Saucony Ride 19 Review: Living Up to Its Name

Introduction to the Saucony Ride 19

ROBBE: We are for sure living in the everything-is-exciting era of running shoes. As premium materials trickle down into daily trainers, it seems like each month brings another elbow drop from the top rope. In the Saucony corner, we have the Endorphin series, ranging from the much-beloved Speed to the Elite to the upcoming Azura. In the midst of all that pageantry, it’s easy to forget the guys who have been in the trenches all along. The ones who spent decades in the minor league circuits before the sport became mainstream. 

The Ride is that guy who has ridden and has died and has stayed with you by your side. He’s still here, still standing, and like a fine wine, has only improved with age.

This version sees a few updates, including a reformulated supercritical PWRRUN+ midsole, added forefoot rubber for better traction and a new engineered mesh upper for enhanced breathability. It remains locked in at a more-than-reasonable $140 price point, especially in comparison to the same shoes in its weight class. 

We’ve all done some work with this workhorse, so let’s get into its results.

CARYN: If you’ve spent a week or more in the running space, you’ve likely heard of the Saucony Ride. A member of the OG neutral daily training mob (see: Brooks Ghost, New Balance 880, Asics Cumulus), the Saucony Ride is one of the shoes that end up on your feet after your first visit to a local running store. And there’s a reason for that.

Uncomplicated, accommodating, and predictable, the Ride has been Saucony-core since its release in the early 2000s. In audio form, the original was an auto-tuned T-Pain single. This version may be more Benson Boone, integrating Saucony’s most recent advances in foams and upper materials. Nevertheless, the simplicity of the shoe has been preserved year after year as a true daily trainer. While I’ve never worn the Ride myself, I’ve loved a variety of Saucony shoes for their overall fit and their responsive foams. Will this updated Saucony Ride find a spot in my rotation? 

RENALDO: Happy New Year loyal Believe in the Run reader. 

And with a new year comes a new iteration of the Saucony Ride, the baseline neutral running shoe from the brand. With a dozen and a half different versions preceding this one, you could almost make a case to add the Ride to the list of the most assured things in life. Death, taxes, and a pretty good run. The Ride 19 is yet another knock out of the park for Saucony, and a great start to our review year here at Believe.

Enjoy!

What we like about the Saucony Ride 19

ROBBE: Out of all the Saucony shoes we’ve received so far this year (Endorphin Pro 5, Endorphin Speed 5, Guide 19), I’m surprised to say that the Ride 19 looks the best. My cream upper with darker blue midsole is clean and crisp with a large, silver Saucony river logo in just the right place. For a basic daily trainer, it’s a really nice design.

I’m going to abstain from commenting on the fit for this review because the size I received was a half-size too big. I fluctuate between sizes for certain brands and models so this one was a bit large on me. It was still runnable if I cinched the laces down tight, but it just wasn’t the perfect fit. That’s on me, so I’ll leave the fit opinions to the other reviewers. Even so, I felt like the materials and comfort were very nice, especially for the price point. You get a nicely padded and gusseted tongue, a soft yet breathable engineered mesh, and just enough cushion around the ankle and heel. The overall feel of the upper felt more like a premium daily trainer in the $160-$170 range.

The midsole is where this shoe shines. At first glance, the midsole appears to be a dual layer of foam thanks to the different shades of paint; however, it’s just a single block of supercritical PWRRUN+. W In all honesty, it’s been awhile since I ran in a Saucony shoe outside of the Endorphin line, so it’s possible I’ve forgotten what the standard and plus versions of PWRRUN feel like. Nevermind all that– what I can tell you is that this one feels fantastic. I honestly thought I was running on a bed of PWRRUN PB, it felt that good (it also bears a visual resemblance to the popcorn aesthetic of the PWRRUN PB).

My first run in the shoe was a 9-mile route just a week after running the JFK 50 Mile. My legs weren’t quite back, but the Ride 19 kept them feeling as fresh as possible, thanks to the higher stack height and moderately light weight. The added flex grooves in the forefoot make for a smoother transition and the bounce off the toe isn’t far off from the top-tier PWRRUN PB. I took them out on a handful of other runs in the 4-6 mile range and my feelings stayed the same. This is just a really great shoe that feels exactly like what you want underfoot. Not too soft, not too squirrelly, just a good feeling underfoot, mile after mile.

