Customer Reviews

Selle Italia Flite Gel Flow TI Men's Bicycle Saddle (Titanium Rails, Black)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I ordered this saddle to replace the lower end Selle Italia that came with my bike. This is a "gel" saddle, but not at all squishy or overly soft. It has the firmness necessary for a road saddle, but very comfortable right out of the box. The cut out is placed just right to relieve numbness on longer rides. The craftsmanship and materials all seem to be high quality. I liked it so much, I ordered a second one to upgrade my other bike.

I waited until I had a couple of hundred miles on this item to give my new saddle and butt a chance to get acquainted with each other, so, after approx. 250+ miles I have this to say...

First 50 miles (two rides 25+ miles each), OK but not great out of the box as some claim, some pressure on the sit bones but never pain of any kind. Made some slight angle adjustments.

Second 50 miles (two rides 25+ miles each), Pleasantly surprised that the pressure is subsiding. One slight angle adjustment.

After 150 miles (again 25 miles per ride), don't even know the seat is there for the first 10 miles, then SLIGHT pressure at the sit bones. No adjustments to anything.

After 250 miles, (this time two 50+ mile rides), Some slight pressure after about 20 miles then minimal to no discomfort on the first ride, no discomfort whatsoever on the second.

This saddle just keeps getting better and better for me, and I feel really good about spending the extra bucks for a top rated seat. Now that I've explained how the "Break-In" went for me, I'd like to rave about one more feature, the ride quality over bumpy paved roads is truly terrific. I tend to ride mostly the same route repeatedly, so I have a good basis of comparison between my old seats, WTB VIGO and VELO Bio Logic. The Selle beats both hands down in this area, even though the VELO has more padding.

I'm a pretty average size male (5'8 /140 Lbs./ 58 Yrs.old) and, living in Florida,I've ridden almost daily year round at least 200 miles per month for the last 5+ years. My size probably makes it easier to fit a seat to then bigger guys, so maybe this seat isn't for them. I have a rather "Boney" ass and this saddle really fits me well but, as I've previously explained, not from day one. Give it some time, and I'm sure you'll be as happy with your purchase as I am. As usual, AMAZON's shipping was first rate...

I have been riding for many years. I recently purchased a TREK Madone but the TREK saddle was somewhat uncomfortable so I researched a replacement. Buying a new (and expensive) saddle is a leap of faith because it is difficult to "try before you buy". Thankfully there are sites (AMAZON included) where riders comment on their experience. This particular saddle has received rave reviews so I purchased one and could not be happier!! I am 5' 11" and weigh 190 for reference. At the end of my first ride there was ZERO discomfort. I was skeptical about all of the glowing comments but after riding it, I'm definitely a convert. This deserves five stars!!!

I bought this to replace the factory saddle on my Trek. It took a couple of rides to get used to, but the saddle is now transparent to me when I ride. I think it's a good pick, but I also have not ridden Fizik. I like the fact that the Selle Italia has a cutout, which is a dealbreaker for me on the Fizik line. It also looks sharp and is light, but these are secondary considerations for a saddle in my opinion.

My boyfriend bought me the ladies' version of this seat when we first started cycling together. I loved it so much, and he seemed so envious that I thought it would be a nice idea to buy himn one as a holiday gift. WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!

I used to hate cycling bc of the sore bum issue, but this seat, once broken in after a month or so, is amazing.

2012 update: I've put over a year on this saddle now, and thought I'd update the review to coincide with my purchase of another Flite Gel Flow saddle. The spare bike I have on the trainer needs this saddle; on the trainer I don't get out of the saddle much, but I do when I ride outdoors. A saddle that was comfortable for an hour and a half outdoors gets me about 40 minutes of comfort indoors. My Flite Gel Flow has given me 6 hours of comfort on a couple of centuries and nearly three hours of comfort on a half-Ironman (with tri-shorts, so minimal padding). I can't recommend this saddle enough. If your sit bones demand a wider saddle than this one, try the Max Flite Gel Flow. So, back to the original review...
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If you're after the on line summary: this is far and away the most comfortable saddle I've owned or ridden. The difference really tells on long rides and bad roads, but the feeling of not noticing your saddle is a good one. This saddle is so comfortable I can almost forget it's there.

I used to think my old saddle was okay. It wasn't super comfortable, but it was a bike saddle (a Fizik, so allegedly good)... then I rode my first century on it. Without details, let's just say it really wasn't that comfortable after six hours of riding. After a bit of research into different saddle sizes, constructions, etc. I settled on the Flite Gel Flow. The shape, construction, stiffness, cutout, etc. are all just right for me. I'm a fairly slim rider, so if you're a bigger guy you might not want this.

How good is it? Well, after the last century I rode there was zero discomfort. In fact, I happily got back on the bike for a short ride ten minutes after I finished without even thinking about it. And it looks really, really good on my bike. In short, it's top quality, perfect for the slimmer rider and supremely comfortable. All that and it's still relatively light. Spend the money - you won't regret it! (And your body might just thank you)

The Flite saddles took on a new look a couple of years ago, so I was a bit concerned at first when it was time to replace my old Flite. The Gel Flow did not disappoint. It is very comfortable, even after 3+ hour rides. I probably have 2,000 miles on this saddle since the purchase and it still looks like new.

I bought this assuming that it would be uncomfortable (being that I hate wearing cycling shorts with the cushion). I was wrong! I routinely do 60+ miles on this with no problem! This is really surprisingly comfortable! AND incredibly light!

I've got this on my CAAD9 and I have to say I am very impressed. This saddle is the best I have ever used and really makes longer rides much more enjoyable. If you know anything about a CAAD9 you know it is built for racing and not necessarily for comfort. This saddle changes that and makes it much more comfortable. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to upgrade their saddle.

This saddle is well worth the price. Stiff at first like most leather is, this soon gave way to the most comfortable saddle I've ever owned. Pricey, yes. Worth it? Definately. Give it about 100 miles to soften up and feel comfortable. Save your pennies!