Selle Italia Flite 1990 love or hate?

[jadmt]

I had an original flite that I used to love 30+ years ago. I wonder if it is worth looking at the re-issued one. I am much fatter now but do primarily 60-100 mile rides at 18-20mph. Any heavier guys using them? sit bones are 130-133 range kind of hard to measure but that is what I get using the cardboard technique.

[benb]

I loved those too. I expect it will work fine for you, I have tried them again and they aren't bad.

But for me at least they do really feel like lots of soft tissue pressure compared to modern saddles.

The newer design Flites do not work for me, they changed the curvature of the area your sit bones rest on dramatically and they're more like chunkier SLRs IMO.

Selle SMP has a lot of models that fit your sitbones like the Flite but eliminate soft tissue pressure IMO.

[jadmt]

Originally Posted by benb

I loved those too. I expect it will work fine for you, I have tried them again and they aren't bad.

But for me at least they do really feel like lots of soft tissue pressure compared to modern saddles.

The newer design Flites do not work for me, they changed the curvature of the area your sit bones rest on dramatically and they're more like chunkier SLRs IMO.

Selle SMP has a lot of models that fit your sitbones like the Flite but eliminate soft tissue pressure IMO.

I am too poor for a Selle smp...

[fogrider]

I'm still using mine. I got a white perforated one in the 1990s. the perforated finish started to fall apart but I had it re-covered and I'm still using it.

[nbl78s]

I am 185 lbs now but I was a fighting weight 150 lbs in the 90's... That being said I have 90's era flights on all my bikes. I have tried a few other saddles that were recommended and I always come back to my flights. Plus I just like the way they look!

[jamesdak]

I've got 4 of 5 version of these in the stash right now. Including a super light Ti one. Whether I'm 170 or 200 they just don't work for me. A lot of the used bikes I buy have them so they must be popular. I swap them out and then keep them on hand as an option for anyone buying a bike from me. Heck, the Look 555 I got Saturday has one even.

[benb]

Originally Posted by jamesdak

I've got 4 of 5 version of these in the stash right now. Including a super light Ti one. Whether I'm 170 or 200 they just don't work for me. A lot of the used bikes I buy have them so they must be popular. I swap them out and then keep them on hand as an option for anyone buying a bike from me. Heck, the Look 555 I got Saturday has one even.

That's the one that totally doesn't work for me.. they switched the shape when that one came out back in the late 2000s...

It is wider than the 1990 and has a very very different curvature to the sit-bone areas. The nose also got a lot wider.. the funky logo at the front catches shorts in a way the 1990 never did.

[Wakatel_Luum]

I used to find the older Flites used to eventually sag in the middle after a period of time but they did look so good.

[tbike4]

I used to have them on every bike. My sit bones have changed. It now feels too narrow. I use a Fizik Aliante with the cut out.
I will have a Flite for sale soon.

[foggypeake]

Still love my Flites, mounted on all five of my road bikes. In my opinion, the original Flite Titanium is still the most comfortable.

But my frugal side also bought the reissued Flite 1990 with the steel/alloy/FEC rails. Same classic shape, just a bit firmer in the padding and not as much flex in the shell and the rails. But for the price, it works for me.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by foggypeake

Still love my Flites, mounted on all five of my road bikes. In my opinion, the original Flite Titanium is still the most comfortable.

But my frugal side also bought the reissued Flite 1990 with the steel/alloy/FEC rails. Same classic shape, just a bit firmer in the padding and not as much flex in the shell and the rails. But for the price, it works for me.

All that sounds good to me.

The SLRs I have now want you to be in ONE specific spot and finding that one spot isn't easy

M

[gianni]

I’m still using original flites on my bikes. I’ve tried modern saddles and still go back to my favorite flite genuine gel. Still works with my added poundage.

[jadmt]

Originally Posted by tbike4

I used to have them on every bike. My sit bones have changed. It now feels too narrow. I use a Fizik Aliante with the cut out.
I will have a Flite for sale soon.

an original or the re-issued 1990? condition? thanks

[Ken Robb]

How do Ariomnes compare? They work so well for me that I don't remember if I liked Flites?

[JSL]

Like a lot of things, it's very personal. Might still work for you, but looking at it from a more practical level, modern saddles (usually) have much more going for them.

As others noted, no pressure relief, and they tend to sag significantly with age. I put one on my trainer bike and it works fine for that purpose, but no longer for longer rides outside. As much to do with me as the saddle though. My position, strength and pain tolerance has changed at bit in 35 years ;-)

So much also depends on how you have the bike set up. My personal fav is still a rolls, have them on two bikes, but they're vintage bikes with a more upright riding position where my hips don't rotate as far forward. On a modern bike I need to go with a flatter top and some form of pressure relief to let my hips roll forward.