Selle Italia is hands down the leader and reigning champion of saddle innovation. Based out of a small town in Italy, to this day they hand make all their products solely in Italy and have for over 110 years. Thats right; they started building bicycle saddles in 1897! Thats over 100 years of experience and dedication to advancements in the cycling industry.
The unique thing about Selle Italia is how they can simultaneously remain as faithful to tradition as they are to innovation. Selle Italia was the first saddle company to introduce the concept of differentiated thicknesses, shock absorbers, gel and active saddle suspensions. They also pioneered the use of rails in titanium, carbon fiber, Kevlar and tubular rails. Yet, some of their most popular saddles in their collection are ones they have been making for over 20 years. That loyal customer base is something that most other saddle companies dont have.
Most of this is due to the quality and safety standard they have upheld since their inception. Their attention to detail and their meticulous choice of materials are a guarantee of absolute reliability. Overall, the design and creation phase of their products not only comply with the latest safety standards, they go beyond them. One of the strong points is also their use of full grain leathers. Unlike synthetic materials, it offers the advantage of breathability and limited surface adherence.
We always state clearly that the most personal choice on a bike, is the saddle, and not just because it deals with the most personal parts on the rider. If you spend any time at all on a bike, you know that if your seat is not comfortable, the ride can quickly become unbearable. At Selle Italia the concept of comfort has always gone cheek to cheek with the use of cutting-edge materials and highly innovative systems. Since their inception, they have gained a following that surpasses any other saddle manufacturer, a following that consists of champions like Merckx, Gimondi, Hinault, Moser, Indurain, Pantani, Zabel, Jalabert, Ullrich and Basso to name a few.