While it would be tough to argue that Prologo is dominant in triathlon, they have steadily gained ground, placing sixth in the 2018 Kona saddle count. Not bad for relatively new company that’s primarily focused on the road and MTB markets. Their triathlon and TT offerings have evolved, starting with narrow-nosed road-type saddles, adding various grip materials, and ending up at the snub-nosed TGale we know today.
We visited with Prologo at the 2019 Sea Otter Classic, and got a first look at an all-new triathlon series, dubbed the Dimension Tri [Editor's Note: These are not yet in production, and we will follow the story for updates on specs and availability]. It’s based on their Dimension road saddles, which are relatively short, at 245mm long. If you’re not familiar, they’re in the growing category of short anatomic road saddles, also occupied by the PRO Stealth, Specialized Power, Selle SMP F30 C, and more. These hybrid-type saddles are intended to combine the best of both road and tri-specific saddles, offering pressure relief for low handlebar positions – pushing some to use them on tri bikes.
There are two versions of this saddle planned as of now, which are based on the same chassis. Both have synthetic leather covers (by far the most common saddle material in use today). The standard version has a plain cover, while a second version has patented CPC (Connect Power Control) polymer grip pads. We spoke with Salvatore Truglio, head cheese at Prologo, who said that the grip pads are often preferred by high-power TT riders – though we wonder if they might also be perfect for waterlogged triathletes.
The standard version has a smooth cover. Truglio mentioned that all graphics are pre-production as of now, and the final versions may look a bit different. We don’t yet know of color options beyond black.
While the road and MTB-focused Dimension saddles are offered in two widths (143 and 153mm) we don’t yet know if the triathlon version will have these options. I personally prefer wide-ish saddles, and hope that a 153mm version sees the light of day.
It’s a similar story on the padding front. The Dimension road has thin padding, while the NDR mountain saddle adds 3mm of thickness. The softer Space version adds 7mm – which would likely serve a variety of long-course triathletes.
Prologo will offer two price points for the Dimension Tri series. The first features Tirox rails and a $169 price point, while the second will have carbon rails and a ~$200 price point. Truglio mentioned that Kona champ Frederik Van Lierde is testing the saddle now, and they expect to see several of them in use at Kona 2019.
