Selle Italia Flite Gel Flow Review

Comfort

The Flite Gel Flow is a very comfortable saddle. It offers generous padding, some of the thickest of any of our test saddles. The leather cover allows for easy movement. A full anatomical cutout provides pressure relief to sensitive areas. At 130mm in width, it is somewhat narrow. This was the only area that brought its overall comfort score down. Most of our testers preferred a slightly wider saddle such as the Phenom or the Top Pick Fabric Scoop.

Performance

Overall we found the performance of the Flite Gel Flow to be very good. It does allow the rider to get into an aggressive position, and the anatomical cutout relieves pressure when down in the drops on a road bike. The Flite Gel Flow has very thick padding, which we found to be a bit of a performance determent, especially while climbing. There is a fine line between too much and too little padding when it comes to high-performance saddles, and we feel that the Flite Gel Flow has a bit too much as compared to a saddle such as the Specialized Phenom that strikes the perfect balance.

Versatility

The Flite Gel Flow is a versatile saddle, excellent for road, mountain, and cyclocross use. We even liked it for commuting duties where its thick padding becomes more of an attribute than a detriment. The only feature that detracts from its versatility is the cutout, which allows mud and water thrown from the wheel a direct path to the shorts. But this is a drawback of any saddle with a cutout.

Durability

We generally ding saddles with exposed seams, especially on the top or sides of the saddle where they are exposed to the most abrasion from rider movement. Despite the exposed seams, the Flite Gel Flow has proven to be very durable, even with an extended stay on the cyclocross bike where it was regularly exposed to sand, water, and mud. Lack of side bumpers, or at least a tougher material on the sides like the Specialized Phenom, kept it from the highest rating.

Weight

At 229g the Flite Gel Flow is among the lightweights of our test group. It benefits from titanium rails, and if it were not for the heavy padding it would likely tip the scales closer to 200g. Regardless, it makes the cut as a featherweight racing saddle.

Best Application

Selle Italia markets this saddle for road racing, and it shines as a racing saddle while offering substantial comfort in the way of thick padding. We also like it on the mountain bike and cyclocross rig. If using it for off-road pursuits, keep in mind that it does not offer scuff guards and may show some abrasion if it makes contact with a rocky trail. In addition, if you live or race in a wet muddy area, the cutout will allow mud and water direct access to your shorts, which will shorten their lifespan.

Value