Fizik Arione R1 saddle

The Fizik Arione R1 is lightweight and very comfortable, designed for riders with plenty of flexibility who need a flat saddle.

First, I need to tell you a little tale about how I ended up with this saddle. Fizik has a Saddle Fitting Guide app to match you to the model that the brand thinks suits you best. It's straightforward. You stand up tall and put your mobile flat on your chest, then you bend over as far as you can. The app measures the angle through which you bend and tells you whether you're a snake (high body flexibility and no pelvic rotation while pedalling), a bull (low body flexibility and high pelvic rotation while pedalling), or a chameleon (medium body flexibility and low pelvic rotation while pedalling).

> Find your nearest dealer here

Fizik has been using this Spine Concept to distinguish between saddles for a few years now. It turns out that I'm a snake, and we snakes need flat saddles, apparently.

But we're not done yet. Next you input your bodyweight and your average speed on a flat road (it doesn't say over what distance) and the app gives you a suggested saddle size. In my case, it was regular.

The app said that the best saddles for me are the Arione R1 Regular or the Arione R3 Regular. I went for the R1 because, well, I'm gert posh and all.

If you want to find out which of Fizik's saddles is most suitable for you, download the free app. The iOS version is here and the Android versions is here.

Okay, so on with the show...

The Arione R1 has a composite carbon co-injected shell, a thermowelded Microtex synthetic cover, and braided carbon rails. It's 130mm across at its widest point and a whopping 300mm long. That's a foot, near enough! Despite its prodigious length, our review model weighed in at just 166g (Fizik's published weight is 165g, so we'll give 'em that).

I get on really well with the degree of flex offered by the Arione's shell and the amount of padding used, which is quite generous for a saddle of this kind. It's soft, but not too soft, helping to cancel out vibration and take the edge off lumps and bumps in the road without being so squishy that it moves about as you pedal. The padding on the nose is much more generous than you get with many other performance-type saddles out there, so if you're looking for a little more plushness in your seating, an Arione is worth checking out (as long as you're a snake, like).

I've been using this saddle loads over the past few weeks, both with Fizik's new Link R1 Snake shorts – which are designed specifically for use with an Arione saddle, and which we'll review separately – and with other shorts, and it has proven to be super-comfortable. I've not given the saddle too much thought even on long rides, and that's always a good sign. Chances are, if you're thinking about your saddle while you're riding it's because you're uncomfortable.

> Buyer's Guide: How to find the best saddle for your bottom

I've got to be honest, though, I've never understood why the Arione extends so far out the back. I mean, I know the reasoning. Fizik says, 'The Arione is longer than any other saddle, flat from nose to tail and with a narrow nose, so you can move around to find your power spot.'

But if I actually sit on that back bit my legs are in the wrong place for pedalling. I've experimented and everyfink! I guess I could move back there for descending, but I never do. I'd be equally happy if Fizik chopped 3cm off the back of the Arione. Still, if you want to make use of all your real estate and shift your weight back there, you can.

Oh, just one more feature to tell you about: the Arione is Integrated Clip System compatible, which means that you can easily click accessories such as Fizik lights and saddle packs into place without any tools.

Verdict

A very good lightweight saddle that manages to pack in loads of comfort