Fizik Antares R5 Kium

Fizik's Antares R5 Kium Road Saddle is surprisingly comfortable for speed-orientated road riding, and the build quality is top-notch.

The Antares R5 sits in Fizik's Chameleon family of contact points. This is the mid-point of a three-category range created according to different levels of rider flexibility, which also includes handlebars (the other two are Snake/flexible and Bull/rigid). It's 275mm long and 142mm wide and Fizik describes its shape as 'wide and slightly curved in profile, which is ideal for riders with medium spine flexibility'.

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The shell is a carbon/nylon reinforced composite – much like you'd find in race shoe soles. It incorporates 'Wing-Flex technology', which refers to the sides that theoretically yield to prevent chafing under effort. This is thinly padded and topped off with a synthetic and seemingly hardwearing Microtex leatherette cover.

Continuing the lightweight, springy theme are Kium rails, another clever composite in-house titanium alloy. I'm used to titanium being matt grey, so the rich lustre with lazer-etched detailing for easy alignment initially threw me off the scent. Following the trend for integration, these are fully compatible with Fizik's clip system range of accessories.

For the most part the saddle lives up to the hype. My Holdsworth TT build usually sports a 143mm Specialized Toupe, so was an obvious candidate. Swapping over to the Antares also shaved a few grams.

Coming from the Specialized, the Fizik felt a little harsh to begin with, though several 20-mile outings later and, for the most part, any reservations largely evaporated.

Hunkered low on said machine's pursuit bars and concentrating on maintaining 100rpm throughout, the subtle flex from the sides genuinely seemed to improve comfort. This compensated for the thin-pile padding, which led to some saddle sores with low-rent shorts. Reverting to mid/higher end garments addressed this, regardless of machine or road surface quality.

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The Microtex cover's texture strikes just the right balance, allowing easy, intentional movements without constantly slipping around, or feeling like you're attached to a strip of flypaper. That said, 70-mile rides are pretty much my limit on minimalist designs, even allowing for those flexible sides and springy hollow rails.

Despite regularly being leant against walls and the like, the saddle seems pretty rugged, showing no signs of distress.

When all's said and done, contact points are incredibly personal, so comfort is always subjective. The Antares isn't outlandishly expensive given the specifications, and I'd recommend taking a closer look if you were seeking to shave a few grams from a race/TT bike. However, for me at least, there are better options for endurance events.

Verdict

Impressive lightweight saddle for racers and middle distance riders looking to shave a few grams