Selle Italia Flite

[Archangel]

I bought a black basic model in Germany in the summer of 1992 for 270 FIM (45€) whereas it cost 600 FIM (100€) in Finland.
Oh boy, was I happy & proud!
After that, I've ridden almost solely with Flite, although I had brief moments with Vetta SL and Tune Speedneedle. Nowadays I'm using Flite TT in my modern MTB and different vintage Flites (normal, Alpes, Carbon, Evolution) in my retro bikes.

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

Love flites.


The only saddle I like.


They ride great and look perfect.


Done.

 

[neil_1979]

I bought a flite ti alpes at the MBUK Bike Show in 1996 and its still in today (though its so worn it probably shouldnt).

 

[BarneyRubble]

I bought a flite ti alpes at the MBUK Bike Show in 1996 and its still in today (though its so worn it probably shouldnt).

I have just acquired one of these for my current project, bliss.

 

[utahdog2003]

Flite saddles are painfull. That is all. Are they pretty? Sure! So's Kooka crap, but I don't want that junk either.

There are also a load of "barely used" Flites kicking about the web for sale in various places, which tells me that my ass is not alone in it's disgust for this pointy little painful device masquerading as a bike seat. I suspect that a good many cyclist dreams were dashed when their owners tried these things out for themselves.

SDG please.

 

[terryhfs]

I'd describe the Turbo as the first 'modern' saddle. I've got one of the later interpretations (Turbomatic 4) on one of my bikes.

 

[mynchiboy]

I'm a proud owner of 3 of them and like them all! Like others I went for them because of the looks and comfort. I've got a '93 original, '95 transalp and a later '96 alpes

The transalp was a real bargain, 14 quid NOS from Ebay.. was sat in a drawer for 13 years

I also like the original San Marco made Bonrager Ti saddle, wish I hadn't sold my last one :cry:

 

[Crayons]

I think I've got a flite-shaped arse – I've used them for as long as they've been out. Only a couple of bikes are flite-less and that's the GT avalanche as it has an appropriate brass-studded San Marco Regal and the every dayer Giant NRS which has a WTB Rocket V (extremely comfy – but far too modern-looking).

Problem with the old shape flite is there's never enough for sale to keep the prices low

 

[Benandemu]

Got one on every bike bar my road bike. The road one is a Regal Girardi and I thought they were the most comfortable until my first flite. Never looked back.
Although my personal fave is the transalp version from the mid-nineties. I have about 6 transalp, 2 normal and another 2 normal but perforated NOS ones. I sold my gel version to someone on here as I was never going to use it. I nearly cried when I totally killed a mint transalp on a bad crash last year.

 

[BlackCat]

Flite

I saved up for my black Flite Transalp (or "Alpes" if you went, as I did, for the slightly cheaper grey-import version!) for about three months as a teen. Fitted it to my new 1995 Pine Mountain and went for a ride down the street. I saw a shoe lying in the road and decided to bunny-hop it but for some reason that remains a mystery to me I pulled the front brake as I commenced the hop - flew over the bars and hit the tarmac.

Distance cover from front door.... oh about 20 yards....

No amount of black boot polish could hide those scuffs...

I agree that a Flite is a default choice on a Retro bike (I have one on my Orange) but I have to disagree about the SLR, which I have on my LTS. The flite itself is comfy, but the SLR? A poor (and uncomfortable) immitation of the real thing - and no, I'm not some 18 stone lard arse... Modern saddle of choice has to be the Bel Air RL.