Any Saddles With That 80s Period Look?
12-18-08, 02:03 PM
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Any Saddles With That 80s Period Look?
I haven't found a thread specifically about this question, so here goes ...
Situation: you have an Eighties Japanese road bike.
Goal: you want a NEW saddle for the bike that looks period-appropriate.
Problem: You can't find one. No one seems to make "plain black" saddles anymore like the Avocet and Vetta saddles of 20 years ago, and all new non-Brooks saddles look gaudy and flashy.
But you still want a new saddle.
So the answer is ...
a) Get a Terry Fly or a Selle San Marco - that's as close as you're going to get to the "old-school look".
b) Just buy a used saddle, willya?
c) Get a cheap black saddle cover to put over that two-tone or white Fizik
d) Brooks is the only answer!
Situation: you have an Eighties Japanese road bike.
Goal: you want a NEW saddle for the bike that looks period-appropriate.
Problem: You can't find one. No one seems to make "plain black" saddles anymore like the Avocet and Vetta saddles of 20 years ago, and all new non-Brooks saddles look gaudy and flashy.
But you still want a new saddle.
So the answer is ...
a) Get a Terry Fly or a Selle San Marco - that's as close as you're going to get to the "old-school look".
b) Just buy a used saddle, willya?
c) Get a cheap black saddle cover to put over that two-tone or white Fizik
d) Brooks is the only answer!
12-18-08, 02:26 PM
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I am a fan of the San Marco Regal myself. They have a nice selection of 'classic' saddles including, I think, the rolls and concor.
12-18-08, 02:32 PM
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I have a new Brooks Professional on my Guerciotti and a new Selle San Marco Regal on my Colnago. Although they are new saddles, they have the correct period look.
12-18-08, 02:35 PM
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I remember someone on here (possibly on the fixie forum) was looking to make some reproduction COncor saddles in different colors. I would buy one if they did. I love my Selle San Marco Concor! Very comfortable, even without padded cycling shorts.
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12-18-08, 03:25 PM
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One can generally find a steady stream of NOS saddles on eBay. Expensive, though. Selle Italia Turbo or Selle San Marco Concor are your leading candidates for the look/feel you describe.
12-18-08, 03:34 PM
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anybody have any experience with these:
https://www.somafab.com/saddles.html
the Okami and the ta-bo look a lot like san marco regal and selle italia turbo, respectively.
They're much cheaper than NOS saddles but aren't leather. Anyone out there try them and have anything to say about them?
https://www.somafab.com/saddles.html
the Okami and the ta-bo look a lot like san marco regal and selle italia turbo, respectively.
They're much cheaper than NOS saddles but aren't leather. Anyone out there try them and have anything to say about them?
12-18-08, 03:45 PM
#9
Velocommuter Commando
I haven't found a thread specifically about this question, so here goes ...
Situation: you have an Eighties Japanese road bike.
Goal: you want a NEW saddle for the bike that looks period-appropriate.
Problem: You can't find one. No one seems to make "plain black" saddles anymore like the Avocet and Vetta saddles of 20 years ago, and all new non-Brooks saddles look gaudy and flashy.
But you still want a new saddle.
So the answer is ...
a) Get a Terry Fly or a Selle San Marco - that's as close as you're going to get to the "old-school look".
b) Just buy a used saddle, willya?
c) Get a cheap black saddle cover to put over that two-tone or white Fizik
d) Brooks is the only answer!
Situation: you have an Eighties Japanese road bike.
Goal: you want a NEW saddle for the bike that looks period-appropriate.
Problem: You can't find one. No one seems to make "plain black" saddles anymore like the Avocet and Vetta saddles of 20 years ago, and all new non-Brooks saddles look gaudy and flashy.
But you still want a new saddle.
So the answer is ...
a) Get a Terry Fly or a Selle San Marco - that's as close as you're going to get to the "old-school look".
b) Just buy a used saddle, willya?
c) Get a cheap black saddle cover to put over that two-tone or white Fizik
d) Brooks is the only answer!
12-18-08, 04:04 PM
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Use this search on eBay: selle san marco (concor,regal,rolls)
12-18-08, 04:09 PM
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I feel like the Regal, Rolls and Brooks still look too classy to really indicate '80's appropriate' despite being around then.
How about a black perforated Turbo?
How about a black perforated Turbo?
