Bicycle saddles have benefited from additive manufacturing or 3D printing like no other area of the industry. Because of the way padding density can be infinitely graduated and even customised for individual posteriors so that every bone in your behind is perfectly supported, there isn’t a major saddle manufacturer that hasn’t launched ever more sophisticated 3D-printed versions of the top saddles in its range. The ‘traditional’ type of saddle made up of a shell, EVA foam padding and a cover was starting to look like yesterday’s tech – until two of the biggest names, Fizik and Prologo, this week launched new models with the message that progress doesn’t always have to come from a printer. Gains can be found by stripping things back, revisiting proven ideas and refining tech that had already been validated in the pro peloton long before the advent of additive manufacturing.
First up, Fizik has just launched a new R1 Light range of three saddles that it says are 17 per cent lighter than the equivalent standard R1-level models. They’re also lighter than their 3D-printed full-carbon ‘Adaptive’ counterparts, which can cost twice as much.
Brand manager Alex Locatelli explains: “The R1 Light range represents a combination of our leading performance technologies to make a new line of saddles that is perfect for any use case. We set out to offer high performance made traditionally, which combines decades of our experience in the saddle space.”
The weight reduction comes from a new R1 Light architecture that Fizik combines a carbon-reinforced nylon shell with ultra-stiff carbon rails for a responsive, lightweight platform. There’s raw EVA padding for low-profile, reactive cushioning that maintains comfort and support without sacrificing the ergonomic shape or increasing thickness. The result is: “The bare essentials… nothing you don’t need. A saddle that reduces weight without compromise – ideal for long, fast days on the saddle.”
Rather than introducing a brand new shape, Fizik has applied R1 Light architecture to three of its best-known models. The Tempo Aliante R1 Light revisits the waved endurance-orientated profile that earned the original version, launched in 2003, its French nickname Le Sofa. The R1 Light version in its 145mm width weighs 144g and the 155mm weighs 148g. The SRP is £199. The equivalent weights of the 3D-printed Tempo Aliante R1 Adaptive are 196g and 201g and the SRP £299.
At the sharper end is the Vento Argo R1 Light. The Argo has become Fizik’s most versatile platform for different riding styles, but is aimed at race bikes with aggressive geometry. It’s lighter than the Vento Argo 00 Adaptive and has an SRP of $199, like all three of the R1 Light models, compared with £399.
Completing the trio is the Vento Antares R1 Light, a saddle that’s appeared in nearly every Grand Tour of the past two decades, earning top podium spots in the Tour de France, the Giro, and the Vuelta over and over again. According to Fizik, it’s only only getting better with age. The new R1 light Antares features the same streamlined shape with its tapered nose-to-wing transition, paired with lightweight raw EVA padding and carbon rails for responsiveness and low weight – again, much lighter (by 58g) and much lower priced than the Antares R1 Adaptive.
Fizik Vento Argo R1 Light
- 140mm - 149g
- 150mm - 154g
- €199.00/$229,99/£199,99
Fizik Vento Antares R1 Light
- 140mm - 122g
- 150mm - 1238g
- €199.00/$229,99/£199,99
Fizik Tempo Aliante R1 Light
- 145mm - 144g
- 155mm - 148g
- €199.00/$229,99/£199,99
Visit Fizik's website for all the information
Prologo: patented CPC tech for Nago and Dimension
While Fizik’s solution is minimalism and low weight, Prologo is focusing on texture and control. This Italian brand’s latest launch – also new versions of three existing models – expands the use of its patented CPC (Connect Power Control) technology.
CPC is a series of small, conical polymer elements that sit proud of the saddle surface, creating a tactile interface between rider and bike. It is a 3D structure, but crucially not a 3D-printed one – Prologo calls it “the real 3D”. Instead, it is moulded from a proprietary polymer and bonded to more traditional saddle constructions.
In Prologo’s words, CPC is “based on a special 3D conical polymer that significantly increases the absorption of vibrations and shocks, while ensuring maximum stability on the saddle and eliminating slipping in all weather conditions. Thanks to its nanostructure, CPC technology also helps reduce muscle fatigue and promote airflow, lowering the temperature in the contact area.”
The technology has already been seen on the Scratch M5 CPC, used by WorldTour riders, but its expansion to other shapes completes the range. With the Nago R4 CPC, Prologo brings CPC to a semi-round, T-shaped saddle that has long been one of its bestsellers.
Compact at 245mm long and 137mm wide, the Nago R4 is offered in two distinct versions. The PAS model features Prologo’s Perineal Area System cut-out, designed to reduce pressure peaks in sensitive areas. The closed version uses the Active Base system, favouring a larger support surface and more even pressure distribution. Both are lightweight starting at 159g with Nack carbon rails.
Alongside the two Nago R4s is the new Dimension R2 CPC, a flat saddle aimed at riders who prefer a more aggressive but stable position. Like the Nago, it uses a PAS central cut-out and is available with either carbon Nack rails or alloy Tirox rails.
The new CPC saddles, available with Nack rails (nano carbon fibre) or Tirox rails (light alloy steel), can be purchased on Prologo's website and through selected Prologo authorized dealers, at a recommended retail price of €269 with Nack rails and €169 with Tirox rails (UK prices below).
The Dimension R2 CPC is available in white and anthracite colour options, while the Nago R4 CPC is offered in black or white.
Prologo Nago R4 PAS CPC
- Dimensions: 245 x 137mm
- Shape: Semi-round
- Weight with Nack rails: 159g
- Weight with Tirox rails: 201g
- Rail Ø: Nack 7 x 9.3mm; Tirox 7mm
- £234 Nack/£147 Tirox
Prologo Nago R4 CPC
- Dimensions: 245 x 137mm
- Shape: Semi-round
- Weight with Nack rails: 162g
- Weight with Tirox rails: 203g
- Rail Ø: Nack 7 x 9.3mm; Tirox 7mm
- £234 Nack/£147 Tirox
Prologo Dimension R2 CPC
- Dimensions: 245 x 143mm
- Shape: Flat
- Weight with Nack rails: 161g
- Weight with Tirox rails: 200g
- Rail Ø: Nack 7 x 9.3 mm; Tirox 7mm
- £234 Nack/£147 Tirox
Visit Prologo's website for more information.
Together, these launches might suggest the start of a pushback against the current obsession with 3D printing, but it’s worth highlighting that both Fizik and Prologo are continuing with the tech – and expanding it – elsewhere in their ranges. But here, the emphasis is not even on trickling down the latest tech – it’s on evolution rather than revolution. Fizik is confident that its classic shapes, now refined with lighter materials, are still relevant at the highest level while Prologo believes that the benefits of its tactile, grippy interface can deliver gains beyond what the increasingly ubiquitous black lattice can offer.
