Selle San Marco Aspide Short Open-Fit Sport Wide

Selle San Marco's Aspide Short Open-Fit saddle offers great value for money if you're after a saddle with a sizeable open channel and a choice of widths. It's not without fault, but at £54.99 it's a cost-effective option for those looking for comfort on a budget.

The Short Open-Fit Sport saddle is the entry level version of the Aspide Short range. It comes in Narrow (139mm) or Wide (155mm) – we're testing the Wide here.

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We've already tested the second-tier Racing version too, with Matt finding it a decent performer. This entry-level Sport version gets a glass fibre reinforced shell accompanied by steel rails, Pullfoam padding and a Silkfeel cover. All these spec choices mean it's less than half the price of the Racing model.

I found the pressure-relieving channel effective, and the sweeping shape encourages a fairly specific 'sit zone'. This isn't a saddle you feel you can shift around a lot on.

There's a little more compression in the central section versus the very front or rear, and it's supportive, especially in fairly upright positions. Perhaps inevitably, it lacks the level of flex Matt found in the carbon-reinforced Racing version.

Saddle comfort is totally subjective, but pinning myself onto the tops in a more genteel position than my more aggressive normal position produced good levels of comfort. On the drops, though, I couldn't get as far forward as I normally would like to thanks to the shorter profile.

Regarding widths, the sizing follows the Selle San Marco's 'idmatch' system, which uses three measurements: your intertrochanteric distance (sit bone width), a comparison of thigh width and intertrochanteric distance, and finally your pelvic rotation.

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I found the Sport saddle comfortable for a couple of hours, maybe a little more, after which the distinct edges of the channel started to become apparent and cause pressure.

By comparison, the Fizik Antares Versus Evo R3 Adaptive Saddle proved far more compliant in that area – although it's also vastly more expensive at £250.

The cover is quite grippy under a chamois – there's no sense of slipping – while the rails are good quality, if a little weighty. At 276g the mass takes a fair hike compared to the 190g Racing version, but then that saddle is £134.99.

For around the £54.99 of the Sport, you could opt for the very good, short and heavily channeled Bontrager Aeolus Comp (£49.99), while bargain hunters should also consider the Fabric Scoop Sport, which impressed us at just £34.99 – though that doesn't feature a pressure-relieving channel.

Conclusion

If you're after a cost-effective, good quality saddle from a reputable brand that includes a modern short design and is arguably best suited to less-aggressive ride styles, this Selle San Marco is a compelling choice.

Verdict

Compelling and well made entry-level saddle, especially for more upright riding positions