johnnyace 

Has anyone bought a new Ideale saddle from the company since they were reborn a few years back? Always liked the ones that came on various bikes I've bought through the years. One of the Peugeots I purchased recently came with a pretty beat-up Ideale 42, but it's very comfortable.

Just wondering...

https://www.sellesideale.fr/en

repechage

I have seen the new one. The natural color model is not the same color as my first from 49 years ago but otherwise a good achievement.

not cheap, but not crazy for the effort and execution.

johnnyace 

Yeah, considering the prices I see for a used Ideale 90 "Rebour" in decent condition, not bad for about $275.

styggno1

Yes I have.

It arrived just a couple of weeks ago. It is a wonderful saddle and more than well worth its price. The deal was also pleasant with direct contact with Katia - one of the founders, owners and makers of the new Idéale. I wanted them to make a saddle to my special order and that was no problem. Thus my saddle has no "Rebour" stamp on top of it. I wanted it plain and more in line with the earlier versions.

I own and use old Idéale saddles and I own and use new and old Brooks saddles. This new Idéale saddle surpasses them all when it comes to attention to detail. Hides are also selected according to their intended use - I am a somewhat heavy rider (nowadays) and ordered a saddle made of extra strong leather.

Even if I have yet to use the saddle I have no doubts about highly recommending it to anyone wanting a real leather saddle. Mine is to be used a lot since it is going on a expedition type touring bike I am building. More on that later this summer...

smurfy

While I applaud these companies trying to revive the leather saddle I'm afraid they will become a relic of cycling past. I have a weird feeling that Brooks will concentrate on their Cambium line of saddles and may even discontinue leather altogether in ten years (or so) time but I hope I'm wrong. Velo-Orange have stopped carrying leather saddles in favor of their own line of whatever they are. I collect Brooks saddles and trying to stock up on some of them. Interesting to see where this is heading.

markk900

Beautiful saddle though a bit out of my price range - looks like it’s worth more than most of my bikes!

To aid future generations of BFers should you ask them about their serial number scheme now so that accurate build dates can be established?

johnnyace 

Thanks, styggno1, that is beautiful!

repechage

Could be a sourcing issue as much as a sales volume problem.
Or, the minimum qty was just locking up too much capital.
I bought one of the leather VO examples a while ago, thinner leather with a fiber reinforcement underneath. I have to decide how to break it in, it is drum head hard.

tiger1964 

I guess they are not going to re-introduce the aluminum-railed saddle. That said, not sure I've ever seem one on a micro-adjust seat post, just Ideale's own clamp on a straight post, unless I've missed something.

styggno1

The stamp is 21030106 and I would guess it is 21 03 0106 - and means 2021 March and saddle nr 106 (but it could be the 106: th black or other type). I ordered the saddle in March and got it in April. I will ask them but it seems likely.

ReidH

Probably not, as the aluminum girder saddles are less comfortable. I have/had a TB 57 Professionnel alu girder on my Jo Routens that I have removed to save it from wear and tear. The Ideale Diagonale I use as a substitute for the TB 57 is more comfortable. Not that I had much to complain about with the TB 57.

I haven't seen a micro adjust on an alu girder saddle and I don't see how it would fit. Ideale's standard seat post clamp won't fit on the girders either.

Reid

tiger1964 

Any idea why? Presumed that a steel rail is more flexible? Not that I give a whit about comfort...

I agreed although for all I know someone posts a photo of an Ideale-specific post, so who knows? Maybe longer bolts and grind a regular post's brackets to fit the aluminum rails' more square profile, and set the height lower**********

Andy_K 

I feel like I need to eat more beef to keep the leather industry supplied. I could be wrong about this, but I think I'll eat more beef anyway, just to be sure.

(And to any of my fellow PNW residents and other friends of the environment who feel like they need to respond to this comment: "Yes, I know.")

smurfy

A cycling friend of mine said that Covid and Brexit were affecting the sales/distribution of Brooks saddles since the leather ones are made in England but shipped to a warehouse in Italy. Also a bike shop owner near me said they haven't been able to get Brooks saddles from wherever they get them.

johnnyace 

It is my professional opinion that you should definitely eat more beef. Good beef. It's the most nutrient dense, human-appropriate food there is.

nlerner

I would have thought that they only sell Beyond Meat in the greater Portland area.

Andy_K 

In Portland proper, that's true, and the sales associates judge you because they know that you actually want real meat. But out here in the suburbs you can still get a steak here and there.

johnnyace 

Well, I guess when they all start getting sick from eating their Franken-goop, they'll realize that 2.5 million years of human evolution actually means something.

rgvg

Video about the new Ideale saddles It's in french but the subtitles work okay.

Charles Wahl

Whoa! talk about thread hijack! Did we go through a fold in the space-time continuum?

nlerner

It was the smell of a burger on the grill.

gugie 

Portland has a great number of vegan restaurants.
It also has a goodly amount of pork based places, such as Lardo's and the People's Pig, not to mention Killer Burger where every burger comes with bacon.

johnnyace 

Yup, I reserve the right to hijack my own thread. I get a little passionate about nutrition and movement related topics (see my signature).

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled Ideale thread.

scarlson 

Hey Reid, There is a micro-adjust aluminum girder saddle. I have been told this happened after Idéale changed their lineup in the mid '60s. Here is a picture of how it is implemented.

nlerner

Mmm, Lardo.