Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

What's the skinny on cheap riveted saddles?

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

What's the skinny on cheap riveted saddles?

Old 08-02-20, 02:43 PM
  #1  
sced
South Carolina Ed
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Greer, SC
Posts: 3,884

Bikes: Holdsworth custom, Macario Pro, Ciocc San Cristobal, Viner Nemo, Cyfac Le Mythique, Giant TCR, Tommasso Mondial, Cyfac Etoile

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 343 Post(s)
Liked 286 Times in 136 Posts
What's the skinny on cheap riveted saddles?

I see them for sale all over the place. Anybody tried them? Are the all the same save for colors?

example - https://www.amazon.com/Ventura-25104...8P9N6KR3PEMT6F
sced is offline  
Old 08-02-20, 03:59 PM
  #2  
Chr0m0ly 
Senior Member
 
Chr0m0ly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Back in Lincoln Sq, Chicago...🙄
Posts: 1,681

Bikes: '84 Miyata 610 ‘91 Cannondale ST600,'83 Trek 720 ‘84 Trek 520, 620, ‘91 Miyata 1000LT, '79 Trek 514, '78 Trek 706, '73 Raleigh Int. frame.

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 678 Post(s)
Liked 362 Times in 217 Posts
Plastic saddle with non-functional decorative rivets.

A real leather saddle needs rivets at the nose, and a way to adjust the tension.
Chr0m0ly is offline  
Old 08-02-20, 04:07 PM
  #3  
rosefarts
With a mighty wind
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2,554
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1072 Post(s)
Liked 841 Times in 475 Posts



1987, not cheap
rosefarts is offline  
Old 08-02-20, 04:13 PM
  #4  
Chr0m0ly 
Senior Member
 
Chr0m0ly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Back in Lincoln Sq, Chicago...🙄
Posts: 1,681

Bikes: '84 Miyata 610 ‘91 Cannondale ST600,'83 Trek 720 ‘84 Trek 520, 620, ‘91 Miyata 1000LT, '79 Trek 514, '78 Trek 706, '73 Raleigh Int. frame.

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 678 Post(s)
Liked 362 Times in 217 Posts
Originally Posted by rosefarts



1987, not cheap
OP specified cheap ones.
Chr0m0ly is offline  
Old 08-02-20, 04:16 PM
  #5  
rosefarts
With a mighty wind
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2,554
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1072 Post(s)
Liked 841 Times in 475 Posts
Originally Posted by Chr0m0ly
OP specified cheap ones.
And you specified rivets at the nose and a way to adjust the tension to even get considered as real.
rosefarts is offline  
Old 08-02-20, 04:19 PM
  #6  
Chr0m0ly 
Senior Member
 
Chr0m0ly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Back in Lincoln Sq, Chicago...🙄
Posts: 1,681

Bikes: '84 Miyata 610 ‘91 Cannondale ST600,'83 Trek 720 ‘84 Trek 520, 620, ‘91 Miyata 1000LT, '79 Trek 514, '78 Trek 706, '73 Raleigh Int. frame.

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 678 Post(s)
Liked 362 Times in 217 Posts
Originally Posted by Chr0m0ly
Plastic saddle with non-functional decorative rivets.

A real tensioned leather saddle needs rivets at the nose, and a way to adjust the tension.
Originally Posted by rosefarts
And you specified rivets at the nose and a way to adjust the tension to even get considered as real.
Better?
Chr0m0ly is offline  
Old 08-02-20, 04:30 PM
  #7  
Chr0m0ly 
Senior Member
 
Chr0m0ly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Back in Lincoln Sq, Chicago...🙄
Posts: 1,681

Bikes: '84 Miyata 610 ‘91 Cannondale ST600,'83 Trek 720 ‘84 Trek 520, 620, ‘91 Miyata 1000LT, '79 Trek 514, '78 Trek 706, '73 Raleigh Int. frame.

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 678 Post(s)
Liked 362 Times in 217 Posts
I’m sorry I was sloppy with my word choice, I was under the assumption that the OP wanted to know if these were comparable to a tensioned leather touring saddle, based on the specific asking about the rivets.

My concentration on vintage is in the touring aspect and I jumped to a conclusion based on my experiences.

no disrespect was intended at the many high quality, real leather saddles, some of which incorporated rivets as a decorative details.
Chr0m0ly is offline  
Old 08-02-20, 04:32 PM
  #8  
rosefarts
With a mighty wind
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2,554
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1072 Post(s)
Liked 841 Times in 475 Posts
Originally Posted by Chr0m0ly
Better?
The way I see it, some things have dramatically improved and trickled down over the years. My single pivot Dura Ace brakes don't offer the stopping power of new Claris dual pivots.

Near as I can tell, that Amazon junk saddle has the same construction as my San Marco. I wouldn't be surprised if it weighs less and the shell is more compliant than mine.

Is it tensioned? Nope.

Is it C&V? Nope

Is it even real leather? I doubt it.

If it completed a certain look I was after, at that price, I'd give it a try.
rosefarts is offline  
Old 08-02-20, 08:29 PM
  #9  
Lascauxcaveman 
Senior Member
 
Lascauxcaveman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Port Angeles, WA
Posts: 8,016

Bikes: A green one, "Ragleigh," or something.

Mentioned: 194 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1627 Post(s)
Liked 629 Times in 355 Posts
I bought one on eBay for a flip bike. I think it was just under $10, shipped. Not my cup
of tea, as the padding was pretty soft and the texture very grippy. It looked good on the bike, though.


I have another, similar one that came on my Merckx. It has the same design, but different materials and is a lot firmer and not too bad.

So, like on most saddles, you can’t really tell until you have it on hand and ride it awhile.
__________________
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●


Last edited by Lascauxcaveman; 08-03-20 at 08:05 PM.
Lascauxcaveman is offline  
Old 08-03-20, 07:24 AM
  #10  
sced
South Carolina Ed
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Greer, SC
Posts: 3,884

Bikes: Holdsworth custom, Macario Pro, Ciocc San Cristobal, Viner Nemo, Cyfac Le Mythique, Giant TCR, Tommasso Mondial, Cyfac Etoile

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 343 Post(s)
Liked 286 Times in 136 Posts
I'm looking for the look of a Regal. I have an old one and am doing a new build, so am interested in other's experiences and recommendations on the much cheaper lookalikes.
sced is offline  
Old 08-03-20, 05:45 PM
  #11  
noglider 
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,691

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7287 Post(s)
Liked 2,361 Times in 1,380 Posts
I tried one and didn't like it, but that doesn't tell you much other than something about the shape of my crotch, which you don't need to know.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.