Composites, microfibers, synthetics. They amaze in their qualities; light, strong, durable – unyieldingly stiff or unimaginably suple, depending on our whim. When modern components arrive on my doorstep, upon lifting the unremarkable cardboard box I often wonder whether there is anything at all inside or if perhaps the person on the other end of the postal system had allowed their mind to wander beyond the task at hand and neglected to place the product in the box before sealing it and handing it off to a worker whose uniform invokes the wrath of dogs the world over.
This was not the case when my vintage 80’s-era Selle San Marco Rolls was delivered from deep within the bowels of eBay. The box had a heft to it that hinted at something substantial within its confines. Freed from its cardboard prison, the saddle lay heavy in my hand, its heft signaling an inherent quality about it that only heavy products seem to convey. But the saddle showed its age; the leather was dry and worn, the brass trim and emblems tarnished black.
This saddle isn’t made of synthetics, it was no lost cause. This saddle is made of organic materials that require care and maintenance in order to maintain their beauty. And, when let fall into disrepair, they can often be restored to their original glory. Out came my polishes and waxes, and within a few minutes the leather covering the saddle which had only moments before been worn and gray was now gleaming with a deep, black finish. The brass, touched up with polish and the tarnish wiped instantly from its surface. Within a quarter hour, the saddle was once again a beacon of a bygone era.
These old leather saddles took a few hundred kilometers to ride in; not as long as their all-leather predecessors, but much longer than our carbon-shell, microfiber modern saddles. With time, the rubbing of chamois-clad tooshie polished the leather into a gleaming beauty which whispered of the long journey over which it had carried its rider as they forged their path together along La Vie Velominatus.
Heavy and big as they were, these saddles had character; one would somehow be more comfortable than another which was supposed to be identical. Each would develop its own unique finish as the characteristics of the leather cover and the shape of it’s rider’s backside would reveal its unique beauty over time. The saddles owned by the Pros in the 80’s and 90’s became impossibly shiny; I remember being enraptured by the sight of the gleaming saddle swaying back and forth as Gert-Jan Theunisse moved en danseuse up the Galibier in the 1989 Tour enroute to a solo win atop l’Alpe d’Huez.
If today’s saddles are marvels of lightweight and comfort, these old saddles were a looking glass into the history that rider and machine had forged together.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@frank
Fuck, you're right. A quick search of their website says that the first Rolls saddles were relaesed in 1983. The Concor came out in 1978.
I'd love to put an old brown brooks saddle and brown sew-up leather handlebar 'tape' on my dad's old Schwinn, as it's red and I think it would look sujper sweet. Alas, that is a project far, far down the pipe.
@Chris
The all-white v-bibs are reserved for Franks's 200km rain rides only. He happily allows wheelsuckers on those rides.
@mcsqueak
Does he prefer them to introduce themselves, lurk quietly in his wake or reach-around?
@Oli
The next step, by the way, is rebuilding those wheels to the old Mavic tub rims Gianni gave me, and slapping some nice FMB's on there.
All this would be even cooler if I rode that bike more. Hopefully all this radness will help make that happen.
@frank
I am not sure I agree here for a couple of reasons. The current trend is for the weight weenies to rule everthing, as an old friend said to me the other day...Deakus the cheapest kilo you can loose sits around your midrift my friend. The current obsession with weight in pro cycling is probably lessening. Modern bikes can now be produced way below the UCI weight limit and as such weight of componentry is becoming less of an issue..in fact they are actively adding back on kit that is heavier i.e. Electronic groupsets where they perceive the benefit is worth it and they can just have a lighter frame and heavier kit to make the limit. Who knows the days of Brooks saddles on race bikes could be returning....after all The Prophet and Fausto Coppi used to ride Brooks and apparently at the end of each season the bike would be replaced and the saddle moved to the next bike. Like shoes, it could be that comfort starts to rule all when weight is not longer and issue, titanium frames also help narrow the gap. The age where riders carry their saddles in their hand luggage along with their shoes could be returning....here's hoping!
@Chris
Indeed. Just checking to make sure you are paying attention!
@mcsqueak
+1
@Chris
He prefers they grab his seatpost to introduce themselves.
Deakus,
I have a Brooks Swallow on my tandem (yes, I know, I know, but depending on the stoker's mood, climbing on that thing can be a whole new kind of HTFU), and I love the saddle. It has a remarkably similar feel to the Sella Flite on my single.
If you are like me, you may find that you have to tolerate a slight rule violation as it seems that the nose must be tilted up above level a bit more than other modern saddles to get the same feel.
Chrome lugs on Italian paint!
What I love about the road bike is that the sport and industry are always looking forward in design, weight, nd materials, yet - the past is never forgotten. In fact it is revered for its beauty. I follow Colnago's FB feed just for the user/Friend pictures, both of new and vintage bikes. I love rebuilding a set of wheels or working on vintage bikes for my clients as much as working on the latest $10k speed demon.
Great article Frank