The saddle has got to be the most important piece of equipment for the cyclist when it comes to comfort and performance. If your ass is rubbing the wrong way, causing chafing and sores, or all circulation is cut off rendering you unable to locate vital organs for nature breaks, then it’s fair to say you don’t have the right saddle. And just as it is with significant others of the human kind, finding ‘the one’ is usually a trial and error process that can take years before you hit on the perfect companion for your nether regions.
Most pros will have a favourite saddle they will use throughout their career, and despite sponsorship commitments will often go to great lengths to ride the same model, perhaps disguised to try and fool the fans or appease said sponsors. Or they’ll just insist that their new team gets on board with the seat supplier to keep them happy. It’s that vital. Rumour has it that Mark Cavendish insisted on Sky teaming up with fizik when he joined them for the 2012 season. And having been riding on their Aliante for the last month, I can see why.
I’d had an early version of the Aliante on an old Giant TCR back in the mid 2000s, and it was a great fit for me. The curvy shape seemed to work with my riding style and/or body shape pefectly. I did a long road tour of Tasmania on it, riding 2500 kms in ten days with nary a grumble from downstairs. Then they released the Arione, longer, flatter and firmer, and I was attracted to it and switched over. While I never hated it, we just didn’t seem to get on as well and I consequently moved on to many more relationships, most not very long lasting and ultimately unsatisfying.
When the Keepers Tour partnership with fizik was in its conception, I was excited about their new shoes, but a touch apprehensive about the saddles; I checked out the website and looked into their Spine Concept, where you can enter information about your body type and riding style and be recommended one of the three shapes on offer. All my characteristics pointed me back to the Aliante, as I’m apparently a ‘Bull’. The shape and profile of it also was most compatible with the older school styling of my Profetta. I requested a black cover with braided carbon rails, as the weight weenie in me influenced my decision. But how would it handle the cobbles and long days ahead in Flanders and northern France?
Well, I think if I ever find the perfect woman, she’ll be a lot like the Aliante. Shapely, sexy, reliable and great to sit on. Ok, maybe not the last one. This sadlle is awesome. To be able to ride for over five hours in a sitting (pardon the pun) on the roughest ‘roads’ in Europe and still be able to tell what’s going on down there at nature breaks is all you can ask for. I didn’t get a hint of a saddle sore or any chafing, even without chamois cream. The carbon rails survived the constant pounding and the cover endured some pre-tour crashes with flying colours. When my seatpost head loosened and slipped a cpuple of times on our second Roubaix ride, our mechanic Matthias was leery of cranking up the bolt onto the rails. He asked what the torque was, and not knowing I replied “as far as you can go”. It was torqued so hard that when I tried to loosen the bolt to fix the seat clamp, it took an extra long allen key with a pipe on the end to budge it. That’s some serious torque, but the carbon wrap didn’t even have a mark. Impressive.
I think I’ve found my perfect match in the Aliante. At least that’s what my boys are telling me, and in this case it’s better to be doing the thinking down below than up top.
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Congratulations, brett, on finding "the one"! It can be a daunting slog. I have a Fizik Gobi on my cross bike and really dig it.
Now the question: which is more challenging - find "the one" Velomihottie type, or finding "the one" saddle edition?
Both are darn difficult!
smithers - that is wild! Awesomeness for sure, and I'm jealous. But, I think you can always be jealous...I wish I had that view! I wish I was on the Keepers Tour. But, to stay sane you have to be happy with what you've got - I only had an hour to ride tonight but hit some trails on my cross bike. City roads, bike path, park, trails, gravel, pivo stop, home. Can't beat that!
Incredible view though & thanks for sharing. I've loved my time in Australia.
yup I have the same saddle Brett - albeit mine has red bits to match my black/ red Cervelo.... its a pretty sweet saddle.
I'll add my vote to the Arione camp. There's something eerie about the way I feel suspended in it - as if the entire saddle disappears except for the sit-bone support.
Always a personal choice these saddle discussions.
For my 2c -
Arione on Bike No.1 - lovely
Prologo Nago Evo on Bike No.2 - lovely
Antares on Bike No.3 - comfy enough but not as lovely as the other two
Gobi on the MTB - okay for how I use it.
I still have an old Pave on the fixie, which, while smaller than all of the above, is still quite comfortable. The Arione and the Nago I find to be as comfortable as each other. The Antares is quite comfy but as I spend more time on the other two bike, when I hop on to No.3, the difference is noticeable of course.
I bought the Nago to try a Prologo and have been very impressed. If I were to need a new saddle tomorrow, it would be a hard choice between a Arione or a Nago....I'd have to flip a coin I think.
Back in 1998 I was spec'ing a new race bike and saw a review of a new saddle from a new manufacturer, it was called the Giro Fizik Pave. At the time I was a big Giro fan and assumed that they had moved into the contact point market and besides, it had "Pave" in the name. I have ridden Fizik saddles ever since.
Like Brett I checked my body/spine type on the Fizik website to discover that I am also a Bull, I have never been the most flexible. But having ridden an Aliante for the last year I'm not convinced and am trying an Antares and so far it seems more confortable than the Aliante.
I would love to get a Kurve, but given the price tag that is just going to have to wait a while
@Marcus fuck me that Selle SMP Stratos is ugly.
@smithers
Stunning view. I lived on Musgrove Street, down near the pier for a couple of years then moved to Royalist Road on the other side of Mosman Bay. Still miss getting the ferry to work on days like that. was a shock to the system moving back to the UK and getting the tube every morning.
@Jarvis
Quick Jarvis - look at my setup for relief.
For anyone looking for a Kurve, this place is doing them at a pretty good knock down price and the shipping doesn't look too bad within Europe. I've no idea what they're like as a shop though.
Good stuff all, but as we often do, we are all stating our fav saddles but adding little science - as a Newbie, can someone add some small print for the likes of meself
I'm definitely finding some persistent reduction of sensation in the Bishop in recent months, with one ride (bike) causing significant pins and needles in said member of staff
Definitely think Roubaix ride made things worse (hoping no permanent damage done...) - so I need to do something about my saddle - so facts please
Is it
1. science
2. trial and error
Talk of seat bones (ischial bones) is of interest - are these meant to rest comfortably on the rear winged part of the saddle - I think my saddle (Specialized Toupe +) may be too narrow in the seated platform? If my sitbones are parked on there, I find the pressure gets worse on my adductors (innermost groin tendons) - I've always had very tight adductors, so maybe I'm a freak - if I ride on the font have of the saddle, the wiener goes numb
I've been lent a saddle by a friend - AMAO racing ISM - whilst it clearly doesn't have the aesthetic qualities of the fi'zi:k saddles, I'll give it a go - I'm far too too young for a dead piece of wood
If that ain't helping, I'll go back and try some fi'zi:k (did the trial thing last year, but couldn't get a comfortable one from those on trial)