Rene Herse/Berthoud saddles

[Andreas]

Despite of the warning of one of the US vendors above (who I think implied that online saddles in the US are "old"), the stock from my preferred Berthoud online seller is fresh. Link below.

A warning for those considering one (esp. those with long femurs or needing setback). The rails are very short, similar to brooks leather saddles (swallow being the exception).


https://www.xxcycle.com/php/boutique...earch=berthoud

[palincss]

Originally Posted by Andreas

Despite of the warning of one of the US vendors above (who I think implied that online saddles in the US are "old"), the stock from my preferred Berthoud online seller is fresh.

Of course your preferred Berthoud online seller is located in France, so any comments about the age of stock at US online sellers are not relevant to them.

[kevintice]

I have been riding an Aspin since 2009. Most of my riding friends have changed to the Aspin as well works well for me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[blantonator]

Originally Posted by Jan Heine

Thanks for the positive feedback. For me, the Aspin/Aravis is also the most comfortable saddle by far. That is why we started selling them at Rene Herse Cycles.

Some mentioned lower prices on Berthoud saddles that you can find online – those are old stocks that had been imported when the exchange rate was much better. The downside is that the leather tends to be very dry, so they take longer to break in. Not a big deal, if you're patient. It's just a little unfortunate if Berthoud saddles get a reputation for being hard to break in because of that (large) stash of very old saddles. We place more frequent orders than the previous importer to make sure all our saddles have fresh and supple leather.

In any case, that's mostly a non-issue now, as most of the old stocks have been used up, but if you see a lower price, it'll be from that stash. (The dollar has lost a lot of value in recent years, so the newer saddles simply cost more.)

Some mentioned Ideale saddles: I have no connection (apart from the owners being friends), but I can second their excellent quality. The leather is perhaps a bit softer, and I haven't ridden mine long enough to talk about the ultimate durability, but if you want something with classic style, it's a great saddle, too. Be aware that international shipping can be very slow due to Covid-19 – there aren't many airplanes flying across the Atlantic right now.

Looking forward to riding my Aravis this weekend!

Jan Heine
Rene Herse Cycles

Hi Jan, I'm looking to replace my WTB silverado saddle with about 2-3" of saddle drop. Do you recommend the Galibier or the open version of the Galibier?

[verbs4us]

Originally Posted by merckx

The Ideale model 90 is also an option.

Oh, this makes me cry! I rode one of these on my Masi in the 1970s and 1980s until the leather rotted away and broke from the rivets. It was the only saddle I ever had that allowed me to never have to think about the saddle.

[skiezo]

So how long is the break in on these compared to brooks? I rode a Brooks for about a year and still could not get on with it.

[colker]

MOst comfortable saddle i ever had is the wtb sst 98 or something like that. I still ride it on an mtb, rotted to pieces because it´s no long being sold. HOw come no one comes up w/ something similar for road bikes?

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by skiezo

So how long is the break in on these compared to brooks? I rode a Brooks for about a year and still could not get on with it.

That Brooks probably isn’t right for you then.
Mine get comfy within a few weeks and then reach the “fit like a glove” stage certainly within a year.
I haven’t tried a Berthoud yet.

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

I have one of the "open" models (forget which specifically...) installed on my JP Weigle, and i quite like it. This bike is set up as a sport tour type mode with a bit of drop to the bars. I would say these are built more robustly, with thicker, stiffer leather than the Brooks I have experience with. It sure is a beautiful saddle too, that's for sure.

They are gorgeous indeed.

[Hawker]

Since other brands have already been mentioned...I want to say that the Selle Anatomica has worked fantastic for me. I'm on the light side at 138lbs and ride the version with the cutout...it's been waaay comfortable since day 2. Day 1 I spent coming to terms with the nose of the saddle having to be angled up more than plastic saddles, but after I found the correct angle...saddle pain has been a thing of the past. They make several versions depending on your size.

[Andreas]

Originally Posted by palincss

Of course your preferred Berthoud online seller is located in France, so any comments about the age of stock at US online sellers are not relevant to them.

nm