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Featured Review: Brooks Swift Titanium
by Iasonas

Price Paid: $280.00
Review Date: October 26, 2009
Used product for: 2 years
Overall Rating: 5 of 5
Value Rating: 4 of 5

Bike Setup:
Raleigh Supercourse (1973)/ Raleigh Interntionl (1972) / Medici Pro (1990s)/ All campy Record 10 speed system.

Summary:
This may be an unorthodox way to start, but very few would be the alternatives on what I would put on a classic 1970’s Raleigh. Those were coming with Brooks B17 actually but still, this saddle suits them much better. I think that it is either the most beautiful or at least one of the handful of those saddles that really look beautiful. When it comes to looks I was also considering the San Marco Royale, but the idea of riding on leather to me was not exactly that of having a plastic layer underneath. Once heavy thick leather breaks in, it is a different situation. The surface level softness is not really my aim when it comes to a saddle. The Swift takes way too long to break in. You need to work on it a lot and use lots of that proofide (not a lot at once, but a thin layer at a time). I also used a fair amount of leather wax in the beginning (wax based shoe polish also), which did not do as good a job as proofide. A B17 breaks in within a month or so. The swift may take at least 1000 miles and a number of proofide applications for you to sense the initial change. In the meantime you get used to the harder ride and you appreciate how well it is contoured. I can feel the bounce of the titanium rails more than that of the leather!

This saddle is not for everyone. It is for those of us that have the patience and the will to break it in and form it, and in the meantime for us to adjust to it as well. It is the saddle to use if you want to have those sudden bursts of acceleration and be able to slide on it. In the beginning I needed good padding. Now, I can easily ride it without any padding. The swift will likely never become very soft. It is not meant to be. It is a classic performance saddle. For randoneuring it may be slightly hard even after break-in. Like a thoroughbred horse, its elegance and grace are unmatched, but it will not do for just any type of riding and it takes patience and work to get it there.

Strengths:

• Beautiful just to look at.
• Once it breaks in it is comfy.
• Titanium rails have great elasticity.

Weaknesses:

• Takes patience and time to break in.
• Expensive.

Similar Products Used:
Brooks B17

Fizik Ares Saddle Pro Review - By Twain Mein

• Specifically designed for to meet UCI regulations for time trials
• Cost: $199 MSRP
• Natural Leather Seat Cover
• Made in Italy
• ICS bag compatible
• Cool black and white color scheme. However, the white is subject to grease and fingerprints.
• Weight: Claimed 155 grams. Actual: 159.

This is a review of the Fizik Ares saddle, which is expressly designed for time trials. Fizik has been making some fantastic products and the Ares is the newest in the line. Fizik’s most well known offerings include:

The Arione — extremely popular and uniquely longer than most saddles (unfortunately, this saddle causes numbness for me)

The Aliante is perhaps the most comfortable saddle ever made; I can’t recommend it highly enough for folks who commute. And it will make any “superstiff” bike a lot more tolerable.

The Antares, while not as comfortable as the Aliante, is an excellent triathlon saddle and provides a firmer ride than the Aliante that doesn’t rob any power.

So I was really excited to test the Ares, thinking it could be the ultimate triathlon saddle.

Tyler, TX – Cobb Cycling has announced the immediate availability of its Max saddle, the latest addition to John Cobb’s line of rider-friendly bicycle saddles. Cobb has worked with many of the best cyclists and triathletes in the world, including Lance Armstrong and Greg LeMond, and has been considered one of the foremost authorities on aerodynamics, ergonomics, biomechanics and component design for over two decades.

Cobb developed the Max – available in both white and black – to provide maximum comfort for triathletes, time trialists and cyclists of all disciplines. The lowered nose section combined with the deeply cut pressure-relief trough is designed to reduce pressure on the perineum, which includes a man’s prostate area and a woman’s most sensitive soft tissue. The Max utilizes the same narrow rear section of Cobb’s popular V-Flow models which does two things: 1) it encourages male and female riders to sit further back on the saddle, even when in an aero position, better incorporating their skeletal system for support via their sit-bones, and 2) it also facilitates the more natural rotation of a rider’s hips for better efficiency and power.

Read the rest of this entry �

- A RECORD-EIGHT TDF TEAMS WILL TAKE THE START LINE ON FI’ZI:K SADDLES-

Pozzoleone, Italy – For the first time in Tour de France history, fi’zi:k saddles is dominating the peloton as the premiere saddle supplier and sponsor to participating Pro Tour and Pro Continental teams. Of the twenty select 2009 Tour de France teams, 8 will be riding fi’zi:k saddles.

Amplified support of professional teams comes not only the heels of increased global original equipment specification, but more so from increased demand from road teams for the premiere brand. As an example, one of the non-official-fi’zi:k-sponsored TdF Pro Tour teams, has twenty team members using their brand.

Many of the 2009 Tour de France teams will using the new ultra light Antares road saddle as well as the recently introduced Ares time trail saddle. Among those cyclists using the new Antares and the new Ares is defending Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre who, after testing the final Ares version earlier this summer said, “It’s now perfect. I definitely noticed the difference between the first and final versions.” Dave Zabriskie, US National Time Trial Champion, joins Sastre in choosing both the Antares and Ares; and most of the entire Columbia-High Road will be riding the Ares time trial saddle when they line up in Montpelier on July 7th in attempt to maintain their title as the world’s number one time trial team following their 2009 Giro d’Italia TTT victory.

Read the rest of this entry �

Part 3: Accessorize - Fizik Antares saddle and KCNC quick releases
The next two were easy upgrades that actually saved a lot of weight.

