They say that once you have found a saddle you like, stick with it. For those of you that have gone through saddle after saddle trying to find the right one I am sure you would agree. But for those of you who, like me, are just too inquisitive, there always bodes the question, what if there is one that is even better. With this, I put the Selle Italia ID Diva Gel Flow through its paces.

Where some saddles can be unnecessarily complicated, the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow was very easy to put on to the bike, and should I have required it, the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow had a great range of adjustability once on the bike.

Once on my way, the first thing I noticed was nothing, nothing at all; no niggles, no soreness., in fact my mind was allowed to wander and simply appreciate the pleasure of riding my bike. With very little adjustment the saddle was extremely comfortable. Surely having changed from my saddle of two years to a brand new one, it would require some ‘bedding in’ and should be sore or at least uncomfortable somewhere?! Actually no; using silicone gel inserts and an elastomer suspension shock absorber system the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow is, I have to say, the most comfortable saddle I have tried when it comes to finding that immediate result.

Having changed from a narrow and quite stiff saddle, which I tend to ride through preference, I expected to find the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow too wide, but despite my first impressions it wasn’t. In fact where most women’s specific saddles have the tendency to push me forward towards the nose of the saddle, I experienced no such effect from the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow.

There did seem to be a compromise to be made for the extra comfort however; namely the amount of energy absorbed into the extra cushioning when trying to sprint or power down. This was something I had never considered prior to testing a saddle with extra comfort but something I noted almost immediately. I am sure after some time the effects would become less noticeable, but of course that’s not to say they would themselves diminish or even disappear. With this I would suggest that the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow is perfect for those purchasing a saddle for the first time or even those looking to take their cycling to the next level. I would however, not recommend it for those wanting to compete – sometimes a little discomfort is worth the results.

FOR: Super comfortable and probably the closest you can get to one size fits all; A godsend for those new to cycling or considering a few extra miles in the saddle.

CONS: Some power loss via the extra cushioning: I wouldn’t recommend the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow for racing

Price: £79.99

Best Price: £59.99,  available from Wiggle.

By Lorena Jones.

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