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
@ChrisO
What size frame is that?
@frank
Stuart O'Grady rode a Rolls for many years.
But given the relationship of marketing and sponsorship to what they ride/wear/sit on I don't place too much emphasis on that.
@Deakus
I could swear I a seeing regular glimpses of rivets here and a possible Brooks shape so I am convinced. Besides which it is a great montage!
@DerHoggz
58cm - i'm 6'3" / 192cm so I tend to just go for the biggest frame.
The bike I am most truly comfortable on is my Roberts - custom built, fits like a glove. They're in a tiny shop in the back of Croydon where the lights in the front dim as the guys out the back do their welding.
Doesn't matter what I ride, going back to the Roberts is always a joy.
I have an old Rolls in the basement, served it's purpose for many years. Did my longest rides on that saddle... I went through a lot of bikes back then, but I just kept switching it from steed to steed. it leaves me with some very fond memories.
Now I'm running the Regal, a black one with copper rivets on my Lemond and a white one for my R3. By far the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden. I even get compliments from time to time, no doubt from someone just like you. I don't think I timeless saddle ever looks out of place on a bike.
@Deakus
Fucking +1!
Well, I now have to blame all of you for the fact that I've added a Brooks B-17 to my Christmas Gift Demands/Wish list. I hope you're happy.
Those Rapha "epic" videos can go fuck themselves.
Avon Celli e L'Eroica from WP on Vimeo.
@frank
A bit of research (mainly horse riding sites) and yet another Amazon order. I am about to restore a Brooks Swallow and it looks quite scuffed/faded. I have ordered the following:
1. Fiebings leather dye (black)
2. Leather Saddle Soap
3 Beeswax.
As far as I can tell the process goes as follows:
1. Rub down the saddle with methylated spirit (to remove any residue, current waxes etc)
2. Rub with saddle soap to clean the leather.
3. Dye twice, with a sponge leaving it to dry in between.
4. Rub down with beeswax to seal it from the wet and buff to a nice high shine if you wish...
@Steampunk Why be such a hater? They are spiffy guys that probably love cycling more than others. Their video truly looks way better than others and is interesting. The Maeko Roubaix video posted on here somewhere is practically a non-video.