Case Study: Specialized (customer) achieves breakthrough rider comfort and rapid, scalable 3D-printed saddle production with Carbon (solution provider)

Specialized Reimagines the Bike Saddle with OECHSLER and Carbon

Specialized, a leading bicycle manufacturer, faced the challenge of rethinking the saddle—one of only three rider-contact points—because conventional foam and traditional manufacturing had reached their limits for comfort and stability. To achieve “the most comfortable performance saddle” quickly and at scale, Specialized partnered with Carbon, using Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) 3D‑printing technology (alongside production partner OECHSLER) to explore free-form lattice designs and vastly faster prototyping.

Carbon’s DLS platform enabled rapid design‑print‑test iteration (average loops ~21 days), cutting development timelines (Specialized shortened saddle development from ~18–23 months to 13 months) and allowing 14 design iterations that led to the S‑Works Power with Mirror and the new S‑Works Romin Evo with Mirror. The result: a 190 g, additively manufactured saddle that reduces seating pressure by 18–26% versus foam, went from prototype to industrialization in six months, and demonstrated Carbon’s scalability for high‑volume production.

Specialized

Emma Boutcher

Product Manager