Selle Italia

SLR Tekno Saddle

Carbon fiber saddles have been around for a while, but they typically belong on ultra-light wall-art builds, rather than a bike that sees dozens of rides a year. Why? Because they have a track record of favoring light weights over comfort. Selle Italia took this as a challenge, and delivered the SLR Tekno Saddle as a result. Building on the same shape that's popularized the SLR, the Tekno incorporates a flexible carbon fiber shell that yields a surprising degree of comfort. Even better, Selle Italia managed this at a weight that's sub-100 grams.

The SLR Tekno takes the classic SLR shape, but does away with padding in favor of a lightweight carbon fiber shell. And despite its intimidating appearance, you'll find that it's far from being a rock-hard torture device. Instead, the SLR Tekno is actually quite comfortable, especially when paired with your favorite chamois. Granted, it's not the right choice for loaded touring or casual cyclists. But, for those of us whose backsides have been hardened by thousands of miles of pedaling, the feel is not dissimilar from the original SLR, if slightly more Spartan. The carbon fiber shell has the added benefit of enabling your shorts to slide by with nary a snag, which minimizes chafing—arguably the largest source of saddle-area discomfort. And while the original SLR is admittedly lightweight, the Tekno version drops the weight to a around 95 grams. Yes, that is indeed crazy-light, especially for a saddle that's intended to be ridden day-in and day-out.

The carbon fiber shell isn't the only factor in the Tekno's incredible weight. The solid carbon fiber rails are not only svelte, but strong. Better yet, they provide a degree of vibration damping, which reduces the harsh road chatter that leads to both numbness or discomfort.