Selle Italia Novus Boost Kit Carbonio Superflow saddle

The Selle Italia Novus Boost Kit Carbonio Superflow is an incredibly comfortable and strong performing saddle, but this high quality and performance comes at a price.

• Pros: Comfort, versatility, good for power transfer
• Cons: Expensive

I had the 2015 version of the Novus Carbonio Superflow on my best bike for a few years – until I overtightened the clamp and damaged the rails. It was perhaps my favourite saddle of the past few years, so I was really excited to try out the new 2018 version.

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As with all saddles, and therefore saddle reviews, the caveat is that everyone is different, so what I find comfortable or uncomfortable might not be the same for you. It's always best to try a saddle before you buy if you can; Selle Italia, for instance, often gives its stockists a set of tester saddles so you can make sure the saddle is right before you part with any money.

If you're familiar with the previous version, the first thing you notice about the new Novus Boost Kit Carbonio Superflow is that it is shorter, by 22mm. The old version was 278mm long, the new is 256mm. This reduction in length is something we've seen on a few saddles recently. The idea comes from time trial saddles, where they allow for a more aggressive racing position but also for more traditional road riding positions. This is definitely the case with this saddle: I found that I could get lower over the bars as a result, but without really impacting on comfort in more conventional riding positions.

Selle Italia has used the bevelled tip that has become so popular in TT saddles. It has to some extent been present on previous models of the saddle, but is certainly more pronounced in this version. This is another element that helps with the ability to adopt several different positions on the saddle without issue.

This is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable saddles I've used, which is not surprising given that its shape is very similar to the previous model which I got on so well with. It's helped by the oversized cutout, which reduces pressure on the perineum, and the multi-density padding used throughout. I used this on several three-hour-plus rides and found it perfectly comfortable.

Construction is a carbon fibre shell with Carbo Keramic rails (carbon with a ceramic coating), which provides a stiff and strong platform for excellent power transfer through the pedals. I couldn't identify any flex during seated efforts, even when I was really putting the hammer down on tough climbs.

The upper is covered in a material called FibraTek, which seems durable and likely to stand up to the worst you can throw at it. There is also a faux suede/nubuk used at the back of the saddle, which gives a little more purchase when you're sitting further back and looks quite nice too. Elsewhere, perforated areas help to dissipate heat and add grip.

The saddle isn't designed for weight weenies, but the 183g isn't too bad, and it's 14g lighter than the previous model. The Prologo Scratch 2 CPC (£249.99) comes in at a claimed 187g and the Astute Skylite Taca VT (£190) is a claimed 160g, so there is no doubt you can find lighter saddles around this price, but do they offer the same comfort?

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RRP on the saddle is £219.99 which is undoubtedly steep, although if it's comfortable and you can afford it... We've reviewed saddles on road.cc costing over £300, so you can certainly pay more. One cheaper, slightly heavier alternative is the Selle San Marco ShortFit-C Racing Saddle at £114.99. I reviewed the 'non-C' £134.99 Shortfit, but didn't find it as comfortable on long rides as the Novus Boost.

Having been such a fan of the last version of this saddle I was doubtful Selle Italia could do much to improve it, but the shortening and slight change in the tip has had a great impact. It gives it considerably more flexibility in positioning on the bike without impacting comfort on longer, more relaxed rides. The stiffness means the saddle is good for performance riding too. However, this quality does come at a price that may put it out of the reach of many.

I tested the 146mm wide L3 version; it's also available in a 135mm (S3) width.

Verdict

An impressively comfortable and durable saddle, but it comes at a high price