I was thinking this was a solid shoe at the $160 point, forgetting that it comes in at $140, which is a downright steal. It easily competes with the others in its class, including the Asics Novablast and Gel-Cumulus. It’s not as light as the New Balance Rebel v5, but I can almost guarantee you that you’ll get more life out of this one before the midsole dies. It’s not as exciting as the Adidas Evo SL, but it has better structure to the upper and a less unstable ride. It’s somewhat comparable to the Mizuno Wave Rider 29, but maybe not as nimble.

That said, you can push the pace a little bit in the Ride 19 if you’re trying to get in marathon pace segments. For real speedwork I’d probably opt for something slightly quicker and with a lighter weight.

CARYN: Out of the box, the Ride looks like a pretty standard Saucony model. The colorway I received was a really pretty muted palette (good start!) and the fit on step-in was true to Saucony models I’ve enjoyed in the past – a nice, spacious toe box with average midfoot width and a soft mesh upper. I had no issues locking down the shoe and never had to adjust it at all out on the run. Saucony’s PWRRUN+ foam and it’s under 8oz weight were the biggest upgrades, in my book, making the shoe much more lively out on the run.

The Ride is soft but not overly cushioned, providing a more traditional feel with a 36mm height and 8mm drop (what even is “low stack” these days?). I personally don’t gravitate toward max-stack daily trainers, so I absolutely loved the overall feel of this shoe. I didn’t have an issue taking my pace up a touch in this shoe, but I wouldn’t use it for workouts. The new foam makes it a touch more interesting, but it still falls squarely within the daily training category (and I’m more than okay with that).

RENALDO: The Ride 19 is marketed as a “do-it-all” neutral trainer and it really has done it all for me. It’s a pleasure to get on, thanks in part to the new upper that promotes a fit that’s more “you” than anything. An almost “there, but not there” feeling save for the added protection where you’d want  in a daily trainer like this. Standing in the Ride 19 is great thanks to the upgraded and reformulated PWRRUN+ foam carrying you in the shoe. This new foam really has something say with this iteration of the Ride. Making my runs poppy and fun at all distances. And while my colorway wasn’t the best (Storm? More like 4th of July at Old Navy), the shoe does look cool! Light, responsive, and fun, the Ride 19 is a “Renaldo Certified” good shoe!

What we don’t like about the Saucony Ride 19

ROBBE: It’s not the most nimble shoe out there, though I’m not sure it needs to be. It doesn’t feel blocky, but it does have a slightly wider base with a higher stack, so it ain’t exactly meant for gripping and ripping around corners. I think that’s a very minor complaint in the overall scheme of things. 

My other observations isn’t necessarily a bad thing for the consumer, but it may be a bad thing for Saucony. With the $140-$160 space seeing more and more competition, it may be hard to convince people outside of the running store that this shoe is the one for them. The online hype tends to gravitate towards some of those newer models I mentioned, which includes the all-new Saucony Azura. That shoe features PWRRUN PB, is a half-ounce lighter, and is only $5 more in price point. Why would you anyone pick up the Ride when you could have the Azura for the same price? That’s a question Saucony is going to answer and I’m not sure how they’re planning to do it, aside from relying on run retail and first-time consumers to carry the boats.

If nothing else, the Ride 19 will remain a primo walking shoe.

CARYN: I have nothing to report here! I’m sure people will complain about the shoe being a bit boring or that it’s not capable of “doing it all” when it comes to pace-work, but that’s why we have a shoe rotation, folks. 

RENALDO: All beautiful things have flaws. The platform for the shoe can be a little big. So while the shoe is light, it can feel a little cloggy.

Final thoughts on the Saucony Ride 19

ROBBE: If you’re one of those runners who went to the local running store in 2010 and has stuck with the Ride ever since, well, there’s no sense in changing it up now. The Ride 19 is going to suit you just fine. And if you’re someone new who is looking for a reliable daily trainer that doesn’t break the bank but still gives you a fun running experience, well– you should seriously consider this one. It’s not going to get all the hype of some other shoes in its range. But it will quietly accumulate miles of every variety. It will be your ride or die, emphasis on the former.

CARYN: Saucony Ride loyalists will really enjoy this update! It’s lightweight, peppy, and uncomplicated. At $140, it’s one of my favorite true daily trainers to hit the market and definitely worth picking up. 

RENALDO: All in all, a very good shoe to add to your repertoire of “hits” that get you nice and perk’d up for race day. And at $145, that’s pretty good!

You can pick up the Saucony Ride 19 for $145 from Running Warehouse (featuring free shipping and 90-day returns) by using the buttons below.