Fizik road saddle shapes explained

If you’re interested in having one of Fizik’s saddles on your bike then you first need to read this. Our guide explains what the different shapes of Fizik saddles are all about and who each shape is designed for.

Fizik give you a lot of choice. Sometimes a vast amount of choice can be confusing. We currently have 46 different Fizik road saddles in our Fizik road saddle section. Forty six!

The good news is that there’s only really three main saddle shapes that you have to choose from. These shapes are: Arione, Aliante and Antares.

So how do we end up with 46 saddles listed? Basically you can get each of the above three shapes with a multitude of differing rail and shell materials (which we’ll go into in our next blog).

There are two other shapes but they’re rather niche and specific: the Tritone is for time trialists and triathletes, the Volta is for retro enthusiasts or riders who simply don’t get along with 21st century saddle shapes.

The Fizik Arione

Fizik’s breakthrough saddle. Very popular among racers of all levels. Very long (300mm), flattish top, yet narrow. The idea is to offer a multitude of sitting positions along the saddle’s length. Cruising, climbing, descending, aerotucking… you name it, you should be able to find a suitable place on the saddle to sit. Wide of nose. The extended tail seemingly serves little purpose apart from protecting your chamois from a bit of road spray, which is nice.

Who’s it for? Snake-hipped racers.

The Fizik Aliante

If the Arione is for racers, the Aliante is for riders. With its curvy shape, generous padding and kicked-up rear tail it’s a saddle for those who ride at a less full-on pace. It’s more about endurance and distance than speed. It’s also for those of us who have wider sit bones. As such it makes an excellent crossover choice for a lot of female cyclists.

Who’s it for? Long distance riders.

The Fizik Antares

After a few years of having the choice of Aliante or Arione, Fizik came out with a saddle that fitted in the middle of those two. Found the Arione too narrow but the Aliante too curvy? Try the Antares. Found the Aliante too padded but the Arione too harsh? Try the Antares. We hesitate to say the dreaded S word but the Aliante is an ideal Sportive saddle.

Who’s it for? Performance minded all-rounders.

The Fizik Tritone

For triathletes and time triallists. The lack of a nose is to relieve the excess pressure on your ‘delicate areas’ that you can experience when in extreme aerodynamic riding positions for extended periods. No more distracting genital numbness. The bracket on the back is for holding bottle cages, CO2 cannisters and an inner tube. The funny hook under the snub nose is for making triathlon transitions a bit easier.

Who’s it for? Time triallists and triathletes.

The Fizik Volta

A modern retro saddle(!) The ‘fanned U’ shape is very reminiscent of 70s and 80s saddles like the San Marco Rolls as well as still-going old skool classics like the Brooks B17. The Volta is markedly narrower than those though. And loads lighter. The Volta is a bit of an oddball but if you’ve tried loads of different modern saddle shapes without finding a comfy one, you should contemplate a Fizik Volta.

Who’s it for? Riders who don’t get along with modern saddle shapes.

What’s next?

Once you’ve chosen you’re desired shape you need to choose which particular version of that shape to go for. Browse our Fizik road saddle page and pluck out a shortlist. Keep an eye out for our next blog all about Fizik’s rails, shells and padding options.