Purchased 12/21/08

Fizik Antares Saddle

• Cost: $199 MSRP
• Comfortable yet very light weight
• Natural Leather Seat Cover
• Made in Italy
• ICS bag compatible
• Weight: Claimed 175 grams. Actual: 177.

This is a review of the Fizik's latest saddle, the Antares. It's supposed to be the "third dimension" between Fizik's excellent Airone and Aliante. I'm not sure what the third dimension really means but what I discovered that it's really a comfortable alternative to minimalist saddles like the Selle Italia SLR.

I decided to compare the Antares not only to it's brethren but also to the Selle Italia SLR. Here's how they measured up:

Comparing the saddles

My first experience with Fizik saddles was the Airone. It's a great looking saddle that is much longer (25mm more than the Antares and SLR) than most saddles. I suppose this is to give you more freedom to move for/aft for spinning or pushing big gear. But despite it being the narrowest of the four--and with it's built in "wing flex", I've found that this saddle hits in the wrong places and is actually a bit of a disappointment; I tend to "get numb" when riding this saddle, especially when on the trainer. Lastly, the Airone isn't ICS compatible. ICS is Fizik's built-in adapter that allows you to clip in Fizik brand accessories like saddle bags and lights. The other two models are ICS compatible.

I purchased the Aliante about 9 months ago -- and found it to be the absolutely most comfortable saddle I've ever tried. I believe the secret to the Aliante's comfort is its suspension; the seat is suspended like a hammock. Notice the gold mesh in the picture above; it's essentially a fabric weave that allows floatation. The Airone and Antares have more traditional carbon shells (as does the SLR). The Aliante is supremely comfortable whether pushed back against the upraised back or pushed forward on the padded nose. With the Aliante, it feels like you sit "in" the saddle versus being perched "on" it. I can't say enough great things about the Aliante.

So how would the Antares fair? Oddly, the Antares is the widest of the bunch and slightly longer than the Aliante. It has a much slimmer profile and weighs a very respectable 177 grams (there is a carbon railed version with a claimed weight of 145 grams that costs $30 more). At first look, I thought it would mimic the feel of the Selle Italia SLR: ridable but not exactly comfortable. Amazingly, the Antares was fantastic. Despite it's slim profile, the padding is dense yet comfortable and it's width fully supports your sit bones. As with the Aliante, it was comfortable sitting toward the rear yet still offered enough padding in the nose for spinning up hills. The saddle was very comfortable over a 40+ mile ride, something I could never say about the Selle Italia SLR. I'm looking forward to trying this on my tri bike--as I the nose has more extension than the Aliante while also offering enough cushion for forward position aero-bar riding.

Overall, I still think the Aliante is the most comfortable road bike saddle--ever. The Antares is my second favorite saddle -- a lightweight alternative for the weight weenie crowd that might even prove to be a good solution for triathlons and time trials. I'll update this review when I've spent some time on the tri bike with it.

Value: 4 stars (50$ less than the Aliante)
Overall: 4.5 stars