How long will a white saddle stay that way?

[Louis]

I'm in the process of building up a frame and have decided to go with white as the secondary color (that is, for the accents). White bar tape, cages, and brake cable housing (DT shifters, so no real der cable housing to speak of).

I know the bar tape won't stay white for very long, and I can live with that. I have no idea about non-black saddles. Do they retain their color pretty well, or do they start to look grungy after a few rides? (If it makes any difference, it will probably be some flavor of a Selle Italia.)

TIA
Louis

[regularguy412]

Most of my white Rolls saddle is still white,, now nearly 20 years later. The only parts that aren't white are the parts where the cover is completely worn off. Actually, the gold-colored appoinments are more discolored than the saddle leather, itself.

Newer style saddles may not last this well,, as I have only ridden black saddles ever since.

Mike in AR

[imp25rs]

I have a Selle Italia Flite from '96 that is half black and half yellow. The yellow half has some wear marks but hasn't really lost any color. You should be alright as long as you clean it on a regular basis and don't let it get too dirty.

[PacNW2Ford]

Some say worn, I say character and patina

[mflaherty37]

I been white since wiping upwards.

[vaxn8r]

They stay white until you break down the leather. Easy clean. Much easier than bar tape.

[Chasen1211]

my 07 selle italia flite gel got worn in about 2000mi. the waring is like a smudge mark that wont come out. the leather itself is quite grainy/porous, so you get marks quite easily. :crap:

[stevep]

they last a long time.
my concor original on my cross bike will be transferred over to my new cross bike*, still looks great.

* zank? anyone?
hello??
spray can?

[Steelhead]

My OLD Flite saddles lasted several years and thousands of miles before getting that nice broken in look of the gray wear up around the nose. My current Flite saddle (white flite gel flow) made it literally about 100 miles before it started showing wear, and now it has 1500+ on it and it is rubbed down to gray on the nose as well as in places all around the whole saddle. I'm going to get a white Regal this fall.

[stevep]

i thk the flites use a really light/ thin leather.
they seem to wear out very fast compared to stuff like regal/ or other saddles with maybe a little less emphasis on lightness.
i personally thk the leather is too thin... but a lot of people like the shape.
ive been married to concors for 20+ years and dont have interest in trying anything else out.

[A.L.Breguet]

I been white since wiping upwards.
:beer:

[Spinner]

will last a long time (years). i have a white perforated regal saddle circa 1985 that spent 8 years on a road bike before being moved to my mountain bike. it's a bit trashed on the rear lip, but otherwise the leather and the color have held up very well.

[Fixed]

Some say worn, I say character and patina
that saddle has soul imho
cheers

[Ti Designs]

ive been married to concors for 20+ years and dont have interest in trying anything else out.


I still have about a dozen Concor saddles in various states. I used that saddle for the better part of 20 years as well, I have white ones and black ones and a yellow one, I have Concor Comforts, Concor Profiles, even the Concor SL with broken rails. The're for sale, and I'll even give you a deal on break-in labor.

[stevep]

The're for sale, and I'll even give you a deal on break-in labor.

ok but im not paying you the $.10 an hour that you get at the shop.

[davids]

I really don't have enough miles on my newest white Arione to be definitive, but after 700-odd miles, it looks new. I've probably got about 3k on my silver Arione, and the "Fizik" logo is a bit worn in places.

And the Fizik bartape actually stays remarkably clean as well - I've got a bit under 3k on the silver tape, and it still looks nearly new. I almost always wear gloves, if that makes a difference.

[Ti Designs]

I really don't have enough miles on my newest white Arione to be definitive, but after 700-odd miles, it looks new. I've probably got about 3k on my silver Arione, and the "Fizik" logo is a bit worn in places.

And the Fizik bartape actually stays remarkably clean as well - I've got a bit under 3k on the silver tape, and it still looks nearly new. I almost always wear gloves, if that makes a difference.


The Fizik rep made it a point to let me know that the saddle and the bar tape are made from the same artificial cow, so if you wear your gloves on your butt and your shorts on your hands half the time the two would match.

Clealy, I've spent way too much time in the bike shop thinking about these things. The other day I repackaged two pairs of streamers on one card and labled them tandem specific. I've also added a presta valve to a wet suit for quick and easy removal with a CO2 cartridge, and who could forget the two Conti trainer tire set for people who ride rollers?