In the world of high-end modern saddles, innovation is now centered around 3D printing. This doesn’t necessarily mean 3D-printed saddles are the most popular. They still represent a very small portion of the market, largely due to pricing. Pricing is indicative of the newness of 3D-printed production. But if you put the cost aside, it is this tiny part of the market which drives innovation.
Selle San Marco shortfit 2.0 3D Racing Saddle Tech Specifications
Price: £319.99 / $379.90
Length: 255 mm
Width: 140 mm
Weight: Measured at 220g
Rail: Round stainless steel
Selle San Marco is the latest to offer 3D-printed saddles. The brand introduced the Shortfit 2 3D Racing Saddle in November last year as a top-of-the line option to the Shortfit 2 saddles. The two choices are based on rail shapes, overall weight, and your personal preference. They are both just now becoming available. Recently, while testing the stainless rails I took the option with the steel on a road trip in California. FSA K-Force We 12s Groupset It’s time to tell you more about it. You might want to consider buying a new seat this summer. Read on to learn if Selle San Marco Shortfit 2.0 3D Racing is the right choice for you.
Design and aesthetics
Selle San Marco was not the first company to introduce a saddle made from 3D printing. Fizik has already released second-generation saddles, and Specialized is not far behind. It’s not like 3D printing is a new process. Selle San Marco, like others before it, uses the Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) process from Californian company ‘Carbon.
DLS is different from 3D printers in several important ways. DLS begins by shinning UV light at liquids through a “dead zone” instead of layering physical materials. The light causes the liquid to layer and as the object is moved away from the edge, the layering continues. The liquid will eventually produce a part with no visible layers and minimal layering. Final step involves heat curing, which gives the material more strength. It seems to work well for saddles – it’s recently debuted in helmet pads too – but, as mentioned, it’s not unique to Selle San Marco.
Selle San Marco’s designers chose to build from an existing quantity rather than focusing their attention on developing a completely new manufacturing process. The S3 model starts out with the 140×255 dimensions of the other Selle San Marco Shortfit options. This length falls between two of the most popular 3D-printed saddles: the Fizik Vento Argo at 265mm and the Specialized Power 242mm. The L3 is 155mm in width and comes with lighter rails.
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If you take a closer look, the Shortfit 3D has a subtle wave. It’s a slight wave so, if you like a big one, I suggest you look elsewhere. There is instead a prominent rear kick, then a small dip and rise. Then a gradual descent starts and goes all the way to your nose. The centre of the seat has a large depression which starts at the rear kick, then becomes narrower and continues in a teardrop-shaped pattern almost to the nose. The outer wings are sharp and quickly drop.
One place where the 3D printing is dominant is the aesthetics of the Selle San Marco Shortfit 2.0 3D. The Power Mirror from Specialized has a closed-off outer, and while Fizik Antares Versus is more open in its first generation, Fizik’s Vento Argo, the second generation, uses an even tighter pattern. Selle San Marco rejects them both in favor of a more bold design style that really showcases the 3D printed parts.
When you examine the padding you’ll see three-pointed shapes. You can see triangles and starbursts from different angles. It’s open in both cases, and a close look reveals the many layers that were created. You can still see no light, despite the fact that the matrix is very open. The padding of each section is placed over a shell of carbon reinforced nylon.
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Performance
When I first sat on my Specialized 3D-printed saddle, I fell in love. The shape wasn’t my favorite, but the 3D-printed padding has changed everything. It’s possible to adjust the stiffness and softness of the foam by varying the matrix structure. This is impossible to do with conventional foam. Specialized offers a much softer saddle than what you would expect of a performance saddle.
Fizik gave me the opportunity to test a saddle that was 3D printed. Fizik quickly pointed out that the Fizik Argo Adaptive was a second-generation product, and Fizik’s ability to customize the padding is much greater. The shape, while not being my favorite in the world, is good enough for me to have ridden thousands of kilometers on it. Fizik, I always tell people, didn’t take as many liberties when it came to the 3D printing capabilities. It feels more conventional, but still very good.
In the last few years I have had the opportunity to ride the Selle San Marco Shortfit 2 3D Racing seat in S3 size. I am in love. The shift from a longer saddle to a smaller one is something I like, but I do not love the idea of losing the narrower ones. My hips and I are not big people, so when I test saddles I always want to choose the narrowest option.
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Fizik’s and Selle San Marco’s specs both claim a 140-mm width, but the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Shortfit 2.0 features a more prominent wing and the drop-off is steep and quick on the wings. It means the area you sit in is 60mm wide and 30mm shorter than that of the Fizik.
Selle San Marco has also mastered the use of 3D printing technology for padding. The traditional foam is not as stiff. This saddle’s combination of narrowing the front of it and a large cutout makes you feel like you are balancing on a long, straight tube of padding. The wave, the kick and this combination keeps you at a relatively static place when seated. The sections could be torture, but they are much softer than foam. There is even some give from the nylon. It’s the perfect fit for me.
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Verdict
No saddle will suit everyone. A saddle’s design is personal. This is true even when discussing a saddle that’s been 3D-printed. There is only one difference: 3D printing allows much more precision in the tuning of padding. The new technology allows a great saddle manufacturer to continue doing what they do best, only with a higher level of precision.
This means you have to forget the 3D-printing technology. Selle San Marco Shortfit 2 3D Racing is a saddle that may be suitable for a smaller person who likes a more narrow seat. It’s important to have a bit of wave in your saddle to keep you seated, and you should also be someone that stands a fair amount. You can check out Selle San Marco Shortfit v2.0 if that’s what you want. And if money is no object, the 3D-printed version will be softer and won’t chafe.
The carbon version is worth it. The 3D-printed version is a lot more expensive, but the carbon version costs a fraction of that. They work well, but don’t match the aesthetics of the upper. You can go a step further and match the 3D-printed upper with the matching bling if you’re willing to spend the money. The carbon is also lighter, but it’s not as light as a featherweight.
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| Design and aesthetics | The upper is beautiful, but the bottom makes the shoe look cheap. | 7/10 |
| Weight | There’s a very direct correlation between weight and price. This is middle ground for price and weight compared to Fizik or Specialized. | 8/10 |
| Comfort | The fit is very personal. I only know how well it fits. Incredibly comfortable and soft where I need it but there’s enough support right under the sit bones. | 10/10 |
| Many people are interested in the performance of their vehicles. | It is super comfortable, easy to wear and move about on. There’s enough support for you to stay stable. I’m a big fan. | 10/10 |
| Your Value | Fizik has a better price-to-value ratio despite its higher cost, and compared with Specialized it makes more sense. | 8/10 |
| The following are some of the most recent reviews: | Cellular row 5 | 86% |