Selle Italia has developed several of the most significant industry-driving cycling saddles of the last forty years. With respect to the Flite and Turbo saddles, the release of the SLR in 2000 was a game changer as bikes were going through drastic weight reduction and frame material revolutions. It started with aluminum and bonded carbon fiber, but carbon won out and came to dominate the industry across frames and components, as lighter weight, minimalist designs came to the fore. For saddles, SLR drove the inspiration of new designs, and Selle Italia even developed a whole series of saddles off the SLR standard. The SLR Titanium saddle is the original, and still the favorite, of thousands and thousands of cyclists. All the major brands started building their own lighter, more sculpted saddles, and that continues today. Now that is a revolution with meaningful impact.

Start with a minimal thought process. Add new technologies and materials. Throw in some Italian style. Okay, it was more formal than that, but the ingredients were there. A carbon composite shell, stiffer in the front and more ability to flex and break-in at the rear. Hollow titanium rails. A microfiber cover called Fibra-Tek that wears like leather but is water resistant and features perforated rows to reduce heat and friction. Minimal thickness, high-density padding. Sub 150 gram weight with a traditional 275mm length, but just a 131mm total width. Sleek, stylish, supportive, and built to complement and finish off complete bikes that challenge the UCI's weight limit. This is the SLR Titanium today, as it was in 2000.

A few notes about the fit and feel of the SLR. First, it generally favors sub 175lb riders with relatively narrow sit bone width. Second, it is not flat, but slightly curved, and as the rear shell breaks in, it conforms to your bone structure. It is not a great saddle if central saddle numbness is normally an issue for you. Heavier riders will break it in all too quickly. Remember, the SLR was designed for pro cyclists first and foremost. But if you prefer a narrower, lightweight saddle with minimal padding, you have to consider the SLR. We have customers who have been riding this design since it came out, mounting it on all their bikes, and replacing every couple of years. That level of loyalty and commitment is indicative of the relationship cyclists have with their SLR's, and how it changed the direction of saddle design.