I’m probably more of a ‘chameleon’ than a ‘snake’ when it comes to Fizik saddles, to use the Italian manufacturer’s own jargon.
I generally prefer Fizik’s Antares over the Arione model. Indeed, a carbon-railed Antares 00 is the new perch of choice on the Test Rig, taking over duties from a Specialized Toupe.
However, I have been very happy on an Arione in the past, on an old race bike, so I was more than happy to test the Italian company’s new flagship model: the Arione 00.
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For a detailed description of the saddle’s features, read our ‘first look‘ article. Here we’ll focus on it’s performance, comfort, and appearance.
Let’s start with the aesthetics. The Arione 00 is a beautiful object, in my view. Saddles can often look like ugly appendages on top of beautiful machines. Not so with the Arione 00, whose almost aptly-named mobius rails and carbon base are very close to modern sculpture. This is a seriously elegant perch.
It is also a seriously pricey one, costing just one less than three hundred of your hard-earned pounds. In fairness to Fizik, they make no bones about the fact that the 00 is designed for professionals, and I guess is therefore more likely to be seen on a sponsored rider’s rig than your average race bike. Such items are known in the trade as ‘halo’ products: ones whose influence is expected to radiate beyond a limited commercial impact.
That, however, is something of a shame as a beautiful bike needs a beautiful saddle. However, the curse of saddles is that they have to suit you, or at least be a little comfortable so you can, metaphorically speaking, wear yourself and the saddle into each other. Fortunately, in this case I found the Arione 00 rather comfy; indeed it has been out on pretty much every long winter ride I have completed since the start of December.
I’d imagined that the Arione 00 in this minimal, 135 gram form would be unforgiving, but I was proved wrong. The composite carbon shell and the now-familiar Wing Flex moniker given to the design worked extremely well in providing a firm but well-damped platform for my sit bones over potholed and roughly surfaced country lanes.
The twin-finish microtex material seems resistant to abrasion and is the right side of grippy; you can sit comfortably without sliding around, but can also move forward or back easily without rising from the saddle.
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The yellow stripe on the black version marking it out as the top of the range 00 is a subtle flash and will no doubt work with pretty much any machine. The white saddle comes with a black stripe and will look a little more ‘bling’ on your ride if that is what you crave.
The composite carbon shell seems to flex a little more readily than my Antares’ Rilsan Carbon Reinforced shell, but is certainly robust. I did notice the saddle a little more with certain shorts on, and found that some pairs, specifically those with a slightly smaller chamois, were a little less comfortable.
There is a natural and interesting correlation between saddle and chamois selection, which should be considered alongside Fizik’s own indications for rider flexibility. The upshot? If you do feel the need to splash £300 on a beautiful saddle, see if you can get a test version first, and make sure you are in your favourite bibs. If you get a good match, then go for it – this is a beautiful object.