Saucony Ride 18 vs 19: What Changed, and Is the 19 Better?
Saucony calls the Ride 19 softer, lighter and more responsive. In the lab it was softer, but 23 g heavier and 3.7 mm taller at the heel, and it took about 74% more force to bend at the forefoot.
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That makes the 19 the better Ride for a stiff or sore big toe joint and for a heel that needs holding, and the 18 the better one if you want a light, flexible shoe with more heel cushioning. If the 18’s bendy, easy ride is why you bought it, the 19 will feel like a different shoe.
This is a spec comparison. We have not measured, worn or scored either shoe. The brand figures below are Saucony’s for the 19 and, for the 18, as Doctors of Running recorded them at launch; the lab figures are RunRepeat’s, from one pair of each. We keep the two apart because they are not the same tier of evidence.
What Saucony says changed
The Ride is Saucony’s everyday neutral trainer, and both generations run on its PWRRUN+ foam. Saucony sells the 19 as “softer, lighter, and more responsive than ever”, keeps the 8 mm drop, and charges $145, $5 more than the 18. It comes in Regular and Wide.
| Specification | Ride 18 | Ride 19 |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $140 | $145 |
| Stated heel-to-toe drop | 8 mm | 8 mm |
| Midsole | PWRRUN+ | PWRRUN+ |
| On sale on 28 September 2026? | No longer on Saucony’s US site | Yes, at Saucony and running shops |
Sources: Saucony’s Ride 19 page, read September 2026; Ride 18 launch figures from Doctors of Running; PWRRUN+ on both per RunRepeat. Saucony’s weights and stack heights for these shoes vary between its own pages and retailers, so we leave both to the lab below.
What the lab measured
RunRepeat cut, weighed and measured one pair of each. Both came in true to the 8 mm label, at 8.4 and 8.5 mm. Almost everything else moved: the 19 stands about 3.7 mm taller, is 23 g heavier, and took about 74% more force to bend at the forefoot. The lab has no energy-return figure for the 18.
| Measurement | Ride 18 | Ride 19 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toe-box width at the big toe | 73.0 mm | 72.8 mm | The same |
| Width at the widest point | 94.4 mm | 96.3 mm | 1.9 mm wider |
| Toe-box height | 32.0 mm | 28.8 mm | 3.2 mm lower |
| Heel stack | 35.0 mm | 38.7 mm | 3.7 mm higher |
| Forefoot stack | 26.6 mm | 30.2 mm | 3.6 mm higher |
| Measured drop | 8.4 mm | 8.5 mm | The same |
| Weight | 255 g | 278 g | 23 g heavier |
| Midsole hardness (Asker C, higher is firmer) | 41.3 AC | 37.1 AC | About 10% softer |
| Heel shock absorption | 141 SA | 132 SA | About 6% less |
| Force to bend the forefoot | 11.0 N | 19.1 N | About 74% stiffer |
| Heel counter stiffness (1 to 5) | 2 | 5 | Stiffer |
| Insole thickness | 7.0 mm | 6.5 mm | 0.5 mm thinner |
| Force to twist (torsional rigidity) | 2 of 5, older test | 13.5 Nm | Not comparable |
Source: RunRepeat lab, one pair of each, read 28 September 2026, with the same toe-box, cushioning and bending tests on both shoes. Hardness is on the Asker C scale and shock absorption in RunRepeat’s SA units; the lab now measures torsional rigidity in newton-metres and tested the older shoe on a 1-to-5 scale, so the two cannot be compared (the median of the 24 shoes we review with the newer test is 14.5 Nm). Medians of the lab-measured shoes we review (34 for the toe-box figures, 35 for the rest): 72.8 mm at the big toe, 95.2 mm at the widest point, 27.0 mm of toe-box height, 38.7 mm of heel stack, 8.5 mm of drop, 137 SA and 15.3 N.
What a foot and ankle surgeon takes from this
From one of the most flexible shoes to one of the stiffest. The 18 took 11.0 N to bend at the forefoot, less than all but two of the 35 shoes we review. The 19 took 19.1 N, seventh stiffest of the 35, and its heel counter scored 5 of 5 for stiffness against the 18’s 2. A forefoot that resists bending takes load off a stiff or arthritic big toe joint, turf toe and sesamoiditis, and a firm heel counter holds a heel that wobbles. If you liked the 18 because it moved with your foot, the 19 will not.
