Weight: 252g / Kium rails / Colours: anthracite, black, white
Contact: Extra UK 01933 672170

We never really got on with the original Gobi, it had a rounded profile that wasn’t that comfortable. Thankfully, Fizik has made the new Gobi XM (cross mountain) with a flatter top. It still feels most comfortable pointed slightly down at the nose and, like all Fizik saddles, takes time to bed in, but in a recent chat with Fizik we found out you can pre-soften the saddle with some hard pressing/hammering. This breaks down the air bubbles in the foam and also splays out the Wingflex panels, which are thin slots in the shell, filled with a compressible elastomer.
Like all Fizik saddles, overall finishing and construction on the Gobi is first class, but you’d expect that for £80. Fizik is using a new Kium material for the rails, which might sound like it has a titanium element but it’s actually a hollow cromo. This is alloyed with chrome and silicium, so that it can be polished to a high gloss. Although not as comfy as the WTB Silverado or SDG Ti-Fly tested a few months back, and slightly heavier, the Gobi is still a good lightweight trail saddle; it’s better made, will last longer and won’t wear as badly.

MBR RATING: 8/10