Fizik Gobi XM K:ium – Highlighter edition

First things first… I like the orange. I admit it is possible (OK, highly likely) that you won’t. Fear not, the Gobi is available in other highlighter (as Fizik call them) shades, and you can still buy traditional non, ‘so in right now’, fluoro options.     

On to the important stuff. Generally I prefer a firm, minimalist saddle for all my rides, regardless of length. Despite that, I got on reasonably well with the Gobi, which is well padded and marketed as a ‘marathon saddle’. All day comfort is the aim, with a slightly scooped rear and relatively long nose, allowing you to move around to suit the terrain – although, on that note, one minor grumble is that the synthetic Microtex used to cover the nylon/carbon shell is incredibly slippery when in contact with lycra. It was a strange sensation and one that, while being no more than a bit weird, I’d rather not have. Baggies didn’t seem to be quite so affected.

Rails are K:ium, Fizik’s proprietary design which claims to be lighter than solid titanium, tough and corrosion resistant: it certainly did the job for me. As with all saddles in the Fizik range, it features the Integrated Clip System – a clever clip at the rear of the saddle, which allows you to directly mount a Fizik rear light or saddlebag so you don’t have to worry about scuffing those rails. It’s a neat solution for racers or commuters in particular.

Overall: If you have a Gobi-shaped bum (as much of the mountain biking population seem to) and like retina-burning colours, then the ‘Highlighter’ is probably already on your shopping list.

Tom Hill

Review Info