Love it or hate it Tioga’s Weeny Pivotal redefines the seat for BMX racing. When you think of a seat you think of sitting down, it’s ironic, any BMX racer will tell you you don’t sit down in a race, well not if you plan on winning, so why do we need a seat? Since you can’t simply plug the opening in your seat mast Tioga have created the next best thing.

When it comes to the UCI rulebook it checks all the boxes.

6.1.078 The seat base must be constructed of material that is sufficiently strong to resist
penetration by the seat post.
The seat post must be secured to the seat tube by means of a seat post clamp. This clamp’s fixing bolt may not protrude from the body of the clamp by more than 5 mm.

Traditionalists will hate it, so it’s perfect that long time racer and bmxultra.com team rider Paul Knox reviewed the Weeny seat for us.

This is what he had to say:

“Now that you’ve reviewed it can you take it off?” That contemptuous remark pretty much sums up 50% of the comments on the most divisive component that I’ve run in recent history. It’s very much love or hate with nothing in the middle. What product has triggered that divide… a seat. The Tioga Weeny Pivotal seat to be precise. Herein lies the conundrum – is it actually a seat or not?

bmxultra.com spotlighted the new release from Tioga when it was announced last year, and we’ve been anxiously waiting for them to reach our shores (post Covid delays). Initial product shots highlighted the super narrow profile, inspired by (the much coveted) narrow rail NJS Keirin seats. And we’d have to be remiss not to mention the whimsical packaging (which strangely enough isn’t the first time Tioga have used hotdogs in their promotion!).

Now I’ve always been a fan of minimalist design, but once I had one in my hands I admit I was a bit taken aback by just how little actual, well, seat, that there was. It was quite clear… this wasn’t for sitting, let alone comfort.

So if a seat isn’t for sitting, what is it for? For strict BMX racing however a seat isn’t to be sat on. Maybe to quickly rest your leg against when setting up on the gate. Maybe a quick leverage point to dive into a corner. But mostly, you don’t want it to be there. By this design brief, the Weeny nails it. The super narrow shape means it almost feels like there’s nothing there at all – almost a bit disconcerting at first. But with a few minutes familiarity I was sold; it does the job it was specifically made for, nothing less and nothing more. And by that measure a great (if not unique) design.

Am I going to take it off now that I’ve reviewed It? No. Am I going to use it for long distance riding? No.

What I am going to do is use it for what it was intended for. Seat or anti-seat, it doesn’t matter; for BMX racing it works. And that’s what it’s for.

Manufacturer’s Description

For the breed of racers seeking components designed for purity of function, as a tool of focused performance—this one’s for you. This is the “anti-saddle.” Stripped down to the barest essentials for the sport that doesn’t need a traditional saddle. At only 80g, the Weeny is tiny in weight and big in performance.

Specifications

• Carbonite Construction
• Lightweight Alloy Hardware
• Cap removal Tool Included
• dimensions: L240mm x W40mm
• weight: 80g

Rating 19.5/20

Comments

• The Tioga Weeny Pivotal high performance seat redefines what it means to be a seat for a BMX racing bike. You won’t find a lighter pivotal seat anywhere. Sure you wouldn’t want to sit on it, it’s purely for on-track racing use, but it might just give you an extra edge over the competition.
• 80grams for a seat that’s built for a full sized rider, beat that.
• Built for speed, not for comfort. The fact it’s pivotal and not a seat and post combo is a nice touch, you can define the angle and determine how long and how light your post needs to be.
• As far as seats go the Tioga Weeny Pivotal seat us an ugly duckling. As my dad used to say “it stands out like a dunny in a desert”. Every care has been taken in the construction of the seat that’s built to perform.  If you’re looking for a minimal saddle with some seating though, Tioga recommend the EVO, or D-Spyder.

Tioga products are distributed across Australia by BMX International bmxinternational.com.au. See www.tiogausa.com/bmx for more information

Reviewed by Paul Knox/bmxultra.com September 9, 2022