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Review: Carbon Railed WTB Volt Saddle

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WTB Carbon Volt Saddle (2)

 

Saddle preference is about as subjective as someone’s spicey food tolerance. Make that salsa too hot, or embark on too long a ride with a saddle that just isn’t right, and you’ll often end up wearing the same pain face.

While Fi’zi:k saddles go over as well with my butt as ornery Mexican food, WTB saddles have always felt just right, so I was very excited when they offered to send out a weight weenie saddle for a Santa Cruz Highball project.

2015 WTB Carbon Volt Saddle Weight

The Volt is one of four WTB saddles available with carbon rails, and at a claimed 155 g, is the lightest production saddle they’ve produced. Our review sample came in a mere 2 g over claimed.

WTB Carbon Volt Saddle (4)

This model, as well as the Rocket, are both available starting this year in three different widths – 135, 142, & 150.  The medium and wider versions are available in four different trims (Comp, Race, Pro, & Team), with prices starting at $40.

The narrow 135x260mm version we tested is also available with carbon rails, and retails for an eye watering, albeit competitively priced, $249.99.

WTB Carbon Volt Saddle (1)

The oval-shaped 7×9 mm carbon rails are designed for Thomson style top-down clamping posts and there is no claimed weight restrictions. As an added assurance, the saddle comes with a generous two year warranty.

2015 WTB Carbon Volt Saddle

The saddle has a subtle dropping nose to reduce the risk of getting hung up when moving about, and a long central cut out, or “Comfort Zone,” for *ahem* soft tissue relief.

WTB Carbon Volt Saddle (3)

The rear of the saddle has a slight rise often dubbed a whale tail, which provides support when climbing, and is said to help tilt the rider’s pelvis into more of a climbing position.

Kevlar trim at the corners protects the saddle’s vulnerable bits from abrasion.

On the TrailWTB Volt Carbon Cover

In previous years, the Volt has proven it’s versatility be winning both the overall Enduro World Series title under Jereme Clementz, and the World Endurance Single Speed Championship under Brett Bellchambers.

Despite not possessing even an iota of either mans skill, to say this saddle is one of my favorites would be an understatement. For years I alternated between the WTB Devo and Silverado, but the shorter overall length of the Volt and more defined whale tail, have made it my preferred model.

It has relatively firm padding, but is comfortable even on all day rides. Our review sample has only been subjected to a few months of abuse, but considering I have several WTB saddles that should have earned their retirement several years ago, and continue to perform like new….longevity shouldn’t be an issue.

At this point I’d like to interject with some negative qualities about the saddle, but I can’t think of anything other than it might be a touch narrow for some in it’s carbon railed form. I do however still think the WTB Weirwolf tire is terrible, thank you for asking.

 

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SOme DUde
SOme DUde
9 years ago

no picture of under the saddle? Did it develop the forever WTB creak like all their steal/titanium railed saddles do?

Bud
Bud
9 years ago

@SOmeDUde- I must be super lucky. Have had 2 WTB saddles on numerous mtb’s over the last 14 or 15 years and nary a squeak. Is this really a thing? I’ve never heard this criticism of WTB saddles before.

Slow Joe Crow
Slow Joe Crow
9 years ago

Creak? what creak? We’ve got 4 steel railed WTB saddles in the fleet and they never squeak, although the covers start to fray around the edges after 5 years or so. The Pure V is favorite MTB shape, although something less extreme like the Volt would be better fo road or CX, if my San Marco ever wears out.

some dude
some dude
9 years ago

Odd, all three of my silverados do this. On three different bikes. Maybe it’s my 240lb fat a$$.

chad
chad
9 years ago

I will always have a WTB saddle on my mountain bikes. Fit me perfectly and never had a problem.

Frank
Frank
9 years ago

How does it compare to the Rocket V? Looks similar but with less padding. Considering that the padding on my Rocket V is pretty well crushed after a couple seasons of use anyway, maybe I could short-cut the break-in next time around and save a few grams?

Scott
Scott
9 years ago

I recently rode this saddle all day (5+ hours riding time) on a Santa Cruz demo bike at the Chihuahuan Desert MTB Festival.
I was pretty leery of hopping on an unknown saddle for an all-day ride like that, but aside from a little soreness from it hitting my sit-bones in a slightly different way than my normal saddle, like you’d expect, it was super-comfortable for the whole ride.

Scott B
Scott B
9 years ago

Is it stiffer in the body of the saddle compared to a metal-railed / plastic body Silverado?

bikeryder85
bikeryder85
9 years ago

@ Frank…I have ridden both the rocket-v and the volt, they are based on the same saddle profile, but the volt is just soooo much more comfortable…. Its as though wtb took the rocket-v’s best features and made the better. If you are in the market for a new saddle, I would highly recommend the volt.

bikoy
bikoy
9 years ago

i have an slt with the topcoat already wearing off…i can do 80km rides on it on trishorts with no discomfort..i really like the volt and I hope I can get another deal on this saddle when mine wears out

Bubba Ho Tepp
Bubba Ho Tepp
9 years ago

Volts make my tailbone hurt. Not for everyone.

Kuttermax
Kuttermax
8 years ago

Anyone know what WTB is recommending in terms of NM on the thompson bolts clamping to the carbon rails. I recently snapped the rails on a Prologo X10 Nack while riding and I didn’t think they had been over tightened. I weight less than 180 lbs geared. I’m thinking of replacing the Prologo with the WTB Volt carbon.

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