New Ergon Saddles & Grips for 2020: Product Lineup Overview [Video]

Words by: Liam Woods

Ergon Intro:

Ergon Bike makes some of the most advanced saddles and grips on the market. Because of this, Ergon is consistently one of our top-selling brands for each category. Popular grips like the GA3 and the SM Pro Saddle have been some of the top products in the last year, now Ergon is back with a few new saddles and updated grips as well. With the amount of R&D and attention to detail Ergon puts into every product, it is no surprise the brand has been so well received over the years. From the beginning, Ergon set out to eliminate pain in the contact points for bike riders, from the hands to the butt, that is the entire reason Ergon came to be. Making ergonomically designed products for all types of bikes. These new products below are more focused on current trail and enduro bikes to help reduce fatigue and pain while riding. 

Ergon Saddle Overview

Ergon SM Pro Saddle:

The Ergon SM saddle has been our best selling saddle since it first came out. To be honest, we really couldn’t even keep them in stock for the first 6 months because they were selling so fast. The SM Pro saddle took a bit different approach than other Ergon saddles and actually was first offered in a Womens version. Shortly after, Ergon produced the male version and has been selling out ever since. The SM saddle has been designed for all types of mountain biking, being run by xc marathon world champions as well as the everyday rider. As with most Ergon products, the SM saddle line was designed to specifically reduce pain, discomfort, and numbness by having a deeper relief channel than other Ergon saddles as well as a flattened Y-Shaped tail to help keep you in position. There are 2 women’s versions to choose from, an SM Women and SM Sport Gel, as well as 3 men’s models to choose from, SM Sport Men, SM Comp Men and SM Pro Men. With the women’s ranging in price from $69.95-$89.95 and the men from $69.95-$109.95, you can pick your choice of rails as well as padding level. 

• 2 Women's, 3 Men's versions
• Deep relief channel for perineal pressure
• Flattened Y-Shape tail
• Women’s = $69.95-$89.95
• Men’s = $69.95-$109.95
• SM Pro = 235g**

Ergon SMC Saddle:

Based on the popular Ergon SM saddle, the Ergon SMC saddle gets more comfort and padding as the “C” stands for comfort. If you have tried the SM saddle and wished for a little more forgiveness, then this saddle has your name on it. The SMC saddle uses a thicker orthopedic foam to help improve comfort for everyday riders. There is also a Men’s and Women’s model as well as a Gel and non-gel version. Pricing ranges from $69.95 for the non-gel version and $89.95 for the Sport Gel version. 

• 2 Women's, 2 Men's versions
• Thicker Orthopedic Foam
• Gel Version available
• Deep relief channel for perineal pressure
• Flattened Y-Shape tail
• $69.95 - $89.95 (for Sport Gel Version)

Ergon SM Enduro Saddle:

This is the newest saddle in the Ergon lineup, the Ergon SM Enduro. This saddle is specifically made for aggressive trail and enduro riding. Used by many EWS professionals this last season, the Ergon SM Enduro has changed from the popular SM saddle to make it specifically suited for aggressive trail riding. To start, the rails have been optimized for steeper seat tube angles and pedaling. The flat mounting point of the rails has also been lengthened to help positioning on bigger bikes. Also, Ergon has added a stronger saddle material around the backside of the saddle to help prevent tears when you happen to have a small crash. Fans of the SM line will notice similar styling cues such as the deep relief channel, AirCell foam, and the smooth shape for maneuvering your bike. There are three versions to choose from, all technically designed for men, but women have also had luck using this saddle. The SM Enduro, SM Enduro Comp and SM Enduro Pro with titanium rails, ranging in price from $79.95-$179.95. 

• 3 Men’s versions
• Tailored for aggressive mountain biking
• Longer mounting access on saddle rails
• Protective material around the side and back of the saddle
• Deep relief channel for perineal pressure
• Men’s = $79.95-$179.95

Ergon SMD2 Saddle:

Finally, the downhill, freeride, and gravity oriented saddle from Ergon, the SMD2. This saddle is specifically designed for riding DH and freeride bikes but also works well on dirt jumpers and pump track bikes. Designed to have a tilted angle, the SMD2 takes into account what riders need in a saddle when the only focus is bike handling, not pedaling. With padded sides to help improve comfort on the inside of the legs, a grippy material over the rear of the saddle, and enough tire clearance out back to not get that dreaded saddle buzz that tears up saddle material. The Ergon SMD2 is available in 3 different versions with a few color options to choose from as well. Ranging in price from $59.95 - $149.95, this is the saddle Ergon athletes choose to use if the only goal is bike handling and not so much pedaling. 

