This article was produced in collaboration with Selle San Marco and first published in Rouleur Issue 144
Are you sitting comfortably? In the world of gravel riding, the answer has tended to be 'ish'. Rigid frames and forks aren't known for their divot-dampening abilities, and contact points like handlebars and saddles are where the vibrations are felt most.
The off-road-leaning drop-bar discipline has tried to solve this thorny issue over the years through increasingly higher volume tyres, lower pressures, and even suspension-toting components like forks, rear shocks and stems. But when the going gets tough, it's not uncommon to feel like you're on a bucking bronco with your nether regions firmly in the firing line.
The difficulty comes in striking a balance. Every component consideration spent trying to smooth out the rough stuff can have a negative impact on weight, power transfer and overall performance — reducing the mile-munching ability of a gravel bike and aligning it more closely with a plush-but-more-pedestrian mountain bike.
Selle San Marco looks to have found that middle ground though. The iconic manufacturer has more experience than most in this department, hand-making and finishing saddles in its Italian factories since 1935, and was able to call on its 90-plus years of development during the creation of its new Shortfit Allroad range.
Compact silhouette
While the three saddles come in two different widths (140mm and 155mm), and vary in materials — from the affordable steel-railed Sport and performance-focused, lightweight Xsilite-railed Racing, through to the plush, gel-packing Supercomfort Racing — all share the same geometry, profile and gravel-specific features that can help to smooth the ride without sacrificing speed.
At the core of the saddle is its Shortfit geometry. A proven silhouette that has been a mainstay of the Selle San Marco line-up since 2017, its narrow design pairs a compact shape with a pressure-relieving cut-out — providing a greater range of movement and responsiveness, whether tackling the double-digit gradients common off-road or sprinting down some single-track. Combined with a wave-shaped profile, your pelvis and perineum have the support and stability required for all-day allroad epics.
Smooth operator
Although its shape originated on the road, the Shortfit Allroad's Bow Rail System was refined on the rough stuff. First introduced on the brand's Regal Short from 2023, the proprietary design swaps a fixed fitting for one that can flex between the saddle's frame and rails. The result means the shell pivots around the rails, reacting and subtly reshaping to every movement in the saddle rather than fighting against them. It also acts in reverse too by creating a micro-suspension system in your saddle — dampening vibrations and chatter from the ground without dulling power transfer.
Finally, Selle San Marco understands that gravel riders encounter varying quality of terrain, with the Champagne variety a luxury for most. It has therefore integrated strategically located shock absorbers into the saddle's body that reduce peak loads on contact areas. The extra layer of protection not only buffers the run-of-the-mill hardpack, but also takes the sting out of the big hits that can become fatiguing and detrimental to performance on longer rides.
Finished with an abrasion- and weather-resistant microfibre cover, low density foam padding and carbon fibre reinforced nylon shell, the Shortfit Allroad has the durability and adaptability to stand up to any challenge you throw at it — offering a saddle-based solution that can provide additional comfort without surrendering speed or performance.
