conditions, because you definitely need that extra traction on your seat when the weather really turns ugly. Obviously this is not intended to be your day-to-day saddle, but something you keep with your mud tires for the occasion when it is needed.
  • 3 4
 cause you always see people changing their saddles depeding on race conditions dont you.
  • 2 1
 kopp-productions ur one the only people on here making sense! well done
  • 2 0
 clearly some of us have never seen them on motocrossers and enduro or rally rigs either where there's plenty of mud about. I'm pretty sure SDG just makes skins for those. I get that it's just a home remedy for a few but things don't get featured unless they want exposure or feedback to make more and sell and what better way to do that than on pro bikes.

I think all the negative responses are just as valid. it's a feature so prop it or not cuz that is exactly what the mfg is hoping to get when they show it off. look, there's a line over at the 10sp sram/shimano demo booth!!
  • 1 0
 maybe because there isnt any saddles until now that would have made a difference. if there was no tyres made for mud then no1 would change there tyres when it rains
  • 1 0
 oh well,i guess my reality is that if I could keep up with a Hill or Peaty during a run then I should just shut up about it. I know my riding skills compared to theirs means I should shut up now then. respect.
  • 5 1
 As the beginning paragraph mentions, this saddle has specific intentions. Obviously it's not for everyone, but was made through testing on the World Cup Circuit with the help of Sam and Brendan. Racers have been cutting and glueing tires, treads, and who know what else for many years, but we have come up with a method to eliminate the rigging of saddles using the latest new technology that is available. Additional features include micro injection nose and tail for protection and the sides have small fins for people that like to squeeze the saddle between their legs for extra grip...moto style. We certainly appreciate everyone's feedback and look forward to more! Your feedback helps us with making the best product in the world!
  • 5 1
 the funny thing is most of you pussies wouldnt even ride let alone race in the conditions mentionned in the article... notice most dh racers have high seat posts? having the seat float between your legs gives excelent feedback as to what the bike is doing and also adds to stability. this aint for most poeple and wont be produced in large numbers for that reason. it was made for racers not for giving little twats something to bitch about:P
  • 1 0
 ah shit. ssorry mate, unpropped :/ i meant to prop +1 so here it is.
i agree, and if you hit your balls on a high seat, you'd prefer to have them stop rather than grate.
props.
  • 1 0
 some 1 speaking sence!! Smile
  • 4 1
 Okay so this is how i see this review, you have a pro racer and a big company concerened with making money, and then you see a whole bunch of punks writing about how they don't want to buy this ugly shit. YOUR NOT SAM HILL, they said this would be a small bunch of riders to buy this, and they are probably right, but NEWS FLASH, they have R&D departments, if you don't know what that is, you proved my point. If you do than you should know what they know what they are doing, and i doubt they will loose any money, i don't think they will pumping out 100 000's of these per week, it will be a low quantity run i am sure.
  • 6 1
 has anyone seriously slipped off there seat before ? :S
if you slip off anything it would be the pedals surely.
  • 1 0
 yeah it happened to me,i moved way too much towards the tip of the saddle in an attempt put my centre of gravity to the rear in a steep techy section then itmy arse> slipped catastrophically that i fell of my bike and my balls almost got squished by the rear tire.
  • 8 1
 Ribbed for her pleasure.
  • 4 0
 good point. can't leave out the ladies.
  • 2 0
 Why not just use the same material they use for gripper Motocross seats? They provide gobs of traction when it's wet and muddy, also keep you planted when the motor is trying to pull you off the back. It wouldn't look nearly as bad, provide this traction the riders are looking for and be comfortable. Just a simple thought.
  • 3 1
 Not a BAD idea. Innovative. Practical, and useful for the avid rider. My seat does get wet and gets mud on it at times. The 2nd version of these tires look a bit more comfortable on the behind than the first ones. Wink My 2 cents.
  • 4 2
 The point of the grippy seat is so if you blow your feet off the pedals on a corner or something and it is muddy when your butt lands on the seat (if it does at all) there is a better chance that it won't slip off. If you need an example of someone blowing their feet off the pedals on a corner and slipping off the seat and then being towed superman-like behind their bike check out some of the 2009 World Cup footage; I believe Sam Blenkinsop does this exact thing in one of the practice videos (I don't have a link, sorry).
