Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Giro finale Photo ©: Bettini |
Reviews
Selle Italia SLR Basic
By Anthony Tan
 |
Gorgeous curves, tubular titanium rails, closed cell foam padding, 135 grams. I'm not talkin' about your dream girlfriend. I'm talkin' about the SLR Basic from Selle Italia.
The SLR is the latest incarnation from the legendary saddle manufacturer based in Rossano Veneto, from the province of Vicenza in northern Italy. Selle Italia have a proud history, dating back to 1897, and have been the saddle of choice for just a few famous riders - Felice Gimondi, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain, Francesco Moser, Jan Ullrich, Mario Cipollini, Erik Zabel and Marco Pantani have all perched their bums on Selle Italia saddles.
 |
Selle Italia categorises their range of saddles into eleven different groups, ranging from the tried and tested Flite and Turbo Matic series, to the newer categories that include the Prolink and SLR range.
The SLR range has been exclusively designed for road racing purists for whom weight (or the lack of it) is key. The heaviest model in the group, the SLR XP, weighs 185 grams (which is the standard SLR with Vanox rails), and the lightest weighs in at an astonishing 95 grams (no, that's not a typo). However, the SLR Carbon is only that; a one-piece carbon shell with niente in the way of padding - it hurts my tailbones just thinking about it after last Sunday's Paris-Roubaix!
 |
Our test saddle was the SLR Basic that thankfully includes a touch more padding than the SLR Carbon. Selle Italia keeps weight to a minimum by using a carbon composite shell for the base - as opposed to the nylon shell used by the majority of saddle manufacturers - and EVA closed-cell foam padding that is claimed to weigh a mere five grams. Titanium rails complete the featherweight package, and are noticeably longer than many other high-end road saddles, allowing for a large range of adjustment.
Shape-wise, the SLR is looks almost identical to my Selle San Marco Era, with a very similar flat-design profile (preferable for those who adopt a variety of positions when riding); however the Era is slightly more generous with the padding, something I am not prepared to relinquish at this early stage of my life cycle. The SLR certainly looks lean and mean, but more importantly, how does it feel? I took off on a two-hour ride on Sydney's mediocre roads to find out.
 |
Bump-wise, the SLR performed surprisingly well. The type and length of the rails, and the hull material make a big contribution to the ability of a saddle to absorb road shock. The SLR's long titanium rails, coupled with a flexible carbon composite hull performed admirably on your everyday bumps, with none of the sit-bone soreness that I usually experience on a first ride.
On rougher roads the SLR was less forgiving. Even though I was on my aluminium frame, I was using Mavic Classics Pro wheels with 23mm Michelin Axial Pros, a combo that generally results in a very comfy ride. If you live in a city blessed with quality pavement, then go for it: the SLR's road-worthiness will match its sex appeal. However Sydney isn't one of those cities, so I'll stick with my Era for the time being.
 |
Interestingly, the SLR is now the saddle of choice for a certain German cyclist by the name of Jan Ullrich, but only on his time trial and climbing machines. That's a perfect pair of applications for the SLR. Use this saddle sparingly, unless your local roads happen to be governed by a sympathetic council of road cyclists.
Weight:135g
Price guide: $79.99 (USA)
Pro: Very light, titanium rails, well-shaped, plenty of fore/aft rail
adjustment, sex appeal
Con: Slightly more padding, please
More information:Selle
Italia's website
Cyclingnews Rating: 
What do you think of the Selle Italia SLR? Let us know
Recent techTour tech: Zipp's slippery
new wheel revealed |
