SELLE ROYAL
contoured to support the rider just a shade more than a flat design while maintaining a sporty position. For maximum comfort, but with a retained aggressive stance in the saddle, the Anatomic saddle is best suited to the longer-distance cyclist who may need additional relief on the perineum. The packaging indicates strongly which best suits the customer and the Comfort line is no different, with the steps between saddles revolving around the stance of the rider. There’s Athletic, for a low to the handlebar 30 degree stance, moderate for the rider who is not all out sporty, but perhaps likes to do the occasional Strava segment and Relaxed – a true sit up and beg suited saddle for your Dutch bike riding customers. Alongside these recommendations you’ll find a guide to the gender each saddle suits, or whether it’s unisex. Selle has employed the services of former
Mercedes Benz designer and high-end watch creator Motoki Yoshio to ensure the styling is just right on the Performa catalogue, to boot. Selle Royal has also been busy developing its
eco-credentials with another launch – a four saddle, €59.90 priced environmentally friendly line dubbed ‘Becoz’, which also includes matching ergonomic grips. Telling the press that every stage of production has been analysed, the Becoz line utilises a 100 per cent bio base, natural oils, leather offcuts otherwise set for the landfill for the motif and FSC certified conifer wood flour to create what could be the world’s ‘greenest saddle’. The combination of unusual materials gives each saddle its own unique distressed finish, which is said to be as resilient to wear and tear as conventional designs. There’s subtle technologies worked into even
some of the most niche saddles too, with some black saddles in the comfort line covered with a material that reflects the sun, as opposed to heating up. Then there’s the introduction of folding bike and electric bike specific saddles with handles and finger grooves included in the areas the customer will be gripping onto mid-fold, or while lifting a heavier e-bike out of the shed. There’s even a saddle specific for the customer who may not have ridden for some time, capable of supporting a load of up to 150 kilos. On the standard models, a sample from each
batch sent out is stress tested with a pressure of 100 kilograms applied through a cycle of 1,000 reps to ensure the product will last. With such depth now in the catalogue, the
production line has never been busier, with ‘work wives’ hand stretching material over pre- glued bases, working in pairs to iron out any creases and hand finish the product with tools not too dissimilar looking to a pair of thick tyre levers and a scalpel to cut off any excess. Anyone present at Raleigh’s recent dealer meet would have no doubt have noted colour- matched Fi’zi:k and Selle Royal saddles on numerous bikes in the room, including HaiBike’s flagship builds. It’s no exaggeration to say that the OEM business now caters for some of the world’s top brands, such is the level of craftsmanship and attention to detail shown by the manufacturer.
www.worldwidecyclingatlas.com www.selleroyal.com
18 BIKEBIZ AUGUST
Roberto Bucci explains the Flat, Wave and Anatomic concepts
A folding bike specific saddle with a moulded grip
Office staff take a break for a game of table football
Selle’s new
eco-friendly Becoz grip
The new ‘Performa’ line is headed up by the Supra
BIKEBIZ.COM
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