Fizik launches Team Edition Aliante saddles

Fizik has launched a collection of team edition Aliante saddles, available in AG2R La Mondial, BMC Racing Team, Cannondale-Garmin, FDJ, Movistar, Orica - GreenEDGE and Team Sky colours.

The Italian saddle manufacturer sponsors a lot of the WorldTour teams, and has in the past celebrated this fact with limited edition saddles, most recently in the 2013 Giro d’Italia with the Arione R3.

This latest collection of saddles uses the new Aliante, an update of its long-running saddle launched at the end of last year. The new saddle ushers in an updated appearance but the fundamental shape of the saddle remains exactly the same as the previous version. Fizik says the Aliante has been a favourite of pros an amateurs for the last 16 years.

As well as the new colours, the Team Edition Aliante is supplied with three pairs of the reinforced scuffguards, which are easily detachable, allowing further customisation. With the seven team saddle colours and nine scuffguard colours, Fizik reckons there’s a total of 63 different possible colour combinations.

The new collection uses the Fizik R3 K:ium model, which combines a composite fibreglass/nylon shell with k:ium alloy rails. The shell features a Microtex cover with Twin Flex technology to provide extra comfort.

You can read all about the newly updated Aliante saddle in this article. To recap, it retains the same shape as the original, but has a fresh new look and is now lighter, the lightest carbon version is just 185g. Fizik reckon that despite the visual changes, the shape and curve of the saddle is the same, such that you wouldn’t notice the difference if you switched from the current Aliante to the new model. That’s good news if you’re an Aliante fan and do want to upgrade to this new saddle.

The Team Edition Aliante will set you back €179.99 - no UK price has been confirmed yet. www.fizik.it

Wondering which pro riders use the Aliante? Fizik has helpfully supplied this list:

AG2R’s Carlos Alberto Betancur, Gediminas Bagondas, Pierre-Roger Latour, Maxime Daniel, Ben Gastauer, Sebastien Turgot

BMC’s Ben Hermans, Klaas Lodewyck, Amaël Moinard, Daniel Oss, Taylor Phinney, Manuel Quinziato, Tejay Van Garderen Peter Velits, Danilo Wyss and Rik Zabel

Cannondale-Garmin’s  Alan Marangoni, Dylan Van Baarle, Andrè Cardoso, Tom Danielson, Joe Dombrowski,Sebastian Langeveld, Andrew Talansky

Orica GreenEDGE’s Jens Keukeleire and Brett Lancaster

FDJ’s William Bonnet, Mickael Delage, Anthony Geslin, Matthieu Ladagnous, Pierre Henry Lecuisinier, Francis Mourey and Benoit Vaugrenard

Movistar’s Andrey Amador, Winner Anacona, Ruben Fernandez, John Gadret, Gorka Izaguirre, Ion Izaguirre, Javi Moren

Team Sky’s Ian Boswell, Philip Deignan, Berhard Eisel, Andrew Fenn and Richie Porte