Selle San Marco launches 135g performance road saddle

Selle San Marco has launched a new 130mm width saddle lineup, underlining a renewed focus on performance, while broadening fit options across the range.

The Italian brand’s new Shortfit 130 range aims to capitalise on its competitive heritage while expanding its modern Shortfit platform to suit a broader range of riders.

The new range consists of three competitively priced models built around the same 130 × 255mm shell - the Carbon FX, the Racing, and the Dynamic.

The three new models

Shortfit 130 Carbon FX - €214.90, 135g

The flagship model pairs a carbon fibre reinforced shell with Selle San Marco’s patented Carbon DNA (Dynamic Node Action) rails, keeping weight to just 135g. It’s aimed squarely at competitive riders chasing every gram of performance, while retaining the Shortfit’s comfort-oriented shaping. The carbon rails are said to improve vibration damping, making for a smoother ride. It’s worth noting too, that all of the saddles in the range receive the same carbon fibre reinforced upper despite significant reductions in price.

Shortfit 130 Racing - €164.90, 175g

Using the brand’s Xsilite rails, a lightweight metal alloy with a high silicon content for improved vibration damping, the Racing model is aimed at performance-oriented amateurs who value stiffness and durability in equal measure.

Shortfit 130 Dynamic €89.90, 185g

The entry-level version employs more traditional manganese rails, delivering the same geometry and ergonomics at a more accessible price point.

A move towards performance

With the range-topping model boasting a claimed weight of just 135 grams, the Carbon FX sits pretty competitively against its premium racing saddle competition. The Fizik Antares Versus Evo 00 (146g claimed) or the Pro Stealth Team (155g claimed) are both comparable when it comes to weight but will set you back a fair wodge more of cash.

For several years, Selle San Marco’s offerings have leaned toward the comfort and adventure end of the spectrum, with widths typically ranging from 140mm to 155mm. The new 130mm width signals a rebalancing toward the performance side of the equation. The brand says the goal is to satisfy a wider variety of riders by reintroducing a dimension once synonymous with road racing but now refined through contemporary ergonomics and pressure-relief design.

The 130mm width has historically been favoured by riders who adopt a lower, more aggressive position on the bike, where pelvic rotation and reduced sit-bone spread call for a narrower perch. Wider saddles can feel supportive on long, endurance-focused rides, but they may inhibit leg movement or cause inner-thigh rubbing when riders move into deeper, more aerodynamic positions.

The Shortfit shape already occupies a middle ground between traditional racing and endurance profiles - shorter overall than a classic saddle, with a large central cut-out to reduce perineal pressure and a slightly raised rear section for stability under load. Bringing that geometry into a 130mm width should give riders the ability to maintain efficient hip rotation without compromising support.

As bike fit philosophies have evolved, so too has the understanding that narrower doesn’t necessarily mean less comfortable. For riders with closer sit-bone spacing or those spending long periods in the drops, a narrower saddle can reduce fatigue by better aligning with the body’s natural pedalling motion.

Rather refreshingly, both the Racing and Dynamic models don’t put on too many grams as price falls throughout the range either, making the Shortfit 130 range rather accessible for those who don’t want to sit on a throne of carbon fibre.

In reintroducing the 130mm width, Selle San Marco isn’t abandoning its comfort-first approach - rather, it’s acknowledging that performance and comfort can coexist when shape, padding, and flexibility are balanced correctly.

Over recent years, the brand’s move toward wider, adventure-friendly saddles mirrored trends in endurance and gravel cycling, where stability and pressure relief are of utmost importance. The Shortfit 130 brings the pendulum back toward racing performance with a modern geometry and low weight to boot.

For riders chasing every gram and race efficiency, the new Shortfit 130 lineup reestablishes Selle San Marco’s place on the performance grid - and undercuts major rivals while doing so.

More information on the range is available at sellesanmarco.com