12-18-08, 04:20 PM
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https://www.somafab.com/saddles.html
the Okami and the ta-bo look a lot like san marco regal and selle italia turbo, respectively.
the Okami and the ta-bo look a lot like san marco regal and selle italia turbo, respectively.
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12-18-08, 04:35 PM
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A plain black Fizik Aliante is not that far removed in looks from a Sella Italia Flite.
And if you don't like the white lettering, I can testify it comes off pretty easy
And if you don't like the white lettering, I can testify it comes off pretty easy
12-18-08, 06:04 PM
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anybody have any experience with these:
https://www.somafab.com/saddles.html
the Okami and the ta-bo look a lot like san marco regal and selle italia turbo, respectively.
They're much cheaper than NOS saddles but aren't leather. Anyone out there try them and have anything to say about them?
https://www.somafab.com/saddles.html
the Okami and the ta-bo look a lot like san marco regal and selle italia turbo, respectively.
They're much cheaper than NOS saddles but aren't leather. Anyone out there try them and have anything to say about them?
12-18-08, 06:13 PM
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Thanks guys ... I called a retro-minded "classic bike shop" in Westminster (mostly vintage Schwinn stuff) just to see if they had any NOS stuff or gently used stuff, and it turns out they do, so I may drive over there and find what I like locally after all. Or I may go for a new Selle as recommended above or get my first Brooks (and then, there would be no going back ...)
(I have seen Brooks saddles actually stop pedestrians with wonder as they pass by a coffeehouse ... in Newport Beach, a pretty hoity-toity town where money is no object, I saw a guy stop in his tracks and just look at one, one of the cherry red ones, and ask the owner, "Where did you get that saddle?" He looked like he never realized a bike saddle could have that kind of beauty.)
(I have seen Brooks saddles actually stop pedestrians with wonder as they pass by a coffeehouse ... in Newport Beach, a pretty hoity-toity town where money is no object, I saw a guy stop in his tracks and just look at one, one of the cherry red ones, and ask the owner, "Where did you get that saddle?" He looked like he never realized a bike saddle could have that kind of beauty.)
12-18-08, 06:17 PM
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Dude...I was there this past year for a wedding and I was staggered by the money flying around. I didn't see one cycle on the road that cost a penny under 3Gs or so. And more Lamborghinis in 2 days than I'd seen in my entire life - and I go to the auto show ever year!
12-18-08, 06:22 PM
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Yeah, it's like Beverly Hills with boats. The coffeehouse in question was Kean Coffee, which is the new venture of Martin Diedrich (he of Diedrich Coffee fame for you west coast folk). Costa Mesa, next door, is the absolute fixed-gear capital of Orange County.
12-18-08, 07:42 PM
#19
Disraeli Gears
To me, for the 80s, it's either Selle Italia Turbo (my favorite on looks), San Marco Rolls, Concor, Unicanitor -- or Brooks. All available in any possible condition (except "brand new") on eBay.
Yeah, but the saddle is an imperfect imitation of the Selle Italia.
Yeah, but the saddle is an imperfect imitation of the Selle Italia.
12-18-08, 08:07 PM
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I'm running a Terry Liberator on my '84 Fuji del Rey, and it seems to fit the aesthetics of the bike well.
Last edited by Blue Order; 12-18-08 at 08:10 PM.
12-18-08, 08:12 PM
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You could get lucky and score a Fujita or Belt - but those would have to be NOS to fit any part of the "new" definition.
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In search of what to search for.
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12-18-08, 08:23 PM
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As an ex-brooklynite riding in and around Newport Beach, its insane! Fat ***** people and skinny legged people riding 20 mile bike rides with $8,000 bikes!
12-18-08, 09:02 PM
#23
Disraeli Gears
Well, I'm just going to post this again, since I like it so much, and here's an opening:
It's not black, but the same seller has a black suede one with auction date tomorrow:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EWA:pIC&ih=017
It's not black, but the same seller has a black suede one with auction date tomorrow:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EWA:pIC&ih=017
12-18-08, 09:07 PM
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^^^Great seller BTW......I've had long and delightful emails with him. He super hooked me up when he sent me the wrong part. He informed me of the mishap prior to me receiving the part and did right by me 10 fold! Great guy...
12-18-08, 09:24 PM
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It's not black, but the same seller has a black suede one with auction date tomorrow:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EWA:pIC&ih=017
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EWA:pIC&ih=017
How much more can I spend on eBay this month?
