Selle Royal has launched a line of saddles that the company claims are cooler, temperature-wise, than others. The two main features of the Respiro line are a heat-deflecting cover material and a ventilated channel that runs from a vent in the nose through the saddle body.
The Respiro saddles come in Sport, Athletic, Moderate and Relaxed styles. The Sport saddle, at 255g and €79 is the lightest of the bunch, and designed more for a performance-oriented position at a 143mm width. It does not have the big nose vent. On the other end of the spectrum, the 227mm Relaxed saddle at 725g and €65 is designed for upright cruising.
The Respiro Soft Athletic model features an air intake channel at the nose that runs through the saddle body
Some of the Respiro saddles come in a handmade leather option. The others feature a 'Cool Microtex' fabric that deflects some of the heat from the sun. Some clothing makers have been using similar technology, such as Schoeller's Coldblack fabric, to reduce heat in jerseys and shorts. But Selle Royal might be the first saddle maker to stake a similar claim for saddles.
Many of the Respiro saddles also use Selle Royal's Royalgel padding, which the company says reduces pressure points significantly.
The Respiro Relaxed features plenty of gel padding
