Alexthe

just purchased on Ebay $200. and is my first saddle purchase for my little project of improving the enjoyment and use of a nice old Motobecane Grand Jubilee ( 1978 ) I had inherited from my father ( metallic red with Black touches, Black aluminum fenders , " Rene Hersh ") and I now use daily for all of my commuting. I'm sure I've got the right saddle ( a, GB Aspin) but what do people think of the " Tan " option ? in the long run do they age well or do they begin to look "grungy with use? black of course does not change much. And what advice do you have for the preservation or the best way to care for or make sure it ages gracefully. I have no experience with this sort of thing. And went for it on appearances grounds not thinking of how it will look in five years of my ass "pants" on it. Fortunately I'm not a sweater, and don't even own a pair of sexy cycling pants but in the summer, you know. What do you guys/gals Think of it ? I thought it will be cheaper to ask you guys, than the psychiatrist! In other words ( $ 200 ) for the saddle and $200 the psychiatrist , oh God .

I tried to post a picture but I guess I can't yet ?? you could look at it in ebay completed listings it's on a bluish sofa/chair mdrange

Alex

Alexthe

kingston 

I had a tan GB saddle. It's dark brown now.

Alexthe

oh , is that a good thing or a bad thing or is it just as nice now . do you like it ?

kingston 

It's neither good nor bad. It just gets darker with use. I really liked the saddle when it was new, but don't like it as much now after about 7k miles and it's indented from my sit bones. I guess some people either like that or don't mind it.

Cyclist0108

I bought a new one of those a few months ago (in cork). $205 new before the BikeSnob 10% discount.. I am still trying to decide whether I like it. I went for the "open" one because I have a slight leg asymmetry and I thought it might help. I am not sure that it does.

I replaced my B-17 with this, and probably because it is narrower, I can run it a little bit higher, and it seems to give me a very small performance boost, (although that might be a product of expectation bias).

Dfrost 

I’ve been loving this “natural” Aravis (titanium frame version) for almost seven years and more than 11,000 miles. I recently got another black one for my second (black) bike. That one with its different finish seems a touch stiffer and slower to break in.

Nearly new:


After two years and 5500 miles. The dent is from my asymmetry, and the reason my posterior prefers leather saddles.


Five years, 10,000 miles:
:

Alexthe

Thank for your input and pictures I awake the saddles delivery I think I like it either very light or very dark . I will have to think it over I could sell it here I suppose if I must in the end go for Black only having room for one bike . this would look best on a black bike . I have a lot of black touches though. It's a pretty great saddle anyway being a GB .

Alex

Chombi1 

For the long term, it might be better to just go with dark brown or black so you don't need to go through the transition period where the saddle kinda looks funky with areas of dark and light colors interspersed on the saddle cover....

Classtime 

Get some leather bar tape to match. The could both break in at the same rate and become darker brown. Of course, you will post a picture of your G.J. with your new saddle when it arrives.

TenGrainBread 

I had a "natural" (tan) Berthoud saddle that darkened over time, in a good way.

If anyone has a new non-open Aravis they would like to swap for a new open Aravis, shoot me a message.

Alexthe

O.K. I'll post a picture . The bar tape cotton is Gray and I am going to shellac it . I love gray it brings things together and matches everything . the bike is red so I don't want to go to warm .
It is a a pre-Madonna of a saddle which is what seduced me. And it would be great, on the right bike. a bike with a cooler or more neutral color I will try it a little bit just to get the feel of what a great saddle the GB is I will cover mainly too . we will see .

SurferRosa

I love the '70s too.

Alexthe

I was a very young boy but in the 70's .A time , I felt, that had humanity, there was plenty disturbing about it too but We were freer in a way ,in thought