- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
review
£114.99
VERDICT:
Great update on the SLR Team saddle; light & comfortable
Weight:
178g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
- Exceptional
- Excellent
- Very Good
- Good
- Quite good
- Average
- Not so good
- Poor
- Bad
- Appalling
The Selle Italia SLR Team Edition saddle is the team version of their long-standing SLR model. It brings together both a lightweight construction and attractive design in an updated version.
The two most obvious changes are the design and the rails.
The design is considerably different, taking the simple black and white, and making it red and black. The central band down the centre of the saddle is now a intercrossing network of red lines on a gloss material, contrasting with the matte black leather around the edge. It also has red inserts along the side which match the red in the central saddle design.
In addition to this redesign, the rails have also switched from carbon to titanium. This, plus some added padding that certainly helps on longer rides, has added around 30g to the overall weight of the saddle, but it stills comes in at a very reasonable 170g.
It has not lost all of its carbon though and still maintains around 30% carbon throughout the saddle.
The SLR Team Edition is comfortable, but with a change in the material used on the top, I did find that my riding position would slightly shift while I was riding. Although it was never a major shift and was normally forward and backwards, it was slightly off-putting when concentrating on getting the power through your legs.
Aside from this (which was an occasional thing) the saddle performed well. On longer rides it was comfortable and firm, allowing you to feel the road but without it shaking through your body. Much of this comes as much from the impressive flex in the saddle, as well as the additional padding that Selle Italia have added.
Another aspect of the saddle that I like is the low falling sides, that sit 1-2cm lower than most others. Initially I thought that this may be an issue on longer rides as it could create some friction on the tops of my legs, however it actually did the opposite, and takes away the very rare, but very annoying catching of your leg on the edge of saddle. This can take your concentration away at key moments, often when you are pushing the hardest or need to concentrate the most.
Overall, I was very impressed with the Selle Italia SLR Team Edition saddle and it will probably be the one that stays on my bike for at least the next six months. The combination of lightweight and strong design has meant that it is very comfortable to ride long distances on, but also allows for intense and performance rides.
Verdict
Great update on the SLR Team saddle; light & comfortable
road.cc test report
Make and model: Selle Italia SLR Team Edition saddle
Size tested: n/a
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?
A high quality saddle designed for both amateur and professional riders that want both comfort and performance. I can safely say that it achieves both comfort and performance as the flex and additional padding have been useful on longer rides but have not effected its performance on climbs or sprints.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
WEIGHT/ 175 g
SIZE/ W 131 x L 275 mm
RAIL/ TI 316 Tube ? 7 mm
USE/ Road
COLOUR/ Black & Red
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Very well made, solid but with a slight flex that makes riding it comfortable without feeling overly padded.
Rate the product for performance:
7/10
Strong performance from the latest edition of the SLR Team saddle. The only slight drawback is the small amount of sliding that comes from the gloss middle section, but with a bit of riding it, I am sure this would stop.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
With no visible stitching and a strong construction, this saddle is likely to last for a long time.
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
6/10
I have to compare this to the older version, which is 30g lighter, but more expensive. Although it sits on par with others in this price band, it would be unfair to give this stronger marks given the weight increase from the older version.
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
8/10
With the amount of flex and padding, it is comfortable to ride for longer periods as well as not holding you back when climbing or sprinting.
Rate the product for value:
8/10
This sits mid range in terms of saddles, whilst not having the same weight savings as a saddle with additional carbon components, it has a good bang for your buck.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Great for both long or short fast riding, a good all rounder.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The flex in the saddle without feeling that it has somehow compromised the structural integrity of the saddle overall.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Although the lower sides do have their benefits, they do sometimes get annoying when using the saddle for a long time. That said, it is not something that would put me off the saddle in the long term.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.
Would you consider buying the product? Yes.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.
About the tester
Age: 27 Height: 6 ft Weight:
I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Evo 6 My best bike is:
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: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,
George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between.
Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.
Latest Comments
- brooksby 1 hour 24 min ago
They haven't been seen for ages- did they get banned?
- eburtthebike 1 hour 30 min ago
They prefer their alternative facts to real ones. They believe something, therefore it must be true.
- Spangly Shiny 2 hours 41 min ago
Sorry, no idea what you are on about.
- ktache 2 hours 44 min ago
For double that you can' get a Pedro's vise whip Ii. Or half, the reportedly excellent decathlon thingy. And Sigma has the Silca for only £150.
- KDee 2 hours 50 min ago
I'm no detective, but the "NOAHFAST" decal vertically stickered on the headtube is a little bit of a clue.
- Spangly Shiny 3 hours 10 min ago
I remember my driving test examiner, straight after congratulating me for having passed the test said, "Don't be a twat and have that as your best...
- Bigfoz 5 hours 18 min ago
Did they think it was a drive thru?
- Rendel Harris 5 hours 28 min ago
As a teacher's husband, I'm allowed to watch up to 50km out (unless it's a big mountain stage when I can only watch up to the start of the first HC...
- PoorInRichfield 8 hours 3 min ago
I thought wide rims and tires were marketing hype until I bought a bike in 2019 that had both... 700x32C tires on a 25mm internal width rim. Now I...
Add new comment
6 comments
The standard version is £77.00 and is basically the same saddle without grasish graphices only slightly average.
Flite saddles for 20 years. It is the original light weight saddle and still the best. Well my back side thinks so.
Picked up a monolink version for £40 last year but not as comfy as my Arione .
i have the older version of the team edition saddle in white with carbon rails, its very comfortable and the only niggley thing is the writing is starting to wear/fade
originally was £150+ but i got it in one of planet x's sales for £50!
Never pay the rrp for anything, keep an eye out and you will find most things cheaper
I picked up the Selle Italia SLR Kit Carbonio Flow Saddle 125gm for 98 quid, before christmas.
it's less than half the price of some saddles, so could be considered a bargain
A hundred and fifteen British pounds to park one's posterior ? They are surely extracting a urine sample.