Specialized makes three saddles for women, the Myth Comp which we have here, the cheaper Myth Sport and the more recreational Riva. They're predominantly sold aboard the Big S’s range of women’s mountain bikes, but are also available to buy as standalone products from Specialized concept stores.
The Myth Comp is available in three widths: 143mm, 155mm or the widest 168mm. We chose to test the narrowest option after previous experience with other identically sized saddles. If you aren’t sure though, take a trip to your local concept store where a rep will sit you on a gel cushion and measure your sit bones in order to match your behind to the correct saddle width. It's something worth knowing for future reference, even if you don’t end up coming out of the store with any purchases.
On fitting the Myth Comp we found the broad, flat, low profile shape looked great atop any of our stable of bikes. But it packs practical features as well as being a looker – mounts compatible with Specialized's SWAT system give you the option to fit a mini pump or water bottle to the rear for extra storage on those rides where you go sans pack.
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Out on the trail we noticed the Women’s Body Geometry cutout is deep, with narrow edges right where pubic bones sit. This caused some initial discomfort though we soon got used to the feeling and had no lasting issues.
The narrow rear area really helps the saddle stay out of the way for those ‘hanging off the back’ moments when going downhill, while the nose is long enough to aid climbing but not so long as to interfere with descending body position. We found the lightweight PU padding to be firm and supportive, with enough give in it to cushion the sitbones and deaden vibrations. The Myth Comp has seen a fair bit of mud during testing, but once washed off looks almost new again with the low-friction panels covering the saddle looking to be super durable.
At 280g (for our 143mm version), it’s not the lightest but given its reasonable price we don’t think this is a massive issue – hence the decision to rate it Best Value in our women's MTB saddles grouptest. If you want to go cheaper though, the Myth Sport is very similar in design – its significant difference in price is down to the composition of the rails, with the Comp being Cro-Mo while the Sport is steel. For the cheaper 143mm width saddle you will take a 40g weight hit.
- Price: £50 / US$100 / AU120
- Rail: Hollow Cr-Mo
- Weight: 280g
- Size: 143mm Wide
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