Selle Italia and Selle San Marco have embraced the growing trend for 3D-printed saddles by launching a new model apiece.
Over the past few years, the legendary Italian saddle brands have lost a bit of tech ground to the likes of Fizik, with its Adaptive saddle, and Specialized, with the brand's Mirror technology, who have both embraced 3D printing.
However, both Selle Italia and Selle San Marco have joined forces with Italian 3D printing specialists Carbon DLS to adapt Selle Italia’s short, race-focused SLR Boost and San Marco’s more endurance-flavoured Shortfit 2.0.
While some similarities will be assumed between both of these new additions and Fizik and Specialized’s existing 3D-printed offerings, the designs do differ somewhat.
For example, the lattice-like structure of the San Marco offering looks much more open than the relatively closed skin of Specialized’s Power with Mirror saddle. Fizik's design is also based around a similar honeycomb-like pattern to Specialized.
The new Selle Italia design, meanwhile, sits somewhere between what's already on the market and the San Marco design. It's a more closed structure than San Marco's take, but more open than Specialized and Fizik's honeycomb structure.
While both Selle Italia and Selle San Marco turned to Carbon DLS to aid with their new 3D-printed designs, side-by-side – and giving the two saddles the pinch and press test at Eurobike – it was quite marked just how different the two perches felt.
The SLR Boost is much firmer to the rear of the saddle, with the two sit-bone areas offering a much more sprung feel than the softer mid section.
The San Marco, in comparison, feels much more compliant throughout the full length of the saddle, with its more rounded shape, more open central channel and compliant hull all leaning this one towards being a choice for long-distance endurance riders.
We’re intrigued to see how these two new saddles fare against the more-established 3D-printed designs from Fizik and Specialized, so watch this space for reviews.
Model X Leaf added to Selle Italia range
Meanwhile, Selle Italia has also added a new Model X Leaf road bike saddle to its extensive range.
This new model is made using Selle Italia’s Greentech, so both the padding material and cover are made from 100 per cent recyclable materials.
On top of that, no glues are used through construction, which would otherwise compromise the recyclability of the saddle once it's at the end of its useful life.
Even the alloy used in the rails comes from recycled material (and is recyclable too).