  • 3 1
 i gotta say, living here in the pacific northwest, and never taking time away from my bike, i have been planning on building this very thing, ----after seeing one of sams creations.
i know it sounds crazy, but some of us race alot,
and in really hard, long and messy dh races, you not only conserve energy at every opprotunity ( read that as, sit down and pedal)...
but also, you need (((ass!))) traction in march at "dry" hill. the last race there was crazy, full mud butt after like ten feet of track.
it works, and if you dont understand, your snowboarding to much.
  • 4 4
 if youre sitting down and pedaling then youre not training hard enough, you should be out of the seat sprinting at every pedaling opportunity but thats right make a seat so you can be lazier with your training and feel ok about it
  • 3 2
 you should come ride our tracks. then youll understand.
  • 2 2
 you should train more train more and you'll understand
  • 1 1
 fair enough. i agree.
  • 2 0
 saddle is for uber muddy race day conditions when everything is caked on and slippier than duck sh*t on a dock... it's not meant for 200km road rides or everyday use... and saddle grip is important for the inside/underside of the knees when leaning the bike in (depending on your style), taking a seat on a rest section, and maybe even "saving it" if you get a little loose... certainly not needed for the recreational rider like me.. if it's that muddy, i'm at home.. but I think the point is missed based on all the comments i read... saddle serves a purpose for sure and teh racers in muddy parts (with a budget) will be all over them i'm sure
  • 2 0
 you obv need a seat like that if ur as fast as sam hill, but us normal people dont have this sliding of the seat problem, it's to solve the problem sam hill will have if hes sliding of the seat .
  • 4 0
 if they work for the pros, great. but dont expect to sell much to the public.
  • 1 0
 I don't get it, most of the haters are saying " train more, and stand up and pedal" etc etc. Why should this product bother you? Sounds like you'll be standing up the whole time anyway???? Haha plus you've obviously never raced in extreme steep muddy conditions before if you think this product is lame. AAAANNNDDDD, it'd be quite easy to change your bad weather ibeam saddle to a dry condition ibeam saddle. Beats cutting up tires.
After all that however, it'l cost me millions for the signature saddle as opposed to zip-tying a cut tyre to my original saddle.....
  • 2 0
 just let me show you this...
I took this shot right at Schladming 2009.
It's Sam Hill's bike.
They really do this, and aparently need this!

www.pinkbike.com/photo/4920999
  • 3 2
 For racers this is a useful product. In dh racing your not using your seat so much for sitting as for controlling... Try riding a bike with no seat and post, it's harder. And at a really muddy race you def can slip back off your seat. Everything makes a difference. with thick dh pants or shorts plus mud on ass it's not gonna hurt.
  • 3 0
 guide with the bars steer with the seat it's the only way to control what you do with the back tire, other than go forward
  • 1 0
 exactly, that's what the seat was designed for, i don't understand why all these people can't comprehend that it's used to lean on not sit on. it even says in the description "this will only appeal to small group of people" if you hate it don't buy it, i won't buy it because i have no need for it but it does have a purpose.
  • 5 0
 sdg cashing in on sam hill wannabes!
  • 4 0
 Makes perfect sense for muddy times, but they really made Brendan's saddle look like a sex toy.
  • 5 3
 It's the kind of product racers will use for muddy/slippery conditions. I've seen Peaty cut up a tire and zip tie it to his seat for traction. 2 thumbs up for SDG.
  • 3 8
flag Dialled-for-life (Apr 16, 2010 at 13:25) (Below Threshold)
 Umm, no.
  • 4 3
 why not stick 'em on your pants instead? bend over I think i missed a spot.
  • 2 0
 i've seen pictures of sam hill with tire strips glued onto his seat in that same pattern... never thought that might actually become a product.
  • 3 0
 Seems to me that traction on the SIDES of the saddle would have been the best decision.
  • 3 1
 Please dont neg prop me for shouting photoshop, but is it just me that thinks they look like a CAD rendering and not a prototype????
