Back in July and again at this year’s Eurobike, Selle Italia released their SP01 saddles, a follow up to the P-01 prototype shown at Eurobike in 2015. What is dubbed as a radical design, with a split saddle concept, is actually something we have seen from the Italian brand before. Jump back to 2010, and you may remember the SLC, the saddle I’ve been using for cyclocross for the last three season, and on the road for many years before that. Beyond a custom Meld3D saddle we will be presenting a review on soon, the SLC has been one of the most comfortable and long lasting saddles I’ve ever ridden. It will be interesting to see if the SP01 can continue the legacy of the SLC.
The split saddle design is one of the few similarities between the SP01 and SLC though. The SLC uses a composite shell that splits after just the first few inches of the saddle. The cutout shape is similar to other Flow saddles from the time period, but the saddle never comes back together. The split design lets the saddle move and flex with your body as you pedal. When in hand, the saddle can be flexed significantly to dramatically show how the saddle moves with your pedal stroke. Once mounted on the bike though, that flex is almost completely tamed.
For additional comfort, the SLC used titanium rails with elastomers on each end to help mute additional road vibrations. Above the shell, self-molding Perfect Fit padding is combined with strategically placed silicone gel and tucked under a supple full grain leather cover. At 273mm long and 134mm wide, it has a narrow shape similar to the SLR. Though there is some carbon, it is mainly for show. It weighed in between 205-210g.
Fast forward almost a decade, and Selle Italia revisits the concept with the SP01. The shell is now full carbon made up on hand laid prepreg carbon sheets that are compressed in a heated mold. The design helps to support the movement of the pelvis while peddling, without compromising overall pedaling. Forgoing the gel padding, the SP01 uses a light weight and durable Farbra-Tek microfiber cover and minimal padding. The lower three models look to have a little more padding, and a less of a noticeable carbon finish along the outer edges. All SP01 saddles use the Superflow cut out shape to help reduce pressure in the sensitive soft tissue areas.
There are now eight versions of the SP01, two widths, and four rail types. Each rail type comes in what Selle Italia calls their S3 and L3 idmatch fits. The top of the line Tekno uses a Hi-Tech Carbon rail in a 7×9 shape that has a very sculpted shape in the back portion of the rail. Moving down to the Kit Carbonio, you get a CarboKeramic rail, which is a full carbon rail with a ceramic coating over the rail to protect it from seat post clamps. The Superflow Titanium uses titanium tube rails, while the entry level Superflow comes in a solid round titanium rail. Weights range from 125g for the Tekno S3 to 205g for the Superflow L3. The Tekno is targeted at high-performance road riding, while the other three models can be used on road and off-road.
To touch a little more on idmatch, Selle Italia has developed a smart caliper to collect various measurements to help you find your ideal saddle. A man in a smart looking lab coat collect your measurements at the hips (intertrochanteric distance), the diameter of your thigh, and hip rotation, and the calipers will tell you which fit works best for you. You can have this done at your local Selle Italia dealer, which you can find online, or take their identikit online survey to see a less scientific version of your fit.
The SP01 isn’t a cheap saddle, but the split saddle design could be the saddle you are looking for. According to Selle Italia’s website, the top of the line Tekno saddle comes in at a staggering $499.99. The Kit Carbonio adds a few grams, but saves you over $100 at $389.99. The Titanium Superflow drops down to $344.99. Pricing on the Superflow is still TBD. We are hoping to get a SP01 in for testing to compare it to the SLC, and will keep you updated.
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
~Veggie Powered Athlete~
Location – Lancaster, PA
Current Testing Rigs – 2024 Van Dessel Arch65, 2019 Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie, 2018 Van Dessel Motivus Maximus LTD, 2016 Van Dessel Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 2015 Bianchi Sempre Pro, 1978 Trek TX900
Dream Bike – I’ll tell you when they make it
Discipline – Cyclocross, gravel, road and duathlons (ride/run)
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