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TECH NEWS

Fizik introduces Argo short saddle range

Tempo model is designed for endurance road riding while Vento is for racing

Fizik is entering the short saddle market with models based on its new Argo shape. The two Tempo saddles are designed for endurance road riding while the two Vento saddles are all about performance/racing.

Short saddles have become increasingly popular over the past few years. All of Fizik's short saddles are 265mm long in contrast to the brand's Arione models, for example, which are up to 300mm in length. 

Check out 6 of the best short saddles 

"Where a traditional saddle shape encourages riders to shift their position frequently for better leverage, Argo puts the rider in a more planted position, making for greater stability and better weight distribution," says Fizik.

TEMPO-ARGO-R3-160_top.jpg

"Argo’s short length allows the rider to sit further forward without placing undue pressure on sensitive tissues. It also features an ergonomic cutout that was developed using detailed pressure analysis and input from medical experts.

"Argo is our most versatile saddle shape and each version suits different riding styles."

All of Fizik's Argo saddles use a carbon-reinforced nylon shell but the foam varies.

The Tempo Argo features what Fizik calls its proprietary Type 2 foam which is slightly thicker than its Type 1 foam (found in the Vento Argo) around the ischial sit bones area, the idea being to support a more upright riding position. 

"The cushioning is slightly softer and more progressive than the type we use on our racing saddles, providing more long-distance comfort," says Fizik.

TEMPO-ARGO-R1-160_bottom.jpg

The R1 version (above) features 10x7mm carbon rails while the R3 model (below) has round 7mm hollow Kium (alloy) rails.

TEMPO-ARGO-R3-150_bottom.jpg

Both the R1 and the R3 are available in 150mm and 160mm widths.

The Vento Argo is similarly short but has been designed for bikes with an aggressive geometry. 

VENTO-ARGO-R3-140_detail.jpg

"The padding is made from Fizik’s proprietary Type 1 foam formulation, which has a lower profile [than Type 2, see above] and is reactive and springy for instantaneous response and optimal power transfer," says Fizik.

"The dropped nose supports the pubic ramus [part of the pubic bone] when the pelvis rotates forward to add power or to get more aero."

VENTO-ARGO-R3-140_side.jpg

As with the Tempo Argo, the Vento Argo is available in an R1 version with 10x7mm carbon rails and an R3 model with round 7mm hollow Kium (alloy) rails.

Both the R1 and the R3 are available in 140mm and 150mm widths.

Weights and prices

Fizik Tempo Argo R1 150mm 195g, £179.99
Fizik Tempo Argo R1 160mm 202g, £179.99

Fizik Tempo Argo R3 150mm 229g, £129.99
Fizik Tempo Argo R3 160mm 235g, £129.99

Fizik Vento Argo R1 140mm 179g, £184.99
Fizik Vento Argo R1 150mm 186g, £184.99

Fizik Vento Argo R3 140mm 213g, £134.99
Fizik Vento Argo R3 150mm 220g, £134.99

The new saddles are available now. Go to www.fizik.com for more info.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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1 comments

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Kendalred | 4 years ago
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Interesting - looks like a good compromise between TT and Road saddle. Not on the Fizik website yet though.

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