• 3 versions
• Tailored for downhill and gravity use
• Padded sides to improve inner leg control
• Rear tire clearance to reduce tire buzz
• Grippy material to improve control
• Men’s = $59.95-$149.95

Ergon Grips Overview

Ergon GA3 Grips:

Believe it or not, the Ergon GA3 grip is one of the best selling grips currently and many times has been the #1 selling grip for weeks at a time. Before you mock the small wing on the hand, think if you have ever had such bad hand pain from a big day it actually hurts like a bruise to ride the day after. I know I have felt like that after some big park days and at that point, I wish I had some grips to support my hands like these. With just enough structural support on your hand, it helps not only spread out the pressure but also helps move the hand into a better position for all-around performance. Available in two different sizes, a small and large diameter measuring 29.3mm and 30.8mm respectively. Small and large hands alike will get along with the GA3 or you just prefer a more slim or fat grip, you have 7 colors to choose from as well. 

• Small ergonomic wing for hand support
• Small (29.3mm) and Large (30.8mm) Diameters
• 7 Colors to choose from
• 115g for small size
• $29.95

Ergon GA2 Grips:

The GA2 is a well known classic Ergon grip. It has become very popular for trail, enduro, and DH bikes. The standard GA2 grip has a 30mm diameter and comes in 7 colors. The ergonomic shape of the grip helps reduce hand fatigue while requiring less gripping force on the hands to hold on. There is also a GA2 Fat version that gives you a bit more rubber or if you just like fatter grips. The fat version of the GA2 is 33mm in diameter and comes in 3 different colors. With both grips having a similar design that offers raised pads around the middle and edge of the grip but a more smooth and slightly thinner inner section of the grip, the rubber gets all the way to the end of the grip allowing for full hand comfort and no outside metal lock-on clamp. 

• GA2 (30mm) and GA2 Fat (33mm)
• Ergonomically shaped to reduce hand fatigue
• Single clamp design
• 7 colors in GA2 and 3 colors in GA2 Fat
• 110g for GA2 and 135g for GA2 Fat
• $29.95

Ergon GE1 Evo & GE1 Evo Factory Grips:

The freshly improved GE1 Evo and GE1 Evo Factory grips from Ergon see some updates that make this EWS winning grip even better. By rotating the grip angle towards the front axle it allows the elbows to be raised outwards creating a better riding position for aggressive downhill riding. Featuring similar shapes to the classic GA2 grip, the GE1 Evo features more grooves in the raised pads to help improve grip and avoid any slipping from happening. Similar to many other Ergon grips, the GE1 Evo has the rubber extended out to the edge of the grip allowing more comfort across the hand.

One unique feature of this grip is the fully integrated end cap that connects to the inner core of the grip getting even more rubber to the outside of the grip. The GE1 Evo Factory grip gets a softer rubber to help further increase that comfort and control to the highest level. The factory grip is available in 4 different colors with two of them having an oil slick clamp that looks so good out in the sun. The Ergon GE1 Evo grip is available in 7 different colors with both grips being offered in both a slim and a regular version as well. 

• 8% rotation of grip towards steering axle to raise elbows outwards
• More grooved pads to increase grip and reduce slipping
• Integrated end cap to get more rubber and comfort to the edge of the grip
• Two rubber options, GE1 Evo and GE1 Evo Factory 
• 105g for Evo Factory and 110g for Evo Factory
• GE1 Evo Factory available in 4 colors
• GE1 Evo available in 7 colors
• GE1 Evo = $34.95
• GE1 Evo Factory = $39.95

Final Thoughts:

Ergon is a top dog in the industry when it comes to making comfortable, ergonomically designed saddles and grips for all types of bikes. Set out to eliminate pain from the contact points, and now with some heavily focused gravity and enduro products, Ergon continues to push rider comfort to the highest level. With the new GE1 Evo Factory grip focusing on rider position as well as getting a softer rubber with a grip pattern, downhill hand fatigue can be a thing of the past. Similar to their SM Enduro saddle that has been specifically designed for the newest trail and enduro bikes that now have steeper seat tubes, the rails reflect rider position and extra protection has been added to the outside along with the hundreds of hours in R&D for rider comfort. As a top selling brand with all that they do, Ergon continues to set the benchmark in rider focus products for comfort and control. 

This article was written / authored by Liam Woods. Liam has been in the bicycle industry for over 10 years as a racer, professional mechanic, service manager and as of late, media and content creator. Liam has ridden thousands of different bikes, ridden countless components, tested endless MTB apparel of all kinds and written reviews on it all. He's a key piece to the Worldwide Cyclery "All Things MTB" content creation puzzle. He also makes consistent appearances on the Worldwide Cyclery YouTube channel and Instagram.