Fizik Vento Antares Adaptive R3 saddle

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?

Fizik says: "A versatile saddle designed with a low-profile, tapered nose-to-wing transition, and zoned 3D-printed padding to provide comfort in every riding position.

"Delivering performance and comfort, from road to CX and XC, the Antares R3 balances strength and weight savings with a carbon-reinforced nylon shell and Kium hollow rail combo."

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

Fizik lists these details:

- Low Profile, tapered nose to wing transition

- Adaptive 3D-printed padding

- Carbon-reinforced nylon shell

- Kium hollow rails

ANTARES ADAPTIVE R3 140 mm

Length: 268 mm

Width: 140 mm

Height at 75 mm width: 50 mm

Length from nose to 75mm width: 147 mm

Weight: 220 grams

Rail: 7x7 mm

Also available in 150mm width - all other measurements are identical, apart from it weighs 5 grams more than the 140mm version.

The 3D printed lattice construction creates hundreds of small honeycomb shapes, which vary in thickness across the top of the saddle. Fizik calls this "Zonal cushioning", meaning that different parts of the saddle vary in softness and flexibility.

On the nose of the saddle, the borders of the hexagons are thicker, and it is very firm here; the front is the firmest part of the saddle.

As you get to the middle of the saddle, the hexagons become much more spaced out, with thinner edges, and it becomes very soft in the centre, and there is also a cutout in the base, further enabling it to be very flexible in the centre.

At the sides, the saddle becomes firmer again, but the sides are quite pliable. It has the most flexible "wings" on a Fizik Antares I've experienced and it conforms to my pedal strokes and thigh movements. At the rear of the saddle, it becomes firmer again, but still with a good amount of give or "squidge" – ideal for pushing off when climbing.

Where the 3D print has been built up from the base of the saddle, the 3D printed "layering" is evident, and also a gap of a few millimetres between the base and the 3D print. This is different to non-3D printed saddles, which tend to curve around the edges of the base. I was initially concerned about chafing, but it was fine against my bib shorts.

There was, however, a left-over "nobble" on the side of the saddle which I assume must be from where the 3D print machine finishes the build up of the lattice layers. I could feel this in summer shorts, and think this should have been removed in post-manufacture quality control checks.

The rails on this version are what Fizik calls Kium, which is a light alloy. Fizik says these are vibration damping and I've found that to be the case. Carbon-railed saddles tend to give a stiffer feel. Fizik does an R1 version with carbon rails for another £40 if you want stiffer, lighter and blingier.

Another thing to bear in mind if you've used older Fizik saddles is that it does not have the ICS, Integrated Clip System, for luggage carrying.

I initially tried it out on commutes and weekend rides, and found it comfortable up to about 60km, though a little bit too grippy – I was unable to slide to adjust my position as well as on other saddles, you have to rise off the Fizik and place yourself back down again. This wasn't great if I wanted to make a seating adjustment when banking round a corner.

I also took it with me to France and tried it out on longer, much hotter rides with my lightest, thinnest bib shorts on, and could feel the 3D printed surface through them, including the nobble on the side. I found that on rides going over 60km, I would end up sat on the very softest parts of the saddle in the centre, but this would be right behind the much harder nose of the front, which would cause numbness on my perineum area.

I found it good for putting power down, with that firm front nose meaning I could still ride "on the rivet", just perching on the edge when sprinting and really going for it.

I've stuck 1,000 miles into the Fizik Vento and it's wearing very well: the white logos on the top are still completely intact, no wear at all, and though I've swapped it between bikes there are no marks on the Kium rails.

The Fizik Vento is a similar weight to other 3D printed saddles with alloy rails.

I initially got on well with the Fizik, and was using it for daily commutes on the Bath-Bristol shared-use path, and found it comfortable for shorter distances. The Wing-Flex, where the sides can bend inwards, is the most flexible I've known on any saddle, and I had no chafe with leg movement at all.

I took the Antares with me to France as well, so tried it on longer rides and some extended climbs, where I found the rear zoned cushioning of the saddle comfortable for pushing uphill. It has just the right amount of firmness there.

The bit I didn't get on with so well was the more flexible central area, with the cutout channel, where the 3D print shows visibly less material. For me it had just a bit too much give, which gave me the feeling of being 'sunk' in it just a bit too much. I'm quite a heavy rider at 90 kilos, so would be putting a fair bit of downwards pressure on the saddle, and could have done with it being a little less squishy in the middle.

The 3D print had a raised 'nobble' on it which I could feel through summer shorts, which was a tad uncomfortable.

It's pretty good compared with other 3D printed saddles.

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

I found it good for shorter distances, but started to feel 'sunk in' on longer distances, and experienced some numbness.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Looks cool.

The zoned cushioning and flexible wings are comfortable for shorter distances, and you can still get 'on the rivet' and perch right on the very front edge of the saddle when deep in the drops for sprinting.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Too much give for me in the central cutout area.

I could feel the 3D printed surface through summer bib shorts, and it sticks to shorts a bit too much, so you can't always slide into the correct position, like when adjusting your position coming into a bend.

Also, it doesn't have the Fizik ICS slot for adding ICS saddle bags, like my older Fizik saddles.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

With its Kium alloy rails it's cheaper than other 3D printed saddles we've reviewed – the Specialized Pro with Mirror, for example, is £275, but has titanium rails (and weighs more), while the carbon-railed SLR boost 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow is £410.

Use this box to explain your overall score

Overall: it's quite good. It impresses with its modern 3D printed construction and zoned cushioning, it's durable, and the flexible sides prevent chafing. However, it's tricky to adjust your position mid-cornering due to the high grip, and the very soft centre won't suit all riders for big distances.