Fizik Aliante

Price Paid:  $130.00 at Cycle Sport Liberty

Favorite Ride:
Idaho Centennial Trail

Bike Setup:
Davidson custom titanium road bike, Campy Chorus gruppo, Deda bars and tape, Thomson stem, Neuvation wheelset, Michelin Pro tires, American Classic seatpost, Sigma 1100 computer, Polar HRM.

Summary:
LBS let me demo the saddle this morning. Went out for my usual 30 mile ride. Turned a personal record by about 1/2 mph. Very comfortable saddle, replacing my 15 year-old San Marco Regal with Pirelli suspension. Aliante gave me more freedom of leg movement, with enough room on the saddle ears to push back (as with the Regal) on seated climbs. Smooth cover allows for shifting around. Didn't feel as if I had to stand on the pedals to relieve saddle pressure. Bought the saddle on return from demo; LBS owner had dialed in the position right first time.

Strengths:
Light, freedom of leg movement while pedaling.

Weaknesses:
Price.

Similar Products Used:
Selle San Marco Regal (a very good saddle), Selle Italia Flite (very uncomfortable saddle).

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Came with bike

Favorite Ride:
Central Park

Bike Setup:
Blue RC6 with Sram Force/Rival/Red and far too much FSA & Easton carbon.

Summary:
I hate this saddle. Do you know why I hate this saddle? No? Then let me tell you why I hate this saddle. I hate this saddle because it is so damn comfortable that I am forever spoiled. It has turned my ass into prissy mush unwilling to ever sit on anything harder than a marshmallow again. If you ride this saddle you, like I, will be ruined, and subjecting yourself to any other perch will feel something like sitting bare-assed on the bony hump of an undernourished camel. That is why I hate this saddle. Also because I must now buy more of them to put on my other bikes to keep my newly finicky ass satisfied. Damn you, Fizik! I can no longer lust after the newest, sleekest, lightest, most torturous saddles to hit the market. I am under your dark spell.

Strengths:
Makes riding those Selles feel like you've been spending quality time with Sweet Papa, your butch cellmate.

Weaknesses:
Extra grams, extra greenbacks, extra addictive. Worst of all, doesn't come in orange.

Similar Products Used:
Selle Italia Gel this and SLK that. WTB Rocket. Vetta somethingorother. Specialized BG.

Price Paid:  $75.00 at Ebay

Bike Setup:
Klein Q-Pro Carbon, Dura Ace, Bontrager Race X Lites

Summary:
I purchased the Delta model and I really like this saddle. It was comfortable right from the start with no real break-in period. It's a bit wider and has just enough flex to be comfortable without excessive padding. Set up is a little tedious. It took quite a few tweaks to get it right. I found that I had to lower the saddle height a few mm to get it just right.

Strengths:
Comfort. Reasonable price.

Weaknesses:
A bit hard to get it set up.

Similar Products Used:
San Marco, Vetta

Price Paid:  $200.00 at Excel Sports

Favorite Ride:
Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic

Bike Setup:
Trek 5200

Summary:
This is the best saddle I have ever purchased (just tried another and went straight back to this). I've been comfortable riding centuries and double centuries (one day). I'll never try another saddle. I'll stick with this. I had the ti rails and I've just purchased a replacement with the kium rails. Keep in mind that a saddle the works for one person, may not work for another. It's all about fit, and this is a perfect fit for me.

Strengths:
Most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden on. Won't be trying any others ever again. Anything that will get me through a double century without pain, deserves a raiting of 5

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Selle SMP Glider

Price Paid:  $220.00 at Racer Sportif

Favorite Ride:
Campbellville, Ontario.

Bike Setup:
2005 Colnago Master with Campy Record, Ambrosio Nemesis rims, Conti Sprinter tubulars, Cinelli RAM bar/stem, Time RSX.

Summary:
Overall, in the grander scheme of all things cycling, its okay. I've riden on a quite number of different saddles, use to race, and now ride recreationally, though aggressively, and for long periods. I switched the Flyte that came with my bike as I found that saddle to be more of an instrument of torture than something that is supposed to make our rides pleasureable. At several Toronto bike shops last year there was a lot of hype about the Aliante. You'd hear how it was "the best saddle out there", "the most comfortable", yadda, yadda, yadda. The fact was, at $300, I was not inlcined to take the plunge until the price came down, and so it did, and so I bought one to get rid of my Flyte. I got the one withthe Ti rails and the carbon/kevlar shell. While it is more comfortable than the Flyte, its still no saving grace. I find I still have to stand up out of the saddle after about 45min-1 hour to re-align. I'll live with it for a while, or maybe forever, as the reality of saddles suggests, is that fit is very subjective. It is no doubt a truism to say that no two crotches are the same. And another one seems to ring true (particulalry in cycling), "don't believe the hype".

Strengths:
Very light weight, well thought out (design and engineering)looks great. Fairly comfortable.

Weaknesses:
Overly expensive compared to other similar products from companies who have been making saddles for a hell of a lot longer. Skin coverign saddle is too thin. If the Aliante has a week link, that is it.

Similar Products Used:
San Marco Concor, Regal, Rolls
Selle Italia Flyte