The Max SLR Gel Flow is 280mm long, 150mm wide and weighs a reasonable 259g. The shell is made from 10 percent carbon composite, and the rails are Vanox – steel alloyed with vanadium; lighter than standard steel, cheaper than titanium.
The perforated artificial leather cover is stretched over gel inserts of differing firmnesses, and there's a 14cm cutaway down the centre of the saddle. This keeps weight down and successfully relieves any pressure on your more delicate parts.
The split carcass reduces the saddle’s stiffness, improving comfort, and there are also elastomers between the rails and base to dampen road buzz. But the nose is quite firm, and doesn’t suit a very aggressive riding position. All in all, though, the SLR proved ideal for day-long training rides.
There's no guarantee that even a supposedly ‘great’ saddle will work for you, which is why Selle Italia offer their IDMatch saddle fitting service at some of their retailers. This measures your posterior, comes up with your ideal saddle and you have the reassurance of a 30-day money-back guarantee.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.