There are people, and we count ourselves among them, who like a saddle that is small and thin, but has enough curve to hold us in place. Sitting on the thin side of a two by four has never been confidence-inspiring, and sinking into a La-Z-Boy has led to saddle sores. The curve of the saddle is where we like to sit and rarely do we move, unless the conditions go extreme.

The Fizik Aliante Gamma XM is our kind of saddle. Our cheeks know where they go and they stay put. And when we need to slide forward for those 20% uphill grinds, there's a little extra cush up front. The Microtex covering is perforated in the middle--seems like it should be grabbing our shorts a bit, the better for staying in place. As can be seen in the picture, there is Technogel on the nose. The writing is laser-etched into the covering, so it's neither fading nor wearing off over time. Underneath the covering, there is a long dollop of Technogel to keep the saddle in contact with the body.

Underneath the cover and the padding is a TwinFlex shell. It's just like their well-known WingFlex, but totally different. The concept is the same; they use an Aramid fabric to suspend parts of the shell so they are both separate and together. The result is the shell flexes better. But instead of doing it on the sides, the TwinFlex has the Aramid fabric running lengthwise down the middle so the shell flexes more in the middle. It's softer than a full-on plastic shell, but stiffer than a saddle with a cutout.

Fizik says the Aliante Gamma XM saddle is so noted because it's more cross mountain than the road. The saddle has Cordura bumpers on the side and back for protection in crashes.

The Fizik Aliante Gamma XM saddle is 265mm long. It is 142mm wide at its widest. The XM version is both flatter and a bit wider than the classic Aliante. The covering is Microtex, with Cordura bumpers. There is Technogel in the nose. The rails are made of K:ium (pronounced "Koom," rhymes with zoom), a high-end steel alloy that is 8% lighter than titanium and equal in strength. The rails are marked with numeric and line gradations for more accurate adjusting. Choose between Perforated Black or Perforated White. The weight is 259g.