SayHey

I'm planning on buying a new Fizik Aliante saddle and am trying to decide whether I should stick to the Ti rails or spring for the carbon ones. Any thoughts on whether there's a noticeable difference in how they feel and ride? I know the carbon-railed version is lighter and more expensive (about $30-$40). What do you guys think? As an aside, I have a USE Alien carbon seatpost and know I would have to purchase a different seat clamp to accommodate the larger diameter carbon rails if I went that direction.

forum*rider

I would just get the Ti railed seat. If you get the carbon one then you will be shelling out $$$ for saving a tiny bit of weight plus you said you would have to get a new seat post.

Lectron

Not post, just clamp.
But I agree. You will be shelling out $$$ for saving a tiny bit of weight

TimB

weight saving is tiny when viewed alone. However the CArbon railed version comes without scuff guards and nose guard and therefore is about 40g lighter at 173grr vs214gr for the Ti railed version.

I use a carbon railed version on my road bike and the ti version on my MTB.

Can't fault either

ewitz

The Ti railed seats are more shock absorbing than the CF version. So if you get the CF version be ready to put up with more feedback in your butt. The use of Ti in seat rails is as much for shock absorbtion as weight. CF rails are for weight and bling not comfort.

I have both the SI SLR and the SLR Kit Carbonio and having ridden both on the same bike I prefer the standard SLR. Anyone want a SLR Kit Carbonio? Just kidding I will keep it as a back-up.

jqnj

There has to be a better way to say that!

wannaride

Mine has the carbon fiber seat base and carbon fiber rails - and it does have scruff guards but not a nose guard. My take is that the carbon fiber rails are actually more forgiving than the ti rails. Why do you think they make forks and seat posts and sometimes seat stays on ti bikes - indeed all bikes - out of carbon fiber? I rode a Century last weekend and my butt was one of the few places that was not hurting.

The ratio of weight savings to cost is pretty good. All those additional grams add up to pounds. There is a reason why my bike only weighs 15.77 documented pounds with pedals, water bottle carrier, and computer. It will weigh less when I get replace my present carrier with my new Record carrier.

Now if I were only as light - relatively speaking.

ewitz

Your igorance is showing through.

Carbon is used for its ability to reduce high frequency resonance, the road buzz. Will not help as much on the big hits. Ride a Ti frame and you will see how it smooths out everything compared to a carbon frame.

Then try to flex the carbon rails on your seat you can't, they do not flex. Do the same thing to a Ti rail and it will flex, that is why the Ti rails are more comfort oriented.

Evil_Gilligan

I had the same qustion this time last year ... two bike shops I went to here in Seattle (greg's in Greenlake and Auroa) (yes, I know they're afilliated). They had both in stock however each place claimed to have seen broken carbon rails on a few saddles. I asked if the riders that broke them were fatties and they said they were not.

If you are a 150 lb rider go for carbon ... can't hurt. If not, go Ti.

BTW, I rode the aliente for 500 miles before switching the the aireone ... like the aireone much better for my butt. Both are VERY sensitive to seat angle so get a two-bolt seat post (I run all Thompsons). As little as a half degree of nose angle drastically changes the feel of the saddle.

Good luck!

wannaride

Thank you for sharing Dr., I'm sorry what was your name? Gosh you must be awful big and strong in addition to being a phD if you can actually bend a Fizik Ti rail.

Thanks also for making my point.

I'll chalk this one up to brain freeze. Get warm soon before it's permanent.

Phatman

huh?