Used Road Saddles Argo R5 - 160Mm - Tempo Short-Nosed Design Carbon-Reinforced Nylon Shell And Foam S-Alloy Rail

As with all short-nosed saddles, set-up is slightly trickier than standard designs as there's not a nose as such to measure from. Instead, measurements should be taken to the rails, and after about five minutes with a tape measure I had it where I wanted it.

If you've never used a short-nosed saddle before, it might feel a bit odd to begin with as you're locked into a more permanent position. There's simply less saddle to move about on. This is supposedly for greater stability and weight distribution, and although I can't say I felt any more stable, it was certainly comfortable even on three to four-hour rides. I never felt like I needed to change my position. Rather than shuffling about to find somewhere comfortable, the Argo Tempo helps to put you in a secure position that, for me at least, felt very natural.

Although I found the Tempo comfortable, it does have quite a flat profile which might not suit all; as ever, saddles are a personal choice and what works for one person may not work for the next.

• One area where the R5 does differ from the R3 is the rail material.
• This cheaper version gets an S-Alloy rail rather than more expensive Kium, which has better damping properties.
• Having ridden the R5 for a month, I really couldn't say whether the difference would be noticeable given the comfort of the R5.
• The R5 features a carbon-reinforced nylon shell and foam with a low compression modulus (more spongey) to add compliance.