A far cry from the Flite Gel Flow saddle I had on my first real mountain bike, Selle Italia continues to add models that are geared towards off road use. Technically, the new SLR X-Cross Flow saddle is listed for both road and off road use, but the added grip of the cover and additional padding are being pushed more towards the MTB/CX side of things.
Along with the SLX X-Cross Flow, Selle Italia had a few other new saddles on display along with some changes to their Friction Free series…
Built with a thin nose and a slight scoop to the rear, the 131×275 mm SLR X-Cross Flow is offered in Ti rails only with a weight of 175g. Pricing is set at $210.
Using the same rubber gripper inserts used on the SLR X-Cross Flow and the Butcher, the new Nepal saddle is specifically geared towards mountain biking and Enduro racing with a larger 148×268 mm and thicker padding as well as Fibra-Tek reinforcements on the sides of the saddle. Available in the $190 titanium rail version, or the $160 saddle with manganese rails and 270g or 300g respectively.
Another saddle to make a comeback is the Novus which may ring a few bells from the 90’s. Shaped with a curved nose, the saddle is meant to allow easy changes of position for both road and mountain bikes. Designed by the same person who created the Specialized Ronan, the Novus comes in L and S widths, and in Flow, Team Edition Flow, and Kit Carbonio Flow trim levels. Pricing tops out at $290 for the 190g Kit Carbonio Flow S.
If you love the classic Flite Flow shape but want something on the lighter side, the new Flite Tekno Flow should have you covered. The Full carbon, padded saddle checks in at 145g, but includes a hefty $500 price tag.
While not extremely popular, there are still a number of riders out there who could benefit from the Friction Free Design from Selle Italia. Equipped with a super slim nose, the saddles are great choices for anyone that wears out the nose of their saddle or the legs of their shorts from their thighs rubbing on the nose. Previously available in the Mono-Link carbon rail system, Friction Free saddles will now only be offered in standard rails in SLR and Flite models.
