Wednesday, June 29, 2016

New Leather Saddles from Selle Italia

It's always nice to have choices. And if you like traditional leather saddles, as I do, then you may be glad to know there are some new choices available. Italian saddle maker Selle Italia (whose name literally means "Italian Saddle") has just re-introduced a line of traditional leather saddles to help mark their 120th anniversary. Although I haven't seen any mention of "Eroica" in the news and press releases, the growing popularity of those vintage-bike events make this introduction seem totally natural.


The company's new Heritage leather saddle line also bears a slightly different name - Sella Italia (notice that it's "Sella" with an "a" not "e" at the end). There are three models available in this new line: the Storica racing saddle, which is long and narrow -- something akin to a Brooks Swift; the Epoca, which is a little wider and shorter for all-day comfort with a more upright position; and the Mitica, which is somewhere in-between for long rides at a more aggressive pace. All three saddles feature bag loops at the back, which is a nice practical touch.


One thing I found interesting in this bit of news is that the saddle maker still had many of the old leather presses from the days before the company shifted its attention to molded plastic saddles (like that '80s-defining classic, the Selle Italia Turbo), and those tools have been "pressed" back into service for this new throwback line.

However these new models are not just a simple reproduction of the company's old leather saddles from the '50s. The construction of these incorporates some new technology as well, which could improve the durability. Instead of a single layer of leather, Sella Italia is using a 3-layer sandwich construction: a two layers of leather with a mesh fabric bonded in-between. The leather is fixed to the frame using special bi-metal compression rivets that don't require hammering. The company says this construction will prevent sagging or damage from over-tensioning, increasing the life of the saddle.

In addition to the new saddles, there are also leather grips and small leather saddlebags. The bags look nice, but the small size of the ones I've seen mean they are probably not suitable for carrying much more than a spare tube and some compact tools.

The price of the saddles hasn't yet been released, but expect them to be a premium - probably $150 or more.

On a somewhat different but related note, I just saw a press release that Selle Italia has also taken over another major Italian saddle maker, Selle San Marco (their Concor model was another one that was very popular on racing bikes in the '80s). And to clear up some possible (likely) confusion, let me point out that neither of these is the same Italian saddle maker that currently owns Brooks saddles. That one is Selle Royal. In case there are still some lingering questions, there is yet another Selle out there -- Selle Anatomica - which despite the Italian-sounding name, is an American company making leather saddles that are known for their slotted-top design. Got it?

7 comments:

  1. While Brooks saddles are great, I agree that it would be nice to have more choices.

    So..would you prefer to sit on a Royal, St. Mark or Italian saddle?

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  2. And there's also the Italian saddle maker that has totally won me over from Brooks: Selle SMP. :)

    Not heritage and/or leather but, more important, amazingly comfortable.

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  3. That seems very reminiscent of the Gyes-made saddles, which make V.O., Cardiff, and others.

    Wolf.

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    1. You are right, they are made by Gyes in HK. The little bag with tools to stretch the leather are equal on both "brands". You can explore the Gyes Website and find the similarities...As we know the mainstream leather saddles manufacters are Gyes in Taiwan and Brooks in England. I already bought both and the Gyes have a better finishing.

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  4. Sorry if this a dumb question, but what about Ene Ciclo saddles? Ene Ciclo is a branch of Dia-Compe, and they have been doing modernized reissues of classic componentes; including leather saddles made from Australian cowhide. They have Touring and Track models:

    http://www.diacompe.com.tw/product/ene-touring-saddle/
    http://www.diacompe.com.tw/product/gran-compe-saddle/

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    1. The DiaCompe components seem to be nicely made. I'm using the micro-ratcheting shift levers and like them a lot. I don't think I've seen those DiaCompe saddles offered by any shops or online retailers yet. It looks like a decent saddle, though. Could be made by the same company in Taiwan that makes Gyes, Cardiff, and Velo-Orange leather saddles.

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    2. You are right, they are made by Gyes in HK. Also Selle Italia are made by this Taiwanese company.

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