New saddles not just for professionals: Selle Italia presents SLR Racing Replica with carbon skeleton

Selle Italia is expanding its range with a new top model for performance-orientated cyclists. As part of the SLR range launched in 2025, the Racing Replica retains the characteristic shape that has made the SLR model a reference product, but at the same time introduces significant technical innovations. At the heart of the saddle is the "Carbon Fibre Skeleton" - a carbon skeleton inserted into the shell and produced by the Austrian company Fibionic. This construction enables an extremely thin shell with a thickness of just 1.5 millimetres and high rigidity at the same time. In combination with the special EVA padding and the new carbon frame, the saddle weighs just 109 grams in the smaller version and 113 grams in the larger version. According to the manufacturer, tests with professional athletes have shown that the saddle retains its stiffness significantly longer than models with a conventional shell construction.

Optimised geometry for competition use

The developers at Selle Italia have consistently focussed the geometry of the SLR Racing Replica on performance. Compared to the previous model, the length has been reduced by six millimetres to 242 millimetres, making the saddle more compact and bringing it closer to the UCI regulations for competition saddles. The padding has also been completely redesigned and is now shorter. In the rear area, the padding has been reduced to a minimum as, according to analyses with the Pressure Map idmatch technology, this area is little used and is not crucial for comfort. The saddle is available in two different sizes: S3 with a width of 130 millimetres and L3 with a width of 145 millimetres, each with a length of 242 millimetres. The carbon frame with dimensions of 7x9 millimetres and an extension of 10 millimetres contributes to the weight reduction. With a retail price of 349.90 euros, the SLR Racing Replica is clearly positioned in the premium segment and is aimed at discerning riders who do not want to compromise >> z. e.g. available here.

Commitment to professional cycling for 2026

Alongside the launch of the new top-of-the-range model, Selle Italia is reaffirming its commitment to professional cycling for the upcoming 2026 season. The Italian manufacturer will continue to support several teams in the UCI WorldTour. These include Alpecin - Premier Tech and the NSN Cycling Team. In the UCI Pro Teams category, Selle Italia will continue its collaboration with established teams such as Cofidis, Team TotalEnergies, Tudor Pro Cycling Team, Caja Rural - Seguros RGA, Team Flanders - Baloise and Team Solution Tech - Nippo Rali. The up-and-coming teams Modern Adventure Pro Cycling and Unibet Rose Rockets, which will be using saddles from Asolo for the first time, are new additions. This broad support emphasises the importance of professional cycling for the development and testing of new products such as the SLR Racing Replica, which benefits directly from the experience gained in competition.

Focus on women's cycling

Selle Italia's sponsorship strategy also places a special focus on women's cycling, which has become increasingly important in recent years. For the 2026 season, the Italian manufacturer will support a UCI Women's World Team with Fenix - Premier Tech. In addition, the UCI Women's Pro Teams Cofidis Women Team and Ma Petite Entreprise will be equipped with saddles from Selle Italia. This support for women's cycling reflects the growing importance of this segment and shows that Selle Italia wants to actively promote the development of women's cycling. The experience and feedback of professional female athletes is channelled directly into product development and contributes to the continuous improvement of saddle models. With the SLR Racing Replica, amateur female racers now also have a saddle at their disposal that is based on the experience gained in professional cycling and is specially designed to meet the demands of competition.

Tradition and innovation since 1897

With the introduction of the SLR Racing Replica, Selle Italia is continuing its long tradition of making cutting-edge technology from the professional sector accessible to all cyclists. Founded in 1897, the company can look back on more than 120 years of experience in the development and production of bicycle saddles and sells around one million products worldwide every year. The company headquarters in Asolo in Veneto is the centre of innovation for this traditional Italian manufacturer. The new SLR range, with the Racing Replica as the top model, epitomises the company's philosophy of continuously striving for improvements and transferring the knowledge gained from professional sport into products for the end consumer. With the ultra-light saddle, which impresses with its innovative carbon skeleton, Selle Italia emphasises its claim to continue setting standards in the field of performance saddles in the future and to meet the needs of demanding cyclists.