Selle Italia has developed a new line of mountain bike specific saddles for its 2015 collection. Rather than rebrand existing designs, the Italian saddle manufacturer went back to the drawing board to examine the unique needs of mountain bikers — from gravity riders to cross-country racers — to see what features were truly needed.
The new three-saddle line offers products that are tailored to downhill / park riding, trail riding and cross-country racing.
Butcher gravity saddle
The Butcher is named after one of the gnarliest trails in Downieville, California. The unique shape and cutout were developed for gravity riders.
The most striking feature of this new saddle is the cutout. In this case, it is not a relief zone, but rather, a handle for pushing bikes uphill and hanging them from chairlifts, as well as a handhold for daredevil slopestyle tricks.
The Butcher has a small profile and curved edges, so it doesn’t get in the way or snag on baggy clothing. While many gravity riders spend very little time seated, the Butcher has ample padding for hard landings.
Selle Italia has developed a no-slip texture it calls herringbone, which consists of rubberized patches with rows of slightly raised lines
The underside of the Butcher has a metal reinforcement with a bottle opener for post-ride refreshments
The Butcher will be available in December and will retail for US$70. (UK and Australian pricing TBA.)
Nepal trail saddle
The Nepal is designed for all-day trail riding. It comes in two widths and two versions. Like the Butcher, this saddle uses anti-slip herringbone patches.
The Nepal has a shorter profile than the company’s road saddles, with a wider, padded nose to make hunching over the front of the saddle more confortable during technical climbs. The back is rounded to guard against snags and the sides of the saddle feature anti-scuff material to protect the cover from tearing.
The Nepal will be offered a version with manganese rails for US$80 as well as a lighter version with hollow titanium rails for US $129. Weights for the Nepal were not immediately available. (UK and AUS pricing TBA.)
The Nepal will be available in January 2015.
SLR XC cross-country saddle
The SLR XC is the seat that's most in-line with Selle Italia’s road offerings. It is built on an SLR shell, but features additional padding, a cut-out in the center of the saddle and anti-slip herringbone patches.
Weight. pricing and availability are all TBA.