  • 2 1
 personaly these new seats lok utter crap when riding dh i hardly sit down so all i want from a saddle is it to be as light as possible the grips just look stupid and ridiculous
  • 2 0
 Not sure how 2 similar riders can require different tread patterns on a seat? Great when you need it, not so good when you dont i suppose.
  • 3 0
 After every race, they'll have to fix their wedgies. =O
  • 1 0
 the bottom of the saddle looks rad! love it. just not to keen on the top of the saddle, as every one has already said.. wouldnt that get uncomfortable?...
  • 3 0
 To be quite honest, I spend most of my time on the bike standing up!
  • 4 0
 Maybe you should also learn to use your seat then, because last time I checked steering with your seat was a lot easier than going full bar. I hope you see how this product is used now, seeing as how Sam Hill never sits.
  • 1 0
 i think this can be for good, his not going to come out of the corner seated or jump seated for the more hight like a moto. don't like the idea
  • 1 0
 if you look back on it, last year brendan's seat was similar to the sam version.
i'm not to sure if sam ran anything on his at all?
  • 3 1
 Maybe they should have one that you can change the grips.... Like one for the ladies.
  • 1 1
 Yeh actually how often do you sit down in downhill, surely all that rubber justs adds to the weight of the bike and when your going for first place at a World Cup surely every gram matters.
  • 4 1
 why they dont put dicks on it hahahahaha it dont looks so fuctional
  • 2 1
 if your gonna go that far might as well just velcro your ass to the saddle,this stuff is hilarious.and give it a rest with the photoshop comments,no one cares.
  • 2 0
 ribbed for her discomfort
  • 1 0
 I can't wait to spend my hard earned cash on something else totally useless because the bike companies told me too!
  • 2 0
 Hill's version looks like a I don''t now...strange!
  • 2 0
 wouldnt that padding be awkward on your ass??
  • 4 3
 I feel sorry for SDG, if this is serious, they just lost a lot of money. The bottom of the seat looks sick though.
  • 5 0
 i doubt that very much
  • 3 2
 That looks like it would hurt... STUPID!
  • 2 1
 they were blates high when they decided this would be good
  • 2 1
 Another hype just around the corner...
  • 1 0
 Brendan Fairclough's version just doesnt look right. :/
  • 1 0
 Looks funny, but cool concept
  • 1 2
 Nothing like making one of the most unconfortable saddles I've ever sitten on that little bit more hemorrhoid inducingly painful.
  • 1 4
 there not for sitting on and having a bike ride u dick!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 2 0
 SDG definitely make the most uncomfortable saddles in the industry... I can definitely see a need for these types of saddles in the DH world though, but the execution could have been better.
  • 1 0
 Well if they aint for sitting on what the point plus personally I RIDE to my trails Dick!
  • 2 2
 I have to say, whats the point in that? How often do these guys actually sit on thier saddles?
  • 3 1
 such a gay seat like wtf
  • 2 0
 Seems uncomfortable...
  • 2 1
 SDG, April fools day was 2 weeks ago...
  • 2 1
 pretty cool but dh? if u sitting ur wrong lol
  • 1 0
 looks like tyres...
  • 2 1
 that's rad!
  • 2 2
 APRIL FOOLS. These are not real.
  • 2 0
 i wissh
  • 1 0
 heh kHar dared Ina!!
  • 1 0
 this is a tyre saddle
  • 1 1
 why not just the stuff they use on motocross "gripper seatcovers"
  • 1 2
 some companys and how they come up with their ideas.. i swear they just sit around a table with a notepad and just get high.
  • 1 3
 thats exactly what ive been thinking after seeing this non sense
  • 1 0
 hahah sweet tire seats
  • 1 0
 seat bounce
  • 1 0
 Moto much?
  • 2 1
 I'll pass thanks.
  • 2 2
 crap anyway
  • 2 2
 One word,"WHY."
  • 1 2
 wierd...
  • 1 2
 I agree.
  • 1 2
 balls unfriendly...
  • 1 3
 Is that a Carbon fiber ibeam post?
  • 2 4
 dnt like that
  • 1 4
 kinda weird but if it works for Sam hill........then Im gonna buy two!
  • 1 4
 BUTT PLUGS
  • 1 4
 dumb idea, try again.
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