WTB SL8 2023
Reviews / Saddles
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At a glance
The SL8 is WTB’s solution if you’re looking for an off-road capable saddle with a flat nose and profile. It comes in three widths and you can pick either chromoly, titanium or carbon rails.
Price: 95 USD (Chromo) 139 USD (Titanium) 249 USD (Carbon)
The product
Coming with a flex tuned base and slim padding, the SL8 is on the minimalist side of the spectrum. The Microfiber Cover closely replicates the look and feel of a leather cover, but with the anti-microbial and cruelty-free benefits of a synthetic material. The supple nature of the Microfiber Cover allows the foam to fully support the sit bones without interfering with its resiliency.
The narrow version measures in at 127mm, medium at 142mm and the wide option is 150mm. If you’re a weight weenie, the carbon option comes in at just 155 grams (narrow). For a more affordable saddle the titanium version will do, and still only weighs 203 grams (medium) and the lower budget option chromoly rails comes in at 266 grams (medium).
Out on the trail
Saddles are always a tricky one, but with the SL8 we felt right at home. The Medium width option fit our pelvic bones nicely, and the padding was just enough to filter out the worst vibrations. The cover is easy to keep clean and looking good too. Something that can’t be said from all saddles.
Although not extremely short, it still is easy enough to put your weight behind the saddle on the steep parts without your shorts grabbing. Also on steeper climbs the length actually helps a lot with positioning your weight forward while keeping traction on the rear wheel.
Verdict
We love the SL8. In the jungle of saddles it is hard to find an option that not only looks good, but also keeps you riding for hours on end. If you have the budget, go for the titanium rails version to save some grams and benefit from the flexibility of the material. Thumbs up from the IMB test crew!
This review was in Issue 77 of IMB.
For more information visit WTBRelated
By Jarno Hoogland
Jarno's life has revolved around two wheels ever since he swung a leg over his first BMX at age 4. After a BMX and DH racing career, he moved on to work for bike shops, distributors and brands before ending up in the editors seat at IMB. Based in the ultimate testing ground in the Swiss mountains, he runs his guiding operation and makes sure every IMB issue is filled with top notch content.
