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Planet Bike ARS Anatomic Relief Review

Built for cruising in comfort, this saddle is a solid choice for commuters looking to save some cash
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Planet Bike ARS Anatomic Relief Review (Planet Bike's ARS Anatomic Relief Bike Saddle)
Planet Bike's ARS Anatomic Relief Bike Saddle
Credit: Planet Bike
Price:  $45 List
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Manufacturer:   Planet Bike
By Curtis Smith ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Oct 9, 2016
50
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Comfort - 30% 7.0
  • Performance - 30% 4.0
  • Versatility - 20% 5.0
  • Durability - 10% 4.0
  • Weight - 10% 3.0

Our Verdict

The Planet Bike ARS is a comfort-oriented saddle best suited to use on a cruiser or commuter bike. Thick padding and a full anatomical cut out offer comfort for the rider who prefers an upright position and would rather skip padded cycling shorts. We found the Lycra cover to be susceptible to abrasion, but the rails and shell held up well during our testing. Consider the ARS if you are in search of an economical saddle for commuter or cruiser duty.
REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Affordable
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Lacks durability

Our Analysis and Test Results

Comfort


The Planet Bike ARS is a comfortable saddle when used on the cruiser bike, or for short commutes. The padding is extremely thick, rivaled only by the Serfas E-Gel Cruiser Saddle. An anatomical groove runs the length of the saddle, transitioning to a full cut out near the nose. On longer rides the thick padding proved to be too much, leading to chafing and hot spots.

Performance


This is not a performance-oriented saddle. The padding compresses significantly under load and does not provide a good platform for hard efforts. Designed for an upright riding position, the Planet Bike ARS is not well suited to riders looking for high performance.

Versatility


The Planet Bike ARS is not highly versatile. It is not well suited to mountain bike or road cycling use. For commuting or cruiser duties it functions quite well.

Durability


The Planet Bike ARS comes equipped with steel rails, and a strong plastic shell. Its weakness is a fragile Lycra cover. The Lycra is susceptible to tears and abrasion. We tore the Lycra cover in a mild crash, exposing the foam padding. We also noted signs of wear and abrasion from normal friction between clothing and the saddle.

Weight


With a weight of 393g, the Planet Bike ARS was the lightest comfort oriented recreational saddle in our review. Compared to the 774g Serfas E-Gel Cruiser, it is a featherweight. It is however, a bit heavy for competitive road or mountain use.

Best Application


The Planet Bike ARS is a comfortable saddle, well suited to cruiser or commuter duty. If you need a saddle to for short trips, and would like to skip the padded cycling shorts this could be a good choice. Skip it if you are looking for a saddle that can handle the rigors of off-road use.

Value


For $29.99 the Planet Bike ARS presents a good value. It is not likely to last you as long as other saddles in our review, such as the Brooks England B-17 Saddle, but you could purchase several of them for the difference in price.

— Curtis Smith
 
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