Selle San Marco Shortfit Supercomfort Dynamic

Saddle expert Selle San Marco's Shortfit Supercomfort Dynamic Wide is one of the latest entrants into the stubby seat market and it is a good one too. I like the swooping shape and the extra width at the rear gives you a large platform from which to get the power down.

• Pros: Comfortable shape; supportive padding
• Cons: Nothing really stands out

Short saddles were once the preserve of time triallists, allowing them to get a more forward position over the bike when in the tri-bars without falling foul of the UCI's 5cm rule, relating to the distance between the nose of the saddle and the bottom bracket centre line.

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If you are a road racer, though, getting a more forward position when in the drops is also beneficial, which is why we've seen such an increase in brands offering them. And even if you're not racing, a shorter saddle nose can really add to the comfort levels. I've become a big convert to these shorter designs, and I got on especially well with the Shortfit.

To start with, it doesn't really feel like a short saddle, I think mostly down to that curved shape. A lot of these saddles feel like they've just had the nose cut off, but this one still seems to be totally in proportion.

The slightly dropped nose is unobtrusive, and the upwardly curved tail section and 144mm width gives you plenty of material to push back against when you are really driving the power down on a flat, fast section or for seated climbing.

Selle San Marco says the shape is suitable for both male and female riders.

The Biofoam padding is firm enough to really support you through the pedalling stroke, without about being too firm to take out the bumps and imperfections from the road. The cutout helps as well.

Overall, the quality is pretty decent and it is nicely finished, although some saddles we see at this price have an extra layer underneath to create a 'sandwich' of layers for neatness.

Saying that, though, it would add weight to what is a very svelte 191g – impressive for a saddle with manganese rails and a carbon fibre-reinforced nylon base.

Price-wise it's in the right ball park with other similar models such as the Specialized Power Export at £105.

The Syncros Tofino 1.0 is £129.99, £30 more expensive, but you are getting a full carbon shell and rails, although it doesn't make much difference to the weight, with it being just 7g lighter than the Shortfit.

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Overall I really rate the Selle San Marco. It's a decent balance of comfort and stiffness for support, with a shape that should suit many.

Verdict

Great shape with comfortable padding that should suit leisure riders as well as the racers