Description The Aliante is the saddle for those who have not yet experienced a custom fit or for those that think they have. It's the enthusiast choice for racing and training, and for those that think they have ...
Summary: This is for the brand new carbon rail version. A very good saddle with excellent sit bone support. I rode two centuries on it and my sit bones had zero soreness. However, I suffer from numbness and this saddle did little to relieve it. It wasn't terrible and the saddle allowed for adequate shifting to relieve the pressure when it came. Overall I feel that people who don't struggle with numbness will find this to be an excellent match. However, if you suffer significantly with numbness, myself included, I had better luck with saddles that offer a cutout such as Selle Italia and Selle SMP. If only I could marry the two.
Strengths: Excellent sit bone support. Provides plenty of surface area to move around on.
Bike Setup: Trek 2.3 Mostly stock. Garmin Forerunner 305 Bike Computer.
Summary: Just got this a week ago (Carbon version with K:ium rails), and while I feel it may be over-hyped, it's still a very, very comfortable seat. One of the first things I noticed is that the padding seems to rest on a flexible weave (carbon/kevlar I think). So no matter how hard you press, your sit bones will never touch on hard plastic. I did read some reviews about the saddle eventually sagging on people, and this is probably the drawback to this design.
I also tried the Bontrager RL, and had my sit bones measured at the shop to make sure I had the right width, but that seat was terrible. I also used a Forte Pro SLX for a while. That one wasn't bad, but nowhere near as comfortable as this one (although it was much, much lighter).
It is a slightly heavy saddle, but when you put it in proportion to your total bike weight it's not much. It might add about 1% more weight to your bike than a race saddle would, but I'm not racing.
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Bike Setup: Scott Addict R4; classic road/race setup (no aero bars). Flat stem angle. Clinchers.
Summary: To be specific, this review is for 2009 Aliante with braided carbon rails. I've owned 5 Aliante saddles and it remains my favorite. It is important to distinguish this one from the cheaper Aliante Gamma, which I have tolerated since it came with my last bike. The braided carbon rail version comes with a larger sweet spot and a carbon-framed, Kevlar-based (yellow) hammock underneath. The Gamma has a plastic frame and a smaller, fiberglass (white) hammock. The Gamma has the same basic shape, but when I upgraded to the carbon version the other day I remembered why I fell in love with the saddle. It was soooo comfy the whole ride. The difference is the larger sweet spot. The saddle doesn't feel softer, but it just conforms to the sit bones and soft tissues better. The Gamma felt OK on first sit, but would create a pressure point after about 20 miles. On top of saddle comfort, the carbon railed version is substantially light. Only odd thing I question is whether the carbon rails are for show -- mine had a small half-inch spot on the end of the rail where it looked like the carbon layer had been broken off to expose a plastic core. Not sure if this is just a carbon wrap, but if the saddle stays together I will be happy.
Strengths: Ultimate in comfort, for those whose basic anatomy favors the Aliante. Light weight and the Fizik clip for Fizik strapless saddle bags.
Weaknesses: Thick carbon rails were a little tricker to position on my seatpost clamp, but that may just be a function of my seat post.
Similar Products Used: Aliante Gamma; Arionne.
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Summary: This is a beautifully built and super comfy saddle. Hard to find fault with it really. I have them on both my bikes.
Strengths: Superbly comfortable, looks good, light (but not ultra weeny). The scuff guards are a great idea eg protect the saddle when leaning bike against a wall etc.
Weaknesses: None.
Similar Products Used: Selle Italia (various), Selle San Marco, WTB.
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Summary: I loved this saddle but it broke after only 900 miles. I only weigh 165 lbs., never crashed the bike and it never fell over. One rail broke completely off at the joint between the ti and carbon. The other is cracked. It is out of warranty, and I'm really unsure about getting another one. I could go with ti rails and live with the less comfortable ride vs. carbon, but the ride was SO NICE that I may swallow hard and get another one.
Strengths: Comfort
Weaknesses: Very fragile
Similar Products Used: The usual nice stuff-Italia, Marco,Terry
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