Giant Fleet SL saddle

Giant's Fleet SL saddle is a very good choice for occasional racers looking for more comfort when riding in an aero position. The saddle features firm padding but there's a little flex in the base along with a large central cutout, and I found it to be very comfortable, especially as the miles ticked up. The weight is good, but the price is a little higher than the competition.

Short saddles, if you hadn't seen, have become incredibly popular on sporty road bikes recently, adopted from the world of time trialling and triathlon. The stubby design at the front end allows riders to push their saddle forward without falling foul of the UCI bike setup rules. This means you can get further over the crank axle for a supposed power gain.

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As I favour a rather long and low bike setup, I find these types of saddles to be very comfortable; when shunted forward, they place more of the supportive rear part of the saddle under me. The Fleet SL does this really well and I've really liked my time spent on it.

My testing has included as much variation in types of riding as possible, from flat-out efforts to lazy spins through the lanes. I've fitted this to my race bikes and also popped it on my cyclo-cross bike to test out a slightly more upright position. It was comfortable on both types, so I wouldn't pigeon-hole this saddle for race bikes only.

The shape flows down from the rear to the front, which felt great for supporting me when tucked down in the drops. I have chosen saddles with a split design for a few years now. I like the pressure relief, and the Fleet SL worked well here too.

Inside the saddle, under the sit bone area, Giant says that 'high-elastic, free-flowing particles' have been packed in. It claims that this reduces pressure points by more than 20% while also helping to distribute pressure across a broader contact area. Personally, the saddle feels quite firm to me, but I find this better for all-day comfort, so the fancy particles work for me.

Build quality is very good. I'd say that this saddle is at the entry-level of the market, yet it has a quality finish to it and no problems have arisen during testing.

I've also been riding the Fleet SLR saddle. That has simply got a lighter set of carbon rails, so what you're getting here is all of the important features, just with alloy rails. Compared directly against the SLR's carbon rails, they only seem to transfer a little extra road buzz.

Even with alloy rails, the weight of this SL version is pretty good. It compares well with the Bontrager Aeolus Comp saddle at 286g, though that does come in at a lower price of £49.99.

> Buyer’s Guide: 14 of the best short saddles

Overall, if you're looking for a short-nosed saddle with a firm feel then this is a great option. I found the Fleet SL to be very comfortable, and not just on my road race bike.

Verdict

Very comfortable short-nose saddle that works for a variety of riding