Italian saddle manufacturer Fizik has long been a popular choice with amateur and professional road cyclists alike, its Arione being one of the most instantly recognisable saddles on the market.

Some don’t get on with them however. Some people prefer their saddle with a recessed central groove, as made popular by the Specialized Body Geometry range. While Specialized uses a cutaway to achieve the desired effect, Fizik didn’t want to alter the structural integrity of its saddles and so opted for a recessed channel to achieve the same comfort benefit.

Jointly dubbed Versus, the Arione, Antares and Arione Gamma will each be available with an “ergonomic channel spanning the length of the saddle”. Everything else about the saddle remains the same. Currently the Versus editions use k:ium rails and fibre-reinforced Nylon shells, but expect carbon rail versions in the near future.

So if you’ve ever considered a Fizik but been put off by the lack of a recessed channel, take another look. More at www.fizik.it and available from www.extrauk.co.uk