We are pleased to announce that our stock of signature leather saddles from SELLE ANATOMICA, the only handmade leather saddle manufacturer in the United States, has arrived!
There is a solid reason why leather saddles, including those from Brooks, remain popular today. Let’s break down the unique features of Selle Anatomica that go beyond simple nostalgia. It’s a bit of a long read, but it will certainly be an eye-opener.
The company’s saddles were developed in 2007 by ultra-cyclist Tom Milton, leveraging his years of cycling experience and research. Today, his family continues the development in San Diego, California, while each saddle is carefully handmade at their manufacturing facility in Wisconsin.
When a person and a bicycle become one, the saddle is the primary point of contact for the center of gravity. In this post, we’d like to delve into the features of SELLE ANATOMICA saddles.
Why Us? SELLE ANATOMICA vs BROOKS & Everybody Else
What if there was a better way?
While leather saddles are frequently seen on daily commuters today, they are not merely stylish accessories. Historically, they were the absolute choice for long-distance riders, often referred to as "randonneurs."
This is because leather is the optimal material for keeping the primary contact point between the rider and the bike comfortable and safe. Leather with sufficient suppleness acts like a second skin, moving and shaping itself to the body. The biggest problem is that it takes a long time for a leather saddle to reach this state. Over a decade ago, SELLE ANATOMICA developed a better process for molding leather saddles; let’s take a look at the history of SELLE ANATOMICA.
Leather Top
The highly famous Brooks and many other manufacturers use cold wet molding to shape their leather. The Brooks B17 has been made this way for over 100 years. The leather is soaked, placed in a press, and molded into that iconic shape, after which the top is oven-cured.
Through this process, the leather can withstand impacts and last for years. This allows riders to enjoy long distances and long hours in the saddle, with the material conforming to the rider's shape as it is broken in.
A Superior Dual-Layer Construction
All the tension and stiffness of leather are held in the top layer, known as the top grain. If you shave that layer off, you are left with soft, flimsy suede.
Brooks uses a single layer of hide to form the saddle top, utilizing the full thickness of the skin; this is called full-grain leather. Like Brooks, SELLE ANATOMICA uses this high-grade full-grain leather for their saddle tops.
However, because the top is soft in this design (more on that later), a single layer would be too soft. Therefore, SELLE ANATOMICA doubled the stiffness of the saddle top by laminating two layers of top grain leather. The natural stiffness provided by these two layers, combined with their proprietary heat-molding and drying process, creates a saddle top that requires no break-in period. Furthermore, compared to traditional wet-molded saddles, it becomes flexible immediately and conforms to your unique shape faster.
Hot Dry Molding
As mentioned above, over a decade ago, SELLE ANATOMICA developed an entirely new method for molding leather using a process similar to that used for aerospace composite parts.
Instead of cold molds, they use highly advanced heating tools to form the leather top. Much like in the aerospace industry, SELLE ANATOMICA tops are composites. Instead of carbon and resin, they are molded using a composite of leather and resin. The leather and resin are heated by manufacturing tools to the proper temperature for a predetermined amount of time, resulting in an exceptionally flexible leather top.
For Riders of Different Weights
For example, a 50kg cyclist wouldn't be comfortable on a saddle designed for a 90kg rider. Conversely, a saddle designed for a 50kg rider would be too soft for a rider over 90kg and would break quickly.
The stiffness of the leather top can be adjusted by the thickness of the leather. SELLE ANATOMICA offers the T, X, and H series, with leather tops optimized according to the rider's weight.
The Slot
Another distinctive difference between SELLE ANATOMICA saddles and the Brooks B17 is the patented anatomical slot. This slot introduces extra movement to the saddle top. SELLE ANATOMICA calls this system "Flex-Fly."
This allows the saddle platform to move up and down as the cyclist rides. With every pedal stroke, the sit bones drop and rise. If this movement is repeated for many miles, the surface pressing against the sit bones becomes an obstruction and can cause discomfort. The Flex-Fly system moves the surface of the saddle beneath your sit bones, preventing such irritation.
Why not a foam or gel seat?
Foam or gel saddle tops are very soft and squishy at first, making them great as demo saddles in bike shops. However, after riding for many miles, these materials compress and gradually lose their original thickness, eventually leaving you feeling like you are sitting on the saddle base (which is often hard plastic).
The Frame (Saddle Rails)
The original frame, which we call the Series 1, is based on 4130 chromoly steel rods. Brooks uses cheaper carbon steel rods for the B17 and other saddles. 4130 chromoly steel will bend under load, whereas carbon steel will simply snap. At SELLE ANATOMICA, we believe that in this critical anatomical area, bending is safer than snapping.
In 2017, SELLE ANATOMICA announced the Series 2 frame. In addition to a 90-gram weight reduction, the new frame is modular; it can be disassembled so you can replace the rails yourself without having to send the product back to SELLE ANATOMICA. Carbon rails, different leather tops, etc., can all be easily installed at your home.
Summary – Try the Latest in Leather Saddles
As everyone knows, Brooks makes excellent products. The B17, in particular, could be called an iconic saddle that dominates the leather saddle market. However, if you love your Brooks saddle and have been using it for years, you will likely love a SELLE ANATOMICA saddle even more.
Leather Models Restocked!
We have restocked three of our classic leather saddle models!
The X1 features traditional rails and rivets, the X2 is a new model with screwed rails and rivets, and the H1 is recommended for riders over 86kg. Please check each product page for details.
SELLE ANATOMICA X1 Leather Saddle
SELLE ANATOMICA X2 Leather Saddle
SELLE ANATOMICA H1 Leather Saddle
