Repenté Quasar saddle (product review)

Repenté is a saddle brand from Italy. With a wide range of shapes and styles there’s bound to be something that suits you, your bike, and the kind of cycling you do… 

– By Rob Arnold

Repenté Quasar CR2.0 details

*Pricing information as of August 2024

Several years ago I became aware of Repenté, a saddle manufacturer based in the Veneto region of Italy. It doesn’t have the market share of some other brands that have a considerable presence – particularly in the OEM realm – but it’s worth investigating the considerable range by Repenté if you’re in the market for a saddle.

A saddle is one product where personal preference and an appropriate shape selection is, in my appraisal, far more important than weight. Having ridden with a considerable array of offerings from different brands in a wide range of shapes and sizes, I’ve found that Repenté gets the formula right more often than not. For me, each of the three designs I’ve tried are either good or better.

The Quasar is the latest to spend some time on my bike. Installed several months ago I never considered swapping it out for other options that I have in my collection. From the first ride it was apparent this was a saddle that suits me and my requirements perfectly.

Don’t be concerned if the Repenté name is new to you. The company is relatively young but the people behind the brand have many years of experience in the industry and the lessons learned while working for other manufacturers have been fine-tuned to create a range of seven saddles aimed at the road market.

There is some cross-over, with certain saddles designed for road cycling also suitable for triathlete and/or mountain bikes. To date I’ve only used Repenté saddles on my road bike and it’s only ever been a positive experience.

I’ve tried three of the seven options and I rate each of them highly and the Quasar is the latest.

Quality construction comes with a price premium and while the cost of Repenté saddles is often more than other brands, I can confidently say – after years of use – that they stand the test of time. The graphics may fade (as per the image above) but they maintain shape after many hours of riding.

There have been times when I’ve tinkered with different angles to get a position that feels correct on the bike. With the Repenté Spyd, for example, I found that – because of an upward tilt of the rear – it was better to have the nose angled ever-so-slighly down. On the Quasar, with its flat top and soft nose, the best solution (after some experimentation) was for it to be fitted so that it’s exactly level (ie. parallel with the ground).

The shape and style of cycling saddles have evolved dramatically in recent years. In the road market there are a number of major players but also plenty of niche brands like Repenté that offer a considerable range of alternatives.

The Quasar (featured) is available in three options: Quasar (stainless steel rails, 170g), Quasar Aeron 2.0 (chromoly rails, 185g), and the Quasar CR 2.0 (carbon-fibre rails, 129g). All of Repenté’s saddles are sold through selected dealers as well as the company’s online portal.

The padding in the centre (ie. running alongside the opening in the middle) has a harsh ‘edge’ and the softness suits me well. Some saddles can irritate my sit bones but everyone is different which is why it’s important to shop around – and, if at all possible, test ride before purchasing. With the Repenté range I can confidently say you are likely to find the right solution.

Early experience with Repenté

My first taste of Repenté saddles was in 2020 when I was sent some samples for review. They soon became my go-to for both road cycling as well as my bike that sat on the indoor trainer.

The Repenté Spyd stayed on my road bike for several years, only to be replaced sporadically when I got saddles from other brands to review. Narrow and with padding in all the right places for my bum, the Spyd is comfortable and it put me in a happy riding position.

When the pandemic forced us off the road and onto smart trainers, I quickly put the Repenté Aleena on my bike for indoor riding.

I came to know both these saddles very well. With the angle adjustment fine-tuned they saw me through thousands of kilometres (and, during the COVID years while riding inside, many litres of sweat). Both these review saddles came to me in white, and I loved the elegance (and the fact that there’s a colour choice). If they got a little dirty it only took a moment to wipe away any marks and, after all this time, they still look fantastic and have retained their original shape.

Saddles are a key touch-point in cycling and also a hugely personal product that may suit some but bug others. It is also often a component that gets swapped in the OEM spec as a way of saving dollars. If you have a cheaper bike and are still using the original seat, try and find a retailer that is willing to let you test ride after-market products.

If you find a shape and style that suits you, the gains are considerable. If you compromise simply because of the cost, you risk being far less efficient on the bike and, worse still, not as comfortable as you could be.

Based on my experience with Repenté, I believe it’s a brand that certainly deserves a closer look.

– By Rob Arnold