I've done a lot of multi-day long distance cycling and years ago settled on the Aliante as the most comfortable saddle for me. After prostate surgery I was advised that an open saddle would be preferable so when I started riding again it was on a Fizik Tempo Aliante R3 saddle. At first it seemed too firm and the edges along the open center seemed to dig in a bit, but after optimizing the position, it's become even more comfortable than my previous Aliante. I couldn't be more satisfied.
The saddle is great, I want that to be known. The shape is good and has a good amount of curvature to help rotate the pelvis. A couple things to be aware of however:
1. This version doesn't have rail markings, to be honest I don't know why that really wouldn't add any weight.
2. The saddle has 4 main squish sections, one in the center is very squishy, two on the sides that most of your pelvis and sitbones will be on and then the very back. All the different sections are quite firm and at least for me, I think it would have been a tad more comfortable if these other sections had a tad bit more squish than they do.
3. I assume this is 3D saddles in general but the argo adaptive grips you very well, too well might I say. I never realized how many different micro-adjustments I made while I sit when it comes to going from flat to up or down hills until I couldn't easily make these position adjustments because of just how much this saddle holds you down. In my case, it grips me so well that it holds the bibs in place and you end up slightly moving inside your bibs, which over time produces friction and becomes a bit uncomfortable especially on humid days.
This saddle is great, but 3D saddles in my opinion are not for everyone. I think some people prefer being really planted when riding and if that is you this kind of saddle will be perfect. If however you do like to adjust your pelvis to the saddle based on whether you are riding up or down hills, I wouldn't get a 3D saddle as it will grip you way too much.
This kind of saddle I think is fantastic for time trial bikes, and thats why I have fizik's adaptive tt saddle as it is very squishy all around and allows you to really be aggressive, way more than most other TT saddles. I think there is a time and place for this much grip but on a road bike, for me there is just too much versatility when you ride around and for that reason I will be using the regular vento argo 00 going forward.
I love this saddle. It almost melts away underneath me, and I feel great after, for example, 2 hours on a trainer. I understand that perceptions about saddles can easily vary by person. This is my take/story. I also have the R3. The R5 feels the same to me. I believe the only difference between the two is the rail material and about 6 grams in weight. I've only used this saddle on a trainer, so I can't say whether it is great on the road. But, I believe it is fair to say that it's more challenging to be comfy on the trainer, so, I expect it will feel at least as good on the road as it does on the trainer. I'll share some details that work for me: A) I love the center channel that carries all the way through the nose; fully comfortable everywhere on the saddle. B) the saddle is on the harder-side with maybe a touch of give. A benefit of this is that the padding holds its position and doesn't sag inward, which can partly dampen the benefit of the center channel. I'm not sure why a harder feel works better for me. C) It is close to perfectly flat; there is a very, very slight kickup in the back. It still feels flat when I sit back in the saddle. I am a road-racer and don't engage time-trials. However, I can see how this would be great for TTs. I played with sitting near the nose for over an hour, and it worked well. The width -- about 50mm I believe -- up front has to be the key in it feeling good. D) I love the short nose. It offers a type of "freedom" in feel I don't experience with longer-nose saddles. I don't see myself ever again riding anything other than a short nose saddle. E) The rail length is pretty good, offering lots of flexibility in fore/aft. F) Saddle material cleans off easily after a lengthy, sweaty ride. I don't have much insight into the "link" to which one can attach a bottle(s)-holder behind the saddle. It is removable if that helps to know. It seems sufficiently strong and sturdy. I have seen some online comments somewhere about the fit and finish being less than flawless. Only upon close inspection can I see to what people might be referring -- where the saddle slots into the base near the front. In my opinion, this will have absolutely zero impact on its performance and feel, and I'd bet no impact on its durability. I played around with dialing it in -- it wasn't a huge effort. It can feel good "out of the box" with initial setup. But, I have been able to improve the feel by playing with the tilt/angle for which personal preference can matter. All in all, awesome saddle at a great price-point (at least for the R5) that offers great value. That's my take and I'm sticking with it :-)
Versatile, so durable, so comfortable and light enough. I put 40k miles on my mine. Eventually the cover wore and the white coloring turned beige. Put it on the shelf and replaced it with an Arione R3. Much like another poster here, the fiberglass shell cracked after 2 years. Put the classic back on while waiting for a fresh one. I'm staying with the classic. Maybe not the sexiest, lightest, but close enough. And, it will last. What a concept.
