Saddles

Fizik Arione R3 saddle

There's a reason Fizik saddle are so popular with the pros

Walk around the paddock before any WorldTour race and you won’t have to go far before you spot a Fizik saddle. And another. And another. The Italian brand’s saddles are a popular choice of perch among the pros and, while one man’s throne will be another’s bed of thorns, when so many riders opt for the same brand, it tells you a lot about their quality.

Sir Bradley Wiggins, Nairo Quintana, Mark Cavendish, Chris Froome, Cadel Evans, Vincenzo Nibali… the list of pros to have planted their behinds on a Fizik saddle equates to an illustrious clientele. And it’s worth noting not all of those did so while riding for a Fizik-sponsored team.

Part of their appeal is the fact there really is something for everyone in the range. The Fizik Arione R3 Regular is our choice of saddle here but if you need it wider or lighter or more padded or a totally different profile, then Fizik have you covered.

Fizik’s inclusion in the RCUK 100, in truth, needs no justification, but why the Arione R3 Regular over their other saddles you ask? Well, that’s where it gets personal – it’s a saddle we find very comfortable.

First launched at Eurobike in 2012, the Arione R3 Regular sits third in the four-tier Arione road range, which means you get a fibreglass-composite base and K:ium rails for a total weight of 185g.

Fizik use their ‘Spine Concept’ to match riders to the right saddle shape, with a separate system for men, women and triathletes.

First, you need to find whether you’re a Snake, Chameleon or a Bull. Snakes have high flexibility and no pelvic rotation while pedalling (like Wiggins, for example) and need a flat saddle; Bulls are the exact opposite and require a curved profile; and Chameleons have medium flexibility and low pelvic rotation (e.g. Quintana) and need something in between.

In essence, the Arione here is for Snakes, while Fizik’s Antares is for Chameleons and the Aliante is for the Bulls.

Fizik Arione R3

Once you’ve determined your saddle shape, you then use your body weight and power output to find the ideal saddle size (the 130mm regular or the wider 142mm). And then you can pick your saddle, with the R3, as we mentioned, third-top in range. The R1 and 00 above it use lighter and more expensive materials, while the more affordable Classic sits below it.

You can customise things further with the Versus range, which features a pressure relief channel, and the Race Edition line-up, celebrating some of the biggest races on the calendar.

And there you have it, your perfect saddle and your name on a client list already containing some of the greatest riders in professional road cycling. After all, if a Fizik saddle has been good enough for every Tour de France winner since 2011…