Fizik One-to-One bicycle saddle: Fully customised saddle from the 3D printer
Fizik offers individualised saddles, but no rigid data is used to create them. Customers who want a personalised bicycle saddle must actively participate in the process. In fact, only the padding of the saddle is custom printed, based on a pressure measurement while riding. A few weeks ago, we visited Fizik in Vicenza, Italy, to experience first-hand the process of making such a customised saddle. The customised bicycle saddle is created in the following steps:
- Data collection via the One-to-One app
- Pressure measurement on your own saddle in three handlebar positions
- App analysis to determine the suitable saddle shape
- Fitting the right saddle to the bike
- Repeated pressure measurement in three handlebar positions
- Ordering the saddle
Patience is then required until the saddle is delivered. As soon as it arrives, another pressure measurement can be carried out or the saddle can be fitted immediately. The bike is then ready for use. It is crucial that the bike is correctly adjusted or that the pressure measurement in the context of a professional bike fitting is carried out. Because if the sitting position on the bike is not optimal, even a customised saddle will not be able to solve the problem.
Why are personalised saddles important?
According to Fizik, a generic saddle design - i.e. an "off-the-shelf" saddle - can only be an approximate solution for very specific problems. A customised saddle, on the other hand, directly addresses the personal needs of each cyclist in terms of comfort and performance.
- The saddle is the crucial interface between the rider and the bike.
- A well-fitting saddle can have a significant impact on the riding experience, comfort and performance.
- In extreme cases, an unsuitable saddle shape can even cause people to give up cycling.
An optimum fit depends on many aspects: Individual anatomy, bike geometry, intended use, saddle shape, position and many other aspects. Every cyclist is unique - riding experience, pain perception, previous injuries, physique, riding goals and many other factors can help determine the ideal position on the saddle.
What a "normal" bicycle saddle can do
Conventional saddles are generally made of foam padding with a certain density over the entire seat surface. They come in different sizes that can be adapted to different ischial widths, and shapes that are designed according to specific riding styles (such as upright or sportive riding), disciplines (such as gravel, mountain biking, endurance, time trial, etc.) or offer specific functional benefits (such as channels or cut-outs). In addition, saddles are available that are equipped with inserts made of various materials to ensure comfort at specific points.
What a bike saddle from the 3D printer can do
In recent years, more and more 3D-printed saddles have appeared on the market, such as the Adaptive 3D range from Fizik. Thanks to 3D printing technology, the development of new saddles is much faster, as it removes the limits and restrictions of conventional manufacturing methods and materials. Another advantage of this technology is that it enables the production of bicycle saddles with multiple functional areas that are seamlessly connected in the same pad.
For Fizik, however, this was just the beginning. With the possibility of customising each saddle individually, the thought arose as to why not manufacture the pads according to the specific needs of each individual? This resulted in the One-to-One development project, which lasted for several years and ranged from saddle pressure measurement to the completion of the customised saddle.
Cooperation between Fizik and gebioMised
Fizik has teamed up with gebioMized to develop customised 3D-printed saddles. This collaboration is not new, as both companies have already worked together on a variety of professional sports projects. In particular, they have worked as partners for the customisation of saddles and bicycles for various cycling teams.
Back in 2002, gebioMized was involved in the patent development for the individualisation of saddles through pressure measurement. Now Fizik is bringing this approach to the market with Project One-to-One. For those who are not familiar with gebioMized: The company is the developer of saddle pressure measurement in cycling. By measuring pressure, bike fitters can understand what happens at the contact points - saddle, pedals and handlebars - between rider and bike.
Software from Münster in Westphalia
The background software for the pressure measurement was created by gebioMized in Münster and is now used by over 800 bike fitting laboratories worldwide. This large pool of data gives gebioMized a comprehensive insight into the development of new products: "Our database of saddle pressure data is probably the largest in the world. This knowledge has significantly advanced the One-to-One project," says Daniel Schade, Managing Director of gebioMized. As part of its partnership with Fizik for the One-to-One project, gebioMized not only contributed to the development of special saddle printing hardware, but also co-developed a new app. This application is now available to retailers and bike fitters. You can find out exactly where you can find a One-to-One dealer on the Fizik website: fizik.com/en_en/one-to-one.
With One-to-One, we are now achieving what every saddle manufacturer has always wanted: We offer customised support for every cyclist. - Giovanni Fogal, Brand Manager at Fizik
My Fizik Aliante One-to-One saddle
On the second day of our visit to Fizik, we received our own one-to-one saddles. Firstly, we subjected them to a "pressure test" and felt every area of the saddle. On one of my colleagues, the differences were even more noticeable than on my saddle. The pressure test revealed different zones, with some points being significantly softer than the rest. However, we didn't find this so important. The most important thing for us was: how does it feel to sit on the new saddle?
I find the new saddle extremely comfortable, although the shape felt a little unfamiliar at first. The pressure measurement on the second day clearly shows that the pressure peaks of the previous day have now disappeared. Somewhat unusually for me, the saddle is less "smooth" than others, but this is comparable to other 3D-printed saddles. Over time, I have also realised that the type of bike shorts make a difference.
How much does a customised Fizik One-to-One bike saddle cost?
A customised saddle from Fizik is priced between 459 and 499 euros. This price range is comparable to the saddles from the Czech company Posedla, which uses a seat mould as the basis for its customised 3D-printed saddle.
Marc Strucken
Editor