Fizik Antares Saddle

• Cost: $199 MSRP
• Comfortable yet very light weight
• Natural Leather Seat Cover
• Made in Italy
• ICS bag compatible
• Weight: Claimed 175 grams. Actual: 177.

The Antares is the newest saddle from Fizik. It is positioned between the ultra-comfortable Aliante and the ultra-popular Airione. I love the Aliante but the Airione never quite fit me. The Antares’ real competitor is a minimalist saddle like the Selle Italia Flite which weighs an astounding 135 grams. However, I find the Flite extremely uncomfortable. The Antares weighs a little more but I found it to be surprisingly comfortable–even on 50 mile rides. Plus, at 177 grams, it saves 38 grams over the Aliante. You can read my in-depth review here.

Fizik Antares Saddle Pro Review - By Twain Mein

• Cost: $199 MSRP
• Comfortable yet very light weight
• Natural Leather Seat Cover
• Made in Italy
• ICS bag compatible
• Weight: Claimed 175 grams. Actual: 177.

This is a review of the Fizik’s latest saddle, the Antares. It’s supposed to be the “third dimension” between Fizik’s excellent Arione and Aliante. I’m not sure what the third dimension really means but what I discovered that it’s really a comfortable alternative to minimalist saddles like the Selle Italia SLR.

I decided to compare the Antares not only to it’s brethren but also to the Selle Italia SLR. Here’s how they measured up:

Comparing the saddles
My first experience with Fizik saddles was the Arione. It’s a great looking saddle that is much longer (25mm more than the Antares and SLR) than most saddles. I suppose this is to give you more freedom to move for/aft for spinning or pushing big gear. But despite it being the narrowest of the four–and with it’s built in “wing flex”, I’ve found that this saddle hits in the wrong places and is actually a bit of a disappointment; I tend to “get numb” when riding this saddle, especially when on the trainer.

Selle Italia SLR Kit Carbonio Saddle - by Thien Dinh

• LTH: Covering in breathable full-grain leather
• EVA: Lighter padding for maximum comfort and maximum cushioning
• Shell made from 30% Carbon composite
• Length: 275mm
• Width: 131mm
• Rails: Carbon
• Weight: 125g (claimed), 127g (actual weighed)
• MSRP: $250

The perfect saddle is one that you don’t even think about, but with saddles being such a personal thing how does one choose among the hundreds if not thousands of choices out there? Well, my friends, there is no easy way around it, you should try as many different saddles until you find the right one. The one that fits just right, allowing you to enjoy the ride and not think about the saddle. Enter the Selle Italia SLR, this saddle comes in many variations, but the one we have here is the 125 gram Kit Carbonio.

One of the more popular saddles amongst pros, amateurs, and club cyclists, this sleek lightweight saddle is very visually appealing. An almost identical twin to the regular SLR, with the same 30% carbon shell, the same EVA padding for comfort, and it has the same weather-resistant full-leather cover for longevity. Where the Kit Carbonio differs is instead of being built on Ti rails, the Kit is built around full carbon rails. This helps not only in dropping weight, but also it adds to the overal visual appeal of the saddle. The carbon treatment doesn’t just end there either, near the rear of the saddle, there is a small carbon insert. Though this is purely aesthetic, it does flow well.

Read the rest of this entry �

Pozzoleone, Italy – Team Liquigas’ Ivan Basso will make his return to pro racing on October 26th at the Japan Cup on fi’zi:k’s new Antares road saddle. The new light-weight, low profile saddle introduced at the fall Eurobike and Interbike shows with a scheduled November aftermarket release, has been on his Cannondale Supersix since mid-August.

“I’m very happy to finally be riding fi’zi:k,” Basso said. “I know that both some of my rivals and comrades developed lasting relationships with fi’zi:k because they like to work closely with the athletes for development and feedback. I’ve visited their Pozzoleone headquarters several times and their European Marketing Manager, Gabriele Benedetti, has taken the time to work with both me and our mechanics. I tested a few saddles but I can say, honestly, that the Antares is the best saddle I’ve ridden in my entire career.”

Both Basso and Garmin-Chipotle’s Dave Zabriskie received the first two pre-production models in mid-August. Prior to joining the Garmin-Chipotle team last year, Zabriskie also had never ridden fi’zi:k saddles. Added US Marketing Manager, Suzette Ayotte, “It’s not always easy to put a pro cyclist on a saddle they’ve never ridden and get the desired results, but both cyclists have been on the Antares ever since. We don’t hope to unseat the Arione and Aliante, but the Antares is the solution for those somewhere in between.”

While the Antares is most easily described as a cross between fi’zi:k’s popular but contrasting Aliante and Arione models, the third dimension – the third A in their high performance road line-up – goes a few steps further to reduce weight while adding comfort. Measuring 274 meters in length, the Antares is 16 cm shorter than the Arione, flat across the top like the Arione and 142 cm at its widest point like the Aliante.

In comparison tests with other ultra light high-performance saddles, the CX padded Antares has 300% more nose padding and up to 15% more surface area. Introduced on the Arione CX early in 2008 the foam formulation adds no bulk but yields a super low-profile with added comfort. As Basso explained, “The padding and flat surface provides support to eliminate pressure on the prostate area and the wide nose provides support when I’m climbing in the saddle.”

Fi’zi:k’s new Antares will be available in two versions and is scheduled to land at IBD’s in November. The mostly black with white, carbon braided rail version has a targeted weight of 145 grams and will retail for $230. The black with white Antares with k:ium rails has a targeted 175 grams weight and a retail price of $200.