Fizik Tempo Argo R5 saddle

In the quest for long-distance comfort, the Fizik Tempo Argo R5 saddle is a short-nosed design with an ergonomic cutout to reduce pressure on sensitive areas and offers more cushioning than Fizik's more aggressive Vento range. It's well made, comfortable, and sensibly priced given the materials used.

Fizik's new Argo range is divided into Tempo models for endurance riding and Vento for performance. The R5 model is the cheapest in this range and sits below the R1 and the R3 that Stu tested back in November.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

That's not to say it has been made on a budget. As with all Fizik saddles I've used, the build quality is excellent, and despite only a month of solid use there's no reason to suspect the saddle will be anything but durable.

The Tempo R5 is available in two widths, the 150mm that I've been testing and 160mm. The 150mm variation has a claimed weight of 241g and tipped the road.cc scales at 245g. It's worth noting that despite being 40 quid less expensive than the R3 model, it's only 12g heavier.

As with all short-nosed saddles, set-up is slightly trickier than standard designs as there's not a nose as such to measure from. Instead, measurements should be taken to the rails, and after about five minutes with a tape measure I had it where I wanted it.

If you've never used a short-nosed saddle before, it might feel a bit odd to begin with as you're locked into a more permanent position. There's simply less saddle to move about on. This is supposedly for greater stability and weight distribution, and although I can't say I felt any more stable, it was certainly comfortable even on three to four-hour rides. I never felt like I needed to change my position. Rather than shuffling about to find somewhere comfortable, the Argo Tempo helps to put you in a secure position that, for me at least, felt very natural.

> 9 ways to make your bike more comfortable

Although I found the Tempo comfortable, it does have quite a flat profile which might not suit all; as ever, saddles are a personal choice and what works for one person may not work for the next.

The R5 features a carbon-reinforced nylon shell and foam with a low compression modulus (more spongey) to add compliance. The combination does a good job of alleviating road buzz and was impressive even when I swapped the saddle over to my gravel bike.

One area where the R5 does differ from the R3 is the rail material. This cheaper version gets an S-Alloy rail rather than more expensive Kium, which has better damping properties. Having ridden the R5 for a month, I really couldn't say whether the difference would be noticeable given the comfort of the R5.

Value-wise, the R5 fares well. The ride quality and build quality are both excellent, and it's 15 quid cheaper than the very popular short-nosed Specialized Power Expert, and only a few grams heavier (235g vs 245g).

There are lighter options out there, but many will cost you more dollar. The Selle San Marco Shortfit Supercomfort Dynamic saddle, for example, weighs 191g but will set you back a tenner more.

> Buyer’s Guide: 8 of the best short saddles

Overall, the Tempo manages to do everything that the R3 did so well while squeezing out more bang for your buck. The R5 is aimed at endurance road riding and this is where it excels – the softer padding and squared-off nose might not be as well suited for die-hard racers but on long, steady rides the shape and padding worked perfectly. As with all saddles, try before buying if you can, but for me the Argo R5 would be well worth the investment for a comfortable day on the bike.

Verdict

Comfortable, supportive and good value saddle for long road rides