Selle Italia

Flite Kit Carbonio Flow Saddle - Men's

Selle Italia makes no effort to hide the popularity of its SLR saddles in the ranks of the peloton, but an informal survey of our own ever-evolving stables often features one common thread: a chain of saddles that marks the evolution of the venerable Flite saddle. We loved the original design from 1990, we loved the update it got in 2013, and we love the newest generation of the Flite Kit Carbonio Flow Saddle.

In our estimation, the key to the Flite's appeal lies in the shape, which is 14mm wider across the rear basin than the SLR. Along with a slight increase in padding, this larger footprint means the Flite Kit Carbonio Flow weighs a claimed 50g more than the corresponding SLR model; however, given that we're not typically carrying any extra weight across 21 days in the high mountains of Western Europe, we're more than happy to embrace the added comfort at the expense of a few grams.

The saddle's frame consists of a carbon composite matrix seated on CarboKeramic rails, providing just enough engineered flex to smooth the road or trail without bouncing the cyclist around and interrupting cadence. The carbon is combined with a synthetic material in the body and a ceramic-infused resin in the CarboKeramic rails, both of which materials go some way towards tempering carbon's harsh stiffness while still taking advantage of its low weight.

The body and light padding are clothed in Selle Italia's Fibra-Tek synthetic microfiber, which allows for free movement in the saddle and resists the elements. The nose is finished with a bit of tread-like grip to offer riders added security while perched on the rivet during long grinds in the wind.