General Cycling Discussion - Which of these Selle Italia saddles would you choose, and why?

I'm in the market for a Selle Italia saddle and I've narrowed it down to 3 choices -- mainly because these three are reasonably priced and for sale locally. My bike is navy metallic with white wheels, tape, and pedals. It also has a black crank and seatpost.

I apologize in advance for the pictures' inconsistent sizing.

There's the SLK Gel Flow:
http://www.cyclingbargains.com/images/products/p1336.jpg

The SMP TRK:
http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/joint/cabinet/saddle/sdl-smp-strk-1.jpg

And the SL:
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/content/images/thumbs/0005118_selle_italia_sl_xc_saddle_1.jpeg

The trk needs a little viagra.

just on a visual basis, I like the slk and the sl. I still think the dipped nose on the trk looks funny. The Gel is probably heavier than the SL, so I say the SL... if it came in black. Does that help :p

You will be getting many more comments about "choose the one that fits..."

I'm more curious to know if any of you guys have tried them.

I rode on the SLK a few years ago. It was ok. Then I discovered Specialized saddles. I've had a Phenom on my Litespeed since April 2010 and a Toupé Expert on my Felt since I bought it last October.

It would probably work better for you to try each of the saddles to see which you like the most. Many shops have test saddles you can ride for a while to help you decide.

The Turbo is still on my bike, now they revived it again,
though mine is from the 80's..
the new ones use Lorica Pleather and Ti rails.

these seem to be suede leather steel rail

http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=39808&category=155

the TRK looks like they had hanging it over the rack for the triathlon transition, in mind..

Unfortunately, I can't try any of these saddles before I buy them.
My bike build isn't complete yet, and these are all for sale through local classified ads.

Ok, I have tried The SLK and the SL. I have a SL in my parts box somewhere. The SLK seemed better to me but I ended up getting a Selle Italia Gel flow Max. Still with some tinkering the SLK might work. The Sl was a 30-40 mile saddle. The SMP TRx is another story. It starts out as comfortable as a SMP Strike Glider or Pro but it is way softer and wider. The object of the dropped nose is so you don't catch your bibs or shorts on the nose when you remount from a stop. But being wide a soft the TRX is more of a hybrid saddle rather than a drop bar. You didn't say what kind of bike you were riding or going to ride. On drop bar you need a narrow nose on the saddle on something more upright you can get away from the narrow nose. I have a SMP Glider on my Backup Klein.

^That's the most helpful post I've seen thus far. It's a drop bar, fixed gear road bike.
I thought the SMP was to alleviate some pressure on your pubic bone for longer rides, and to help with circulation.
If the SLK is a gel flow, I'm assuming that would be the one you recommend?

compatibility with how it will fit on your seat post is an unknown ..

low profile clamping mech ? race face has one of the better designs.
IMHO, etc.

I'd still say go test ride saddles rather than blindly buy a $200 mystery.

Montreal has several bike shops, I expect..

Are you male or female?

My bike is navy metallic with white wheels, tape, and pedals. It also has a black crank and seatpost.

Change the black crank to a polished silver, that will make your choice of saddles more comfortable. :D

^That's the most helpful post I've seen thus far. It's a drop bar, fixed gear road bike.
I thought the SMP was to alleviate some pressure on your pubic bone for longer rides, and to help with circulation.
If the SLK is a gel flow, I'm assuming that would be the one you recommend?

If the SLK fits your sit bones yes, of the three I think that one has the most posibilities. If you toss in a SMP Glider or SMP Pro I would go with the SMP but they are a bunch more expensive. Lots of padding seems logical but it isn't because over distance it compresses and changes how it feels. The SLK was a nice saddle, but only if it feels right to your sit bones. The design of the SMP was specifically for the relief of Perenium pressure and for that nothing works much better. The one TRX was designed for a more upright comfort.

I'm more curious to know if any of you guys have tried them.


How do they feel when YOU ride them?

And what type of saddles generally tend to work for you? What shape? Size?

Stella Italia and Stella SMP are two different companies.

Stella Italia is coming out with their new measuring device to figure out which Stella Italia saddle works for you. I think the release date is around February 2013. Local dealers will be trained in this new measuring device. I had it done by the Stella Italia technician recently. I think its more accurate than the way the Specialized stores are doing it.

It is different for everyone. I usually like saddles with a large surface in the back to accomodate my wide sitbones (do not mistake this for someone having to be large or have a big behind), and I often prefer saddles that are relatively flat (with some exceptions, like the Fizik aliante). That said, I would go with the SL.

I am looking at this from the perspective of a roadie who is sometimes in the saddle for 5+ hours. You may have other things you are looking for..

If the longest ride is 5 miles, it's not as crucial probably as it is for other people.

the cat on the keyboard , is confusing the issue with the Belgian Beer
company that Bought out US Budweiser ..

Selle, not Stella

Alright so based on my dealings with the sellers on these ads, and what I've learned about the saddles, I've narrowed it down.
The Selle SMP saddle, while being very nice and comfortable, is also very very heavy, at 395g.
The white Selle Italia SL just isn't what I expect, so scratch that one out!

I think I'll be going with the SLK Gel Flow. It would fit perfectly with my narrower sit bones, being only 135mm wide, and weighs only 240g.
Needless to say, I still haven't seen it in person, so my opinion of it may change entirely -- putting me back to square one.

What type of cycling do you do?

What does your current saddle look like? What do you like about it, or dislike about it?

the cat on the keyboard , is confusing the issue with the Belgian Beer
company that Bought out US Budweiser ..

Selle, not Stella

I once met a girl named Stella and that name somehow stays with me.

What type of cycling do you do?

What does your current saddle look like? What do you like about it, or dislike about it?

Will there ever be a fit system for saddles?