ElGenerale

Hi all.
Seeing this Avocet Touring on Ebay. It has stitched pads and white lettering on the back. I can't find anything like it in images online. Wondering if it's a real Avocet or if knock-offs were a thing. And if it's a legitimate Avocet, what vintage are we talking about here?




Thanks for any help.

bargainguy

I'm guessing this is not a period Avocet saddle - meaning a knock-off.

I remember the 80's as being the golden age for Avocet stuff. Not only saddles, but cranks, etc.

The screening in the first two photos doesn't look right, esp. the second. Too bright for age.

Since it has a round-top adapter, I'm guessing it came on a lower-end bike, and the seller didn't think to remove it before taking photos.

Kilroy1988 

There are several like it on eBay right now from different sellers, and other older threads in various forums where people have had them before. I don't see why one should think it's a knock off with so many around.

BMXmuseum.com For Sale / Avocet Touring Vintage Bmx Cruiser Padded Seat GT00613

The Golden Boy 

I don't know if Avocet made the saddles- Most Avocet parts are made by other manufacturers and rebadged as "Avocet." However, the saddles must've been THE moneymaker for them- All those early Racing I, II and III and Touring I and II (including the Touring WI saddles) are ubiquitous- they're everywhere- and the kicker is that they're really really good saddles.

I'd bet dollars to doughnuts, Avocet continued making saddles (having saddles made for them) and tailored them for whatever bike companies needed.

Chombi1 

I doubt if the saddle is fake. Who would go through the effort and time to silkscreen the Avocet brand on an old saddle like that?
Plus if it is a fake, they most likely would not choose Avocet for the branding but some other brand more universally popular when it cames to saddles.

79pmooney

The Avocet IIs and IIIs were made by Selle Italia and were (or were very close to) the racing seats they made so many of. I've ridden that shell labeled Avocet III (yes, aluminum rails and hence more comfortable on rough roads, Selle Italia and Peugeot. Probably other labels too.

Look closely and see if you can find a "Made in Italy" on it.

jetboy 

Some "Avocet" parts were ofmega as I recall. Nice stuff.

The Golden Boy 

Somewhere out there, there's an ad that shows more of the difference between the "Racing" and "Touring" models. Of course- these ads are from WELL before the saddle in the OP








This isn't the one I was thinking of- but it's got some good info:

Chuck M 

Exactly my logic when I found this Takara branded saddle on eBay.

jjhabbs 

IDK. Ive seen some crappy saddles with the avocet name on it. Just sayin

John

pastorbobnlnh 

Like the renowned 'Gatorcet Racing?

The 'Gatorcet (Avocet Racer recovered in alligator embossed cowhide). Available for any poor soul to test ride at his or her own discomfort! Please note: The stitching disappears under the booty. Other factors caused my pain and suffering!

dddd

OEM products are often just a shadow of their retail cousins, made by low-end product factories, installed on low-end bikes.

There are Naugahyde versions of Avocet "Touring" saddles however that I am particularly fond of, their softer foam being perfect when riding in regular clothes which I so often do.
But they are aging, so becoming too slippery to be a great saddle at this point, though I still use a couple of them.
I've suspected these saddles were OEM-spec'd, so looked on the underside which says:
"TAIWAN
OEM ONLY
VISCOUNT".
Circle dated 1989.

Where have the great saddles gone? Too many are near hard as a rock these days, even the boxes of OEM test-riding saddles in the shops fall short of sufficient softness unless one is using premium, low-mileage cycling shorts all the time.
My all-time favorite, all-use saddle is the decades-old WTB LASER, what a shame that these are no longer produced.

JohnDThompson 

Early Avocet saddles were made by Selle Italia, but later production was in the USA. If the underside of the saddle has "Made in Italy" marked, it's a Selle Italia product.

pastorbobnlnh 

The 'Gatorcet Racing is Italian. Maybe such a pedigree might temp someone to give it a try?

curbtender

That be old. No native gators in Italy for 250 mil. Maybe one of the sewer dwellers?

Velo Mule

Agree. Once Avocet seats as a brand cought on, they were made for lower end bikes as well. The distinctive feature were the two bumps. Which several manufacturers at the time copied and even outlined the bumps, including Avocet. I thought some Schwinn's had them.

One of the key things with them is that up until that time seat covers could just be stretched around the foam seat form. With the Avocet bumps, the seat cover had to be glued to the foam to maintain the contours that were molded into the foam. The original seat covers were leather.

I had the Selle Italia made Avocet seat back when these were current and liked it a lot. I still have that seat. It was Palo Alto Cycle that featured the Avocet line of products in the late '70's.

qcpmsame 

My wife and I had Avocet Touring saddles on our ‘81 Motobecane Jubilee Sports. Ordered the men’s and woman’s specific widths when we ordered the bikes at our LBS.

Good riding saddles, I seem to recall that the nylon base had different density or thickness material in the two raised locations. Supposed to flex as the sit bones (IT) moved during pedaling.

Bill