We’re happy to release a new saddle, the Fusion One.
It replaces the Fusion Zero and will become available in late August.
The fundamental premise is similar to the Zero saddle - that a low curve saddle that places most of your weight back on your sit bones helps improve saddle comfort and makes it easier to shift forwards and backwards when transitioning from sitting to standing. However, we’ve incorporated updates that reflect rider feedback and what we’ve learned since its original release. The updates are major enough that we decided to give it a new name =).
Highlights include redesigned foam, improvements to the saddle cover, solid Pivotal bolt for increased strength, and an additional threaded insert in the base that allows compatibility with the reinforcement plate.
For more details and a couple of photos check the blog post:
Hi Kris
O’ dear I just ordered a new KH24 from Unicycle.com UK last night
O well that’s life I sold my last Muni (last Uni) in 2011 because I had found the saddle design out of date when I had looked at Bicycles and I need the money for a Cycling Adventure down Africa in 2012 (130km’s a day 6 days a week was too much for me on a Uni! Plus had my KH-Schlumpf bearings seized up after a off when crossing a ford (was only 1"deep)
So i’m back because I like your updates that have been made
New frame update
Strong one price hub (Going to ask Muni Friends if the new KH-Schlumpf is any better)
Disc brake
New pivotal seatpost saddle design
Flat Saddle
E.t.c
I have miss not having a Muni to ride on rainy days
Breaking my own rule: never try new equipment on big events.
I have a 24 hour charity ride where the goal is to max the miles over a 24 hour window in about 2 weeks (8/19-20).
I just order the ONE with the intent to use it for the event.
I’ve been riding the ZERO for over a year now am an fully accustomed to it. It was not an easy transition from the traditional saddles, but now that I’ve made it I don’t see myself ever going back to a saddle that locks me in place.
I’m “hoping” the ONE has all of the benefits of the ZERO, while being a little less hard. The final expectation is that I’ll be able to stay in the saddle a little longer between brakes.
I once ran a marathon in a nearly brand new pair of shoes, which proved to be a terrible mistake. Hopefully this will not be a repeat of that.
Got my saddle today, very happy with it, but did want to note mine did not come with a solid bolt. This may just be the first round or something. I haven’t had issues with mine, so it’s no big deal to me, just thought it was worth mentioning.
Is it possible that you inadvertently received a Zero instead of the F1? Just wondering since the F1 is a brand new version and from the get-go it’s supposed to have the solid post bolt.
Thanks for the reply I was wondering about the difference in feel. Is the foam noticeably softer than the zero? Do you feel any other difference(s) between the two saddles?
The foam on top is quite soft. I just compared it to the “squishyness” of a fusion street and I think it’s comparable if not even a teensy bit more squishy, but nothing near as squishy as the freeride. The relief cut feels like it didn’t get raised at all, so it is much deeper. The pictures kinda make it look shallower than it is if you look at it from the back of the saddle, but it’s quite a relief cut towards the middle. If I didn’t know better I’d almost say underneath it’s a zero, but on either side of the relief cut they threw some lower density foam. It gives it a really nice feel, but so far I haven’t gone more than a few miles on it. You can feel that there’s a layer of low density foam, and then under it a higher density foam, but you sort of have to know you’re feeling for it.
My preference in saddle up til now has been the fusion street, so I felt really comfy on this out of the box. I haven’t even put the handlebar on yet. It seem pretty comfy without it and I will probably do some short rides around town to see how it does without one, but I can push forward on the plastic handle and see its potential.
I meant to grab the stadium saddle for comparison as well but forgot to snag one at checkout. : ( Somebody somewhere will get a hold of the two at some point.
The only other thing of note is the weight. It’s not a featherweight, and I noticed the difference when I took it out of the box. For me the comfort far outweighs the extra few grams, but there are weight weenies out there. : P
People may be wondering if it’s significantly different enough to warrant getting over the zero, and I really do think it is. It would be like flopping from a slim to a street, or a street to a fusion.
Time will tell if it will be comfy on those super long rides, but for the kind of riding I do (the fire roads and rocky/pot-holey/curb-hopping streets of Michigan), this seems to be the saddle I’ve been waiting for.
This is tempting me. I have the Zero and just got the Stadium. I ride a KH street. Never got use to the Zero and stopped after getting saddle sores. Haven’t had a chance to try the Stadium yet but will this weekend.
A new Impact seat is coming soon. Roger had one on display at Unicon but none for sale.
I rode 8 miles on my new Stadium saddle yesterday.
As I mentioned previously I normally ride with a KH Street with my longest ride sans UPD around 2+ hours. I have the KH Zero which I’ve ridden a few times on very short muni rides but stopped using it when I got saddle sores. I’ve been meaning to try it again on road rides but hesitate investing any more time into it, especially since there’s a new version.
The Stadium wasn’t as difficult to ride as the Zero and I didn’t get saddle sores but I’m not sure I like it over the Fusion Street. It’s seems almost as hard as the Zero. I wasn’t able to keep my butt towards the back of the saddle like I can with the Fusion Street. Now I’m wondering about the Fusion One. Is it really as “soft” as the Fusion Street. If it is then I suppose I should give it a try. The ability to change angles would be one advantage that it has over the Stadium. Perhaps I’ve just gotten so use to my Fusion Street that I don’t need to make any saddle changes. For me, “squishyness” on the sides towards the middle of the saddle is good. That’s where I tend to have trouble with rubbing that creates saddle sores.
One other thing to note about the Stadium is that the cover is stapled onto the base. When I bought it at Unicon, Roger mentioned that replacement covers will be available in the future. I wonder if the Fusion One has a replaceable cover.
Thanks for the review of the different saddles (I might get a stadium for my Muni). I’ve got the Zero on my road Uni (36er) and it really is great compared to the banana shape saddles. I am quite skinny and bony so at first I found the saddle too firm/hard. It took quite a few rides to get used to it (the first few rides were a bit of a shock and they were painful in your butt!) but somehow after a while your body gets confortable with it and you don’t notice the saddle being hard at all… I love the feeling of freedom you get when sitting on it: you can shift your butt/hips back and forth quite a lot and you don’t feel ‘stuck’ in one position like you do in a banana shape saddle…
I think it is worth giving the Zero (or Fusion one) quite a few goes for long distance riding (have never used it for Muni so can’t say what it is like in that situation…).
Great seat-post, but as I wrote on your Strava, surely your normal seat post allows for some adjustment? When I installed my Stadium on my uni - same seat post as Terry, it’s true that it was pointing down, certainly more than the KH seat it replaced. I first rode it almost flat but didn’t like the feel from sitting in the middle. I then adjusted it upward, and it was much better. It will take some getting used to, but surely less than a Zero, and the potential is great from the 10 minutes I rode it.
I’ve have the nose up as far as possible on both rides. Yesterday it was much better after making an effort to keep my sit bones as far back as possible and my hands on the handle. That’s when I noticed the back end of the Stadium saddle isn’t as wide as the KH Street saddle. I’ll give it more time.
I could get the adjustable seat post. Didn’t think about that when I bought the saddle at Unicon. Also didn’t know about the KH One. The cost of a Stadium and adjustable seat post is slightly more than the cost of a KH One if you already have the pivotal seat post from the KH Zero.
I sold my last Muni (last Uni) in 2011 because I had found the saddle design out of date when I had looked at Bicycles and I need the money for a Cycling Adventure down Africa in 2012 (130km’s a day 6 days a week was too much for me on a Uni!