Fizik Aliante R3 Regular saddle

The Fizik Aliante R3 Regular is a medium-width, scoop-shaped saddle that's firmer than some previous Aliante models, and is therefore best suited to hard efforts. If you want a saddle for sitting up and cruising, this isn't it, but if you're in a hurry, it's definitely one to consider.

• Pro: Comfy for hard efforts, nicely finished
• Con: Not the lightest in its price bracket

Fizik's saddles have always suited me, especially the Aliante, which in Fizik's Spine Concept saddle fit system is nominally for less-flexible riders. I get on pretty well with the Arione too, and that saddle is supposed to be for flexible racing snakes so I'm a bit skeptical of Fizik's idea that saddle fit is determined by whether or not you can touch your toes.

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If you're not familiar with it, Fizik's Spine Concept puts saddles in three categories: snake for the most flexible riders, bull for the least flexible and chameleon for intermediate flexibility. Snake saddles are long and flat, bull saddles short and dipped (Fizik calls this shape 'wavey'), and chameleon saddles – you guessed it – shaped somewhere between the two.

This is all very well, but it ignores saddle fit factors such as sit-bone spacing and the general shape of your undercarriage. Fizik now deals with sit-bone spacing by offering its saddles, including the Aliante R3, in two widths: this 138mm wide Regular model, and a Large version, which is 155mm wide.

There are also variants with pressure-relieving cutaways, either as channels along the middle of the foam layer or actual holes right through the saddle. That makes for a wide range of options. With variants of materials and construction, there are 18 different versions of the Aliante alone, from the base-model Aliante Gamma to the £325 all-carbon Aliante 00. Whether or not you subscribe to the idea that flexibility is the key to saddle fit, the Fizik range is now large enough that most of us should be able to find something that works.

The R3 has a fibreglass-reinforced nylon hull and steel rails. Fizik calls the rail material K:ium alloy, but a magnet sticks to it, so 'alloy' here means alloy steel not aluminium. The hull includes Fizik's WingFlex feature that lets the sides move with as you pedal and there's a slot for Fizik's Integrated Clip System (ICS) accessories like rear lights and saddle bags. There's also an ICS clip to mount Cateye lights available, and even a mini-mudguard.

Over the hull is a thin layer of dense foam, and over that you find three pieces of Fizik's Microtex synthetic leather, giving a grey and black two-tone finish. The outer edges have scuff guards so the Microtex won't get damaged if you lean your bike against a wall or something like that. For an extra £20 you can choose your own colours for the cover and scuff guards; by my reckoning there are 71,680 possible combinations.

At 221g, the Aliante R3 Regular is light for a steel-railed saddle, but it's not the lightest in its price bracket; Selle San Marco's Concor Racing is under 200g, and can be found for a lot less than its £120 RRP. Of course there's a lot more to saddles than weight, but if you have a choice of similar seats then weight and price are going to come into consideration.

The Aliante R3 Regular is definitely a bit firmer than the Aliante Gamma that's been one of my go-to saddles for the last few years. I initially fitted it to my turbo-training bike, and took a while to get used to it. Periods of low-power riding in my first couple of sessions were uncomfortable after a few minutes, though higher intensity was fine. I got used to it after a few sessions, though.

I switched the Aliante R3 to road-riding duties and found it comfortable, though I'd still generally prefer something a shade softer like the Gamma or even Brooks Cambium. Just as it was more comfortable when I was going hard on the trainer, so pushing harder on the pedals took enough weight off my bum that the Aliante R3's shape and support could do its job.

> Buyer's Guide: Saddles – how to find the right one for you

There's no area of product reviewing worse than saddles for the 'if you like this sort of thing, then you'll like this thing' problem. Everyone's bum is different, and everyone has their own preferences for how firm they like their saddle, and even how wide. If you sit more upright on the bike, a wider saddle might be comfier for you; there's more to saddle fit than the spacing of your sit bones.

If you like a firm, dipped saddle, you'll probably get on well with the Aliante R3, and should definitely consider it if you're in the market for a new seat.

Verdict

Very nicely made, firm seat, a very good platform for hard efforts