Selle San Marco ShortFit-C Racing Saddle

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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. 

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