Selle San Marco ASPide

Price Paid:  $0.00 at 75 euro

Favorite Ride:
Bormio – Umbrail – Prato – Stelvio - Bormio

Bike Setup:
Principia Gaia, Ultegra 9-speed, Shimano WH-R561 road wheels.

Summary:
This review is for the San Marco Aspide Glamour 190 gram version w/o cut out. It is no longer in the SSM line up, but some shops still have stock.

I was looking for a saddle not giving any pressure in the middle. I wanted to solve the numbness I sometimes experienced with my previous saddle, a Selle Italia C2 Genuine Gel. I tried a few saddles with large cut-out like the Selle Italia SLC Gel Flow (quite OK, but not perfect because of some pressure of the edges around the cut out) and Selle SMP Stratos and Glider (heavy torture in the seat bone area).

I finally settled for the San Marco Aspide Glamour. This woman’s saddle (155 mm width) was discharged by my wife because of the too thin padding and lack of a cut out. Since my C2 was worn out and needed replacement and the experiments with the SMP and SLC had no satisfactory result, I fitted the discharged saddle as a temporary solution on my bike.
Surprise!
This wider saddle turned out to support my seat bones over a much larger area than the SMP’s and the SLC, thus more than compensating the quite thin padding. The Aspide Glamour has no cut out, but it has a sort of groove in the middle. The combination of the well supported seat bones and the groove brings comfort and reduces the pressure in the middle enough to fully eliminate numbness.

Strengths:
Minimalist saddle with slick looks
Excellent comfort/weight ratio
No numbness

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
San Marco Rolls **, Selle Italia Flite Ti version 1 ***, Selle Italia C2 Genuine Gel (version 1) ***, Selle Italia SLR 135 gram version **, Selle Italia SLC Gel Flow ***, Selle SMP Stratos * en Glider *

Price Paid:  $0.00 at evo

Favorite Ride:
mine

Bike Setup:
Moser M50 02 Record thompson seatpost, ksyriums

Summary:
Don’t let the other reviews fool you, I rode a flite for years, great saddle, I wanted to try a lighter and different saddle and tried this for about a year and it sucxs.
Never got comfortable on it, Yeh, I know everyone else rides 5,000 to 50,000 miles a year on there bike can do every climb and can do it all (don’t know how anyone can find that much time if they are not pro??) I’m about 2500-5000 a year and I work nights 3 days a week so I can ride all winter, Anyway I tried it unless you have $300 bib shorts it is hard on the butt really fatiguing on long rides. You want to be comfortable for the ride not look cool when you take all your breaks for coffee and doughnuts. I got the new SMP Pro and it is great.

Strengths:
It is too stiff

Weaknesses:
It is too stiff

Price Paid:  $90.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
anywhere w/ few cars

Bike Setup:
LOOK KG386
w/ dura-ace, cinelli stem+bars, LOOK ergopost (SUCKS!), Am. Classic carbon wheels, FSA SLR cranks, SPD-R.

Summary:
This saddle took a little getting used to. First ride impressions was that it was overly stiff. It also didn't seem to contour to my butt all that well. The rear curves upward perhaps a little too much and unnecessarily and this might become noticable (and even annoying) on climbs or even on the flats. I think it took over about a dozen rides to break-in or rather, adapt to. On longer rides, I often found myself constantly shifting positions a to find a sweet spot that often is not there.

All of the above, however, did not apply to my 2 SLR(s). Nevertheless, once I got used to it, after only a few hundred km's, I have no other major quibbles about it. I'd have to conclude that the SLR- the ASPide's main competition for weight, price and appearance- wins, by a margin for "form and function."

But to be fair, also in comparison to the SLR, its lorica covering seems to be far more durable from minor scapes and general rubbing from pedalling action and still looks practically new after a few thousand km's. That I certainly can't say about my SLR's. Lastly, and ironically, being a tad heavier, it seems even less padded and anatomic than the SLR.

On the hand, in a purely superficial way, the ASPide is gorgeous- even moreso than the SLR, and is available in better and far more colors, which was what influenced my purchase. Yes, beauty is skin-deep, but come on, let's face it, if everything we have only followed "function" and lacked a desirable "form," this world would be pretty darn drab, wouldn't it? Have a little fun once in a while! Therefore, if it's form that you're after, this range of saddles-especially the uber-pricy Composite Ti version- I don't think there's a sexier saddle!

Strengths:
- eye-candy
- decent weight savings
- price-wise, it's reasonable considering how important this component is, how much it's physically used and how much everything else on a bike costs.
- holds up very well appearance-wise

Weaknesses:
- took me some getting used to
- availability (at least in my neck of the woods)

Similar Products Used:
SLR, Flite, fi:zik, vetta

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
'04 Litespeed Tuscany, Ultegra, Rolf-Prima Echelons, 3t bar & stem

Summary:
Great saddle once your behind is broken in. Ridden the Aspide for just over 2 years and 4500 miles. It's great, light and non-riding friends think it looks like some sort of torture device.

Strengths:
Light, amazingly comfy for all length rides.

Weaknesses:
Can cause some pain after several weeks off the bike. But, once my behind is back in shape--- no problem.

Similar Products Used:
Selle Italia Flite, Terry Fly ti, Vetta SL

Price Paid:  $70.00 at Bicycles, Etc.

Favorite Ride:
Long Saturday mornings

Bike Setup:
2003 LeMond Maille Jaune, full Dura-Ace, stock except, Bontrager 46 c-to-c bars, Easton EC90 seatpost and ASPide FX seat; 2002 Scattante 550 with Ultegra/105 mix, carbon seatpost, ASPide saddle off the original LeMond and 36-spoke Ultegra/Open Pro wheels (I weighed 235 when I started riding, but now weigh about 175 and needed the heavier wheels)

Summary:
I have used a number of saddles on a few bikes and the ASPide is by far the most comfortable. I started riding and thought this thing looked like some sort of torture device, but soon rode to love it. I rode about 9,700-10,000 miles last year too. All bodies are different so take this review with a grain of salt. I am 6' 1" and weigh about 175.

Strengths:
As advertised, great all day saddle. Notch in the center relieves "stretch".

Weaknesses:
None come to mind other than the obvious that high end bike parts cost too much.

Similar Products Used:
Selle Italia XO, Selle Italia ProLink, Selle Italia Flite