Taller, softer, and less protective at the heel. The 19’s heel stack rose from 35.0 to 38.7 mm, right on the median of the 35 shoes we review, and its foam measured about 10% softer. Even so, it absorbed less heel impact than the 18, 132 SA against 141, and ranks 22nd of the 35, below the median. For heel pain the 18 was the better-cushioned Ride. The 19 does return energy well: 66.7% at the heel, the second highest of the 35.
Lower over the toes, wider at the joint. The 18’s toe box measured 32.0 mm tall, taller than any of the 34 shoes we review that the lab has measured there. The 19’s is 3.2 mm lower but still fifth tallest, so hammertoes are still well served. At the widest point the 19 is 1.9 mm wider, 96.3 mm and seventh widest, which helps a bunion; at the big toe the two are the same. Compare both on our toe box width chart.
Should you switch?
Buy the Ride 19 if…
- Your big toe joint is stiff, sore or arthritic, or you have turf toe or sesamoiditis. Its forefoot took about 74% more force to bend.
- You want your heel held: its heel counter scored 5 of 5, the 18’s 2.
- A bunion needs room at the joint. The 19 measured 1.9 mm wider at the widest point.
- You want bounce: it returned the second most energy at the heel of the 35 shoes we review (the lab has no figure for the 18).
Stay with the Ride 18 if…
- You liked a light, flexible shoe. It weighed 23 g less in the lab and bent far more easily.
- Heel pain is the problem: the 18 absorbed more heel impact, 141 SA against 132.
- Toes that rub on top need every millimetre. The 18’s toe box is 3.2 mm taller.
Orthotics and inserts
Both are good homes for an orthotic. Their insoles measured 7.0 and 6.5 mm, among the thickest we have figures for against a median of 4.9, so taking them out frees more depth than usual, and both toe boxes are tall. The 19’s stiff heel counter also holds the heel cup of a custom device better. RunRepeat found a lighter, softer insole in the 19 and thinks Saucony is moving away from PWRRUN+ insoles. Our Orthotic Volume Rating explains how to check fit in the shop.
Questions runners ask
Is the Saucony Ride 19 better than the Ride 18?
For a stiff or sore big toe joint, a heel that needs holding or a bunion, yes: the lab found a much stiffer forefoot and heel counter and a wider forefoot. For a light, flexible shoe with more heel cushioning, the 18 was better.
Is the Ride 19 lighter than the Ride 18?
Not in the lab. Saucony describes the 19 as lighter, but the lab weighed its pair of the 19 at 278 g against 255 g for the 18, 23 g heavier.
Is the Ride 19 stiffer than the Ride 18?
Much stiffer. It took 19.1 N to bend at the forefoot against 11.0 N, and its heel counter scored 5 of 5 against 2. The 18 was one of the most flexible shoes we have lab figures for; the 19 is one of the stiffest.
Did Saucony change the drop on the Ride 19?
No. Saucony lists 8 mm for both, and the lab measured 8.4 mm on the 18 and 8.5 mm on the 19. The 19 grew by about the same amount at the heel and the forefoot, 3.7 and 3.6 mm, so the drop stayed put.
Is the Ride 18 discontinued?
Saucony has replaced it with the 19, and on 28 September 2026 the 18 was no longer on Saucony’s US site. Leftover pairs may still turn up at other retailers.
Is the Ride 19 good for plantar fasciitis?
It is a middling choice. Its stiff forefoot and firm heel counter help, but its heel absorbed less impact than the median of the shoes we review. Our Saucony shoes for plantar fasciitis guide ranks it against the rest of the range.
Read the full analysis
Our spec analysis of the Saucony Ride 19 carries its full figures and sources, and Ride 19 vs Gel-Cumulus 28 compares it with its closest ASICS rival. For the rest of the range, see Saucony.
Sources
- Saucony, Ride 19 men’s product page ($145, Regular and Wide, and the “softer, lighter, and more responsive” description), read September 2026.
- Doctors of Running, Saucony Ride 18 review (launch price $139.95, 8 mm drop, PWRRUN+), read September 2026; availability of the 18 at Saucony US and Running Warehouse checked 28 September 2026.
- RunRepeat, Saucony Ride 18 and Saucony Ride 19 lab reviews (PWRRUN+ midsole on both; the 19’s insole material), read 28 September 2026.
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