Fi'zi:k

Antares Versus K:IUM Saddle

Saddles have come a long way over the past few years as manufacturers like Fizik have made a concerted effort to improve upon the most sensitive interface between a cyclist and his machine. The Fizik Antares Versus K:ium Saddle was created to both look and feel good. It offers immediate comfort and pressure relief for a wide range of riders.

Fizik realizes that cyclists come in all shapes and sizes, so they developed the Spine Concept fit system to match saddles to riders according to spine flexibility and riding style. Using animals as codes to help consumers differentiate one from the next (you're either a Snake, a Bull, or a Chameleon), Fizik offers three distinct saddle choices (the Arione, the Aliante, and the Antares).

With a flatter, somewhat wider platform, the Antares Saddle is designed for Chameleons -- a fitting name for riders who consider themselves somewhere in between flexible and rigid. If the Arione Saddle looks a bit too long and narrow and the Aliante looks too deep and wide, then the Antares is likely the best choice for you.

But Fizik doesn't stop with just fit options. With its Versus channel design, the company also offers saddles for customers who want specific saddle shape choices plus a visible pressure relief zone. These saddles were developed with three key considerations in mind:

First, surface area was maintained so that Fizik's Versus saddles have the same surface area as their standard counterparts. Cutout designs decrease surface area by removing material, leaving you unsupported in key areas. Fizik Versus saddles ensure that weight-bearing tissue occupying the pressure relief channel receives the surface support it needs for optimum comfort and performance. Second, Versus saddles maintain structural rigidity by using the same base as Fizik's other road saddles. Cutout saddles have weaker bases and tend to flex and sag -- Versus saddles have no such issues. Lastly, Versus saddles use an optimized ergonomic channel shape to ensure relief. Cutout designs often have sharp edges that can add to the discomfort they are supposed to relieve.

The Fizik Antares Versus K:ium Saddle is made with K:ium rails and a nylon shell with carbon fiber reinforcement. The K:ium (rhymes with zoom) rails offer a better ride than standard titanium rails. They're 8% lighter, possess a greater strength to weight ratio, and damp more vibration. The saddle's low-density padding and microtex microfiber cover is comfortable, durable, and doesn't snag on shorts or bibs. It's available in White and measures 274mm long and 124mm at its widest point.