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review

Selle San Marco ShortFit-C Racing Saddle

9
£114.99

VERDICT:

9
10
A lovely pressure-relieving saddle at a competitive price, providing all-day comfort on the road
Weight: 
206g

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The Shortfit-C Racing saddle from Selle San Marco is an excellent all-round saddle that will suit those with medium to wide sit bones who want something pressure-relieving for training, sportives and even long tours. The weight is pretty good and construction quality is high for the price, meaning this should appeal to serious riders and weekenders alike.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

It measures 144mm across, which isn't super-wide but enough that those with narrow sit bones might 'sink' a little into the large central cutout. For the rest of us, it feels great as soon as you take your place. I didn't find myself shuffling around to find a groove and the position was very fixed.

Selle San Marco ShortFit-C Dynamic Saddle - gap.jpg

The actual stack is quite high as the padding is tall and deep, to the point where I needed to lower my seatpost slightly when replacing it with a much slimmer saddle on my road bike. I did wonder if all that padding would mis-shape over a longer ride and give me a sinking feeling, but after a 60-miler it held firm and I was very impressed with it. This is where the saddle's 'microfeel' cover gets to work, which Selle San Marco says is lighter than traditional materials and less deformable.

Selle San Marco ShortFit-C Dynamic Saddle - back.jpg

The saddle is supposed to be for riders who like a more aggressive, fixed position, but having ridden it with and without padded shorts I would consider this saddle for touring and audax riding too because it's comfy yet firm. The grip from the cover is truly non-slip, and I felt no unwanted movement on my test rides.

Selle San Marco ShortFit-C Dynamic Saddle - nose.jpg

The rails are Xsilite, which is a blend of silicon, titanium and carbon designed to be light and strong plus resistant to weather. I've had this saddle on my bike through some horrendous conditions and so far there's no rust or real signs of wear, and the saddle feels sturdy and solid underneath me - no problems here. 

Selle San Marco ShortFit-C Dynamic Saddle - underside.jpg

This saddle's appearance is very similar to Selle San Marco's own Concor Supercomfort saddle, well received by our own George Hill, but the Shortfit-C Racing is a bit cheaper, actually weighs less, and just loses out on the carbon-reinforced shell, so to my mind it's the better buy. You can also get the Shortfit C Dynamic Saddle which is the same shape but with some material and weight trade-offs (manganese steel rails as opposed to Xsilite) for cheaper, so this might be a consideration if weight weeny-ism isn't that important to you. 

> Buyer's Guide: Finding the best saddle for your bottom

Overall, I was highly impressed with the Shortfit-C Racing saddle. It eats up road buzz, is very comfortable, and although the padding is quite deep, it would still be welcome on my racing bike any time.

Verdict

A lovely pressure-relieving saddle at a competitive price, providing all-day comfort on the road

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Selle San Marco ShortFit-C Racing Saddle

Size tested: 250 x 144mm

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Selle San Marco says: "The new ShortFit-C delivers superior performance while in a more aggressive position. Proven through blood-flow testing and pressure mapping, the sit bone support provides effective pelvic rotation for all day comfort. The classic U-Shape shell gives incredible support and softness to the inner leg and combined with the large open-fit cut-to remove pressure from the perineum and sit bone area. The lightweight tubular manganese rail improves rigidity, strength and resistance to shocks. The ShortFit-C is perfect for riders who prefer that fixed position due to its shorter nature and waved profile."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Selle San Marco lists these features:

Xsilite rails for shock absorption

Nylon U-shaped shell

Open-fit cut-out

Weight: 206g

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Nice shape that keeps you in a fixed position, good material choices, and nice and sturdy.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Does what it says, keeps its shape and has a good non-slip cover.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

No signs of wear so far, and manganese-infused rails should increase durability.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
9/10

Lighter than more expensive saddles in Selle San Marco's range, and lighter than most others at this price point.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
9/10

For me the saddle proved very comfortable – if your sit bones are narrow you may struggle to get a groove, though.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Impressive features for the price.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well, keeping me comfortable and in position for hours.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The cutout, which allowed me to get into a nice groove.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing springs to mind.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

Serious racers might find this saddle a little too squidgy, and the cutout won't work for everyone, but if the shape suits then the Shortfit-C Racing is an excellent performer: a comfortable all-rounder at a great price.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 27  Height: 179cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride: Road bike (currently Specialized Tarmac)  My best bike is: Ridley Chronus TT bike

I've been riding for: Under 5 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, triathlon races

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

Add new comment

10 comments

Avatar
bob_c | 6 years ago
0 likes

Sorry to comment again but I'm considering getting this. From the measured weight, the colour (red) and the distributor's website it looks like the more expensive "Racing" version has been reviewed as the cheaper "Dynamic" one. Could this have happened? I suppose if the padding is the same and the rail and shell materials are different it doesn't matter too much.

Avatar
bob_c replied to bob_c | 6 years ago
0 likes
bob_c wrote:

Sorry to comment again but I'm considering getting this. From the measured weight, the colour (red) and the distributor's website it looks like the more expensive "Racing" version has been reviewed as the cheaper "Dynamic" one. Could this have happened? I suppose if the padding is the same and the rail and shell materials are different it doesn't matter too much.

Bit of a late follow-up, but....
1. Yes, the more expensive one has been reviewed as the cheaper one.
2. The UK distributor has recently raised the prices of all of the models
3. You can order the Racing version from European bike shops for the same price as the Dynamic here
4. I'm very happy with the Racing and would agree with all points made by the review

Avatar
TypeVertigo | 6 years ago
0 likes

On the bike, that doesn't look too bad. I reckon it might be as short and stubby as the Specialized Power or PRO Stealth.

Avatar
Beecho | 6 years ago
1 like

"I felt no unwanted movement on my test rides."
That's a euphemism, right?

Avatar
bob_c | 6 years ago
0 likes

Would you be able to show a photo of it on a bike please?

Avatar
Jack Sexty replied to bob_c | 6 years ago
2 likes

bob_c wrote:

Would you be able to show a photo of it on a bike please?

No problem, here it is... 

Avatar
bob_c replied to Jack Sexty | 6 years ago
0 likes
Jack Sexty wrote:
bob_c wrote:

Would you be able to show a photo of it on a bike please?

No problem, here it is... 

Thanks!

Avatar
Grahamd | 6 years ago
0 likes

Nice review, looks exactly what I have been looking for. Question, is the length of the saddle shorter as the term "shortcut" may imply?

Avatar
Jack Sexty replied to Grahamd | 6 years ago
0 likes

Grahamd wrote:

Nice review, looks exactly what I have been looking for. Question, is the length of the saddle shorter as the term "shortcut" may imply?

Hi Graham, it is indeed shorter than a regular road saddle. I measured it at 25.2cm in length, compared to 30cm for a Fizik Arione and 27.8cm for a Selle Italia X1, to give two examples. 

Avatar
Grahamd replied to Jack Sexty | 6 years ago
0 likes
Jack Sexty wrote:
Grahamd wrote:

Nice review, looks exactly what I have been looking for. Question, is the length of the saddle shorter as the term "shortcut" may imply?

Hi Graham, it is indeed shorter than a regular road saddle. I measured it at 25.2cm in length, compared to 30cm for a Fizik Arione and 27.8cm for a Selle Italia X1, to give two examples. 

Thanks

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