Selle Italia’s SLR has always been a cross-country racing favourite, thanks, pretty much completely, to its low weight. The X-Cross Flow thankfully isn’t quite as brutal as some of the really pared down SLRs, but it’s still a lightweight (185g) saddle happiest on an XC bike.
That said, don’t write it off if you’re a trail rider. The X-Cross is a comfortable perch, benefitting from extra padding over the regular SLR while titanium rails, and a light, flexible base that’s 30% carbon help keep your back-side inslated from high-frequency buzz. The sides of the SLR extend lower down than the High Tail, letting you comfortably grip the saddle with your thighs when the trail gets steep.
Whereas the High Tail had a wide central channel, there’s just a slight dip between where the sit bones rest on the SLR. However, there’s also a generous hole just further forward in the middle to relieve pressure.
Your sit bones perch on a textured section of the mid-width 131mm wide upper, there to give extra grip. It works well with bare lycra, but this benefit is lost when baggies are employed over the top, we found ourselves slipping round a bit more on the SLR. While the SLR is a comfy saddle, we found the WTB a touch comfier on longer rides.
Price 172$
