{"id":36141,"date":"2022-04-26T18:00:29","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T16:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=672104"},"modified":"2022-04-26T18:17:35","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T16:17:35","slug":"specializeds-new-power-pro-with-mirror-saddle-brings-3d-printed-tech-at-a-slightly-lower-price","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/specializeds-new-power-pro-with-mirror-saddle-brings-3d-printed-tech-at-a-slightly-lower-price\/","title":{"rendered":"Specialized\u2019s new Power Pro with Mirror saddle brings 3D-printed tech at a (slightly) lower price"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Stan Portus\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 26 April 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Specialized has released a new version of its Power Pro saddle<\/a> with Mirror technology, a 3D-printed structure upper said to reflect your anatomy \u201cperfectly\u201d.<\/p>\n

This is the third saddle Specialized has released with Mirror, and the first not to bear the \u2018S-Works\u2019 moniker, following the S-Works Power with Mirror<\/a> and the S-Works Romin EVO with Mirror<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While the upper has the same Mirror technology as those two saddles, the difference lies in the rails, with the Power Pro with Mirror trading carbon for titanium.<\/p>\n

Specialized claims the Power is the \u201cstrongest Mirror ever\u201d because of the titanium rails and says it\u2019s suitable for road, mountain biking and gravel riding<\/a> as a result.<\/p>\n

The saddle is also described as Specialized\u2019s \u201cfirst step on the road to closed-loop production\u201d because it uses reclaimed carbon fibre in the base.<\/p>\n

The Power Pro with Mirror is suitable for men and women, and is available in two sizes: 143mm and 155mm. It costs \u00a3290 \/ $325 \/ AU$500 \/ \u20ac370.<\/p>\n

Mirror technology<\/h2>\n
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The Mirror technology is said to reflect your anatomy \u201cperfectly\u201d.<\/span><\/figcaption> Specialized<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

This isn\u2019t the first time we\u2019ve seen the Power Pro come with additional technology to aid comfort \u2013 we reviewed the Power Pro with Elaston<\/a> in 2018, which used a foam construction made with expanded beads said to feel like \u201csitting on 1,000 pillows\u201d.<\/p>\n

With Mirror, Specialized says it\u2019s looking beyond foam. The Power Pro is made by 3D-printing a liquid polymer into an \u201cinfinitely tunable honeycomb structure\u201d, which is claimed to keep you comfortable, powerful and healthy because it \u2018mirrors\u2019 your anatomy.<\/p>\n

The upper is said to be the same Mirror pad design as the one used on Specialized\u2019s S-Works Pro with Mirror. The two saddles have 14,000 struts and 7,799 nodes to create the open-lattice design. This is fewer than the S-Works Romin EVO with Mirror, which has 22,000 struts and 10,700 nodes.<\/p>\n

Specialized says the saddle\u2019s patented Body Geometry<\/a> design is lab-tested to ensure blood flow to sensitive areas.<\/p>\n

Reclaimed carbon<\/h2>\n
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The saddle uses reclaimed carbon fibre in the base.<\/span><\/figcaption> Specialized<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Specialized says the Power Pro with Middle\u2019s base is made using the brand\u2019s new reclaimed carbon process.<\/p>\n

This process sees scraps of carbon from factory production combined with injected nylon to create a base that is 15 per cent reclaimed carbon fibre, according to Specialized.<\/p>\n

This is the first step the manufacturer says it is taking to develop \u201cclosed-loop production\u201d, a process whereby materials and products can be recycled almost indefinitely without losing their properties.<\/p>\n

When it comes to reducing emissions and waste material, carbon fibre poses difficulties for the cycling industry because it\u2019s tricky to recycle. Trek explained to BikeRadar that it worked with a carbon fibre recycling company that used a similar process of injection moulding to reuse fibres, but said the problem was the company couldn\u2019t make it a sustainable business<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll have to wait and see whether Specialized has more success with its recycling of the material.<\/p>\n