SELLE ITALIA NOVUS BOOST EVO SUPERFLOW
£74.90 ★★★★ Short in length, big on comfort
Selle Italia’s heritage stretches back over a century and the Novus has history, too, having first launched in 1994 – although this latest incarnation bears little resemblance to the original. The Novus Boost Evo Superflow might have a long name, but it’s a short saddle at 245mm in length. The profile has a slight wave with a dip through the mid section and a kick up towards the heel of the saddle. This shape is suited to riders who favour a more aggressive riding position, giving them a posterior pelvic tilt. This tester’s sit bones have been measured at 147mm on multiple systems and the 145mm-wide Novus felt pretty much spot-on.
The padding and cover are bonded to the nylon hull, creating a very clean, slicklooking saddle that’s a million miles away from the stapled and creased covers of old. The padding is high density but compliant, resulting in a very comfortable perch, especially up on the nose – although you can feel a bit of the lip of the base that extends beyond the padding when really riding up on the front at pace. The broad, full-length channel adds to the Novus’s comfort, by alleviating pressure from your nether regions.
The 7mm carbon-iron alloy rails plug into a moulded, blade-shaped anchor at the rear. They definitely look ‘tech’, but add a bit of stiffness to the hull (the premium model feels somewhat more compliant). We had some compatibility issues with saddle packs because the rear slots are only 40x5mm. Neither Fizik or Topeak packs, with their 45mm straps, would fit, but packs from Silca and Restrap had no such issues.
At 247.3g, the Novus is light for the price and we’re impressed by both its comfort and quality. The perforated texture of the cover grips in the wet and holds you well in the dry too. We’d certainly recommend the Novus Boost if you’re already a fan of Selle Italia’s saddle shapes and you fancy trying out a shorter option.