Selle Italia SLR Gel Flow Team Edition Saddle Review
Bicycle saddles are a very individual and personal item. All of us have differently-shaped posteriors, and the saddle that is as comfy as a couch for one specific set of buttocks may be sheer agony for another.
So it was with the Selle San Marco Ponza saddle that came stock on my Cervelo S1. Adjust my position as I might, riding that seat was like riding an axe. Eventually, I just had to cry "Uncle!" and try a different seat.
I elected to try a Selle Italia SLR Gel Flow saddle. It is slightly wider than the Ponza, flatter across the top, and features a perianal cutout in the center to attempt to relieve pressure in this area (the Ponza is distinctly convex in this part of the saddle, and I wanted something a bit more concave). The cutout area is further lined with gel to provide some vibration damping.
The cutout itself isn't particularly large. It serves to eliminate the "ridge" that exists on a convex saddle, and the narrower cross-section provides more flex, for a hammock-like effect. Notwithstanding, the seat is very firm and is in no way "plush". The nose is wide enough to sit on during steep climbs too.
(That little "dent" on the side of the nose is from where the rope I use to hang my bike for storage presses on the saddle. It springs back after a little while with no harm done)
The "Team Edition" version is the model provided to sponsored Pro teams. It differs from the standard version in that it gets a white/red leather covering (which matches the colour scheme of my bike very well) and Vanox mounting rails. The gel and leather mean that it is mildly heavier than the lightest offerings in the Selle Italia catalogue, but at just over 200 grams, it isn't heavy (and it is lighter than the Ponza it replaced)
The white leather has proven to be very durable, and isn't wearing off or turning black.
As far as comfort goes, it has proven to be much, much better than the Ponza. I still get a little sore on longer (3+ hour) rides, especially if I don't hammer the whole way (so there is less upwards reaction force from pedaling to help support my weight) but by and large this saddle solved my comfort problem. No more pain and numbness in areas I don't want hurting and/or numb.
I'm willing to believe that there might be a different saddle out there that is an even better fit for my butt than this one, but the SLR is certainly good enough. And the build quality and durability have proven to be top notch. Recommended.
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