I tried Bontrager Paradigm RL and Fizik Arione for my road bike and I found both uncomfortable, but the Specialized is really comfortable for me, with or without padded shorts. The craftmanship is awsome compared to the Bontrager or the Fizik and it is lighter (and pricier). My quest of the perfect saddle is over. Note : I am a light 61 kg 5'11.

The Toupé Expert Gel is a perfect saddle as far as I am concerned. I have tried and failed for years to find a saddle that worked well for me. ""Well"" in this case being a saddle that enabled me to get into my preferred position on both the hoods and drops: a position that didn't result in me shifting around throughout a ride, a position that did not cause small levels of discomfort, and one that did not rub me the wrong way in the contact area. The Toupé Expert Gel ticks all of those boxes for me. I absolutely love it after 1100 miles and look forward to many many more with it in place.

Hard and thus uncomfortable. It would be amazing if Specialized just kept making saddles with the same shape and maybe upgrade materials and lower weight over time. I find myself looking for older models.