Sunday, 31 December 2023

Selle Italia SLR: Speedvagen Polka Dots

 It's always a pleasure and a design and technical challenge to realise all of the detail of Hai's vision for his saddles. This time for his Speedvagen with a full on over the top paint scheme we did a saddle 'with the lot'.

S-Works Power Flower

 For Paul's late model Speedvagen we borrowed the Vanilla flower logo and applied a concentric perforated pattern to the saddle along with a tiny embossed Speedvagen unicorn shield logo. Photos by Feride Peel and Mason Hender. Most excellent attention to detail by Dan at Superb Velo Service.

Form Throne Starry Night

Constellations and nebulas were the starting point for this dark navy blue and gold set.  The fork on Pamela's Mosaic is painted like a realistic photo of an actual nebula. All this through Above Category Cycling.

Two Piece Saddle Bag: Serk

A while back I did some leatherwork for a Serk titanium custom build that was exhibited at the 2023 hand made bicycle show. A little later on we added this matching two piece saddle bag to the ensemble.

Selle San Marco Aspide: Firefly Natural

Aspide in natural vegetable tanned kangaroo with gentle pale green perforations for Victor's very lovely Firefly. This is the second time around after the first set was damaged in an accident. Honey tones and patina should develop quickly on these.

Specialized Ruby: Helen's Baum

For Helen's Baum I recovered here Specialized Ruby saddle in black leather with perforated detail in blue and orange. This older model of gel saddle has a feature called Adaptive Edge. The Busyman technique for dealing with that is to glue right over it as the space is too small to tuck the leather back in securely. I think this is also going to become the standard method for finishing Power saddles.

SMP Avant: Prova Dark Green

For Prova Cycles a SMP Avant saddle and matching bar tape in black leather with dark green perforations. The saddle is one of SMP's chunkier models and required more panels and seams than the more slimline models to allow the leather to mould nicely to the form.

SLR Superflow Boost: Dark Chocolate

 For Zach's subtle fade Open road bike. The saddle, frame bag and bar tape are in a dark chocolate kangaroo leather with subtle fade perforations from light olive green to cool grey. Zach went to a lot of trouble to make a template for the bag shape including a narrower piece to indicate how much the tubes recess into the bag cavity compared to the external shape of the main side panels. Theoretically the bag should fit perfectly, my fingers are crossed.

Pro Stealth in Black and Burnt Orange

 A pair of Pro Stealth saddle in black kangaroo leather with perforated detail in Baum's Burnt Orange for a pair of Baum bicycles. Matching bar tapes in matte textured cow leather.

Pro Stealth Team: Baum Burnt Orange

Brandy kangaroo whip leather with Baum's Burnt Orange perforation details at the back of the seat. Pro Stealth Team saddle and matching bar tape. The whip leather will develop a rich patina with use.

Power Baum Brandy Fade

Faded perforation detail in Baum's coral and plum on brandy kangaroo leather for both saddle and bar tape.

Saturday, 30 December 2023

Fizik Argo Whiskey Bastion

For PBX's classically styled sage green Bastion. Simple whiskey coloured kangaroo leather saddle and bar tape. 

Friday, 29 December 2023

Zullo Fizik Argo

 For Richie's new steel Zullo bike. Fizik Argo Tempo 160 in black leather with bright yellow perforations and the Zullo logo raised through the centre back.

Saturday, 23 December 2023

SMP Yellow Tree

Selle SMP VT20C in black kangaroo leather with a subtle rendition of Baum Cycles' new geometric tree logo as negative space amongst the yellow perforated pattern. Some more complex pattern making to fit the unique form of this short SMP saddle.

Friday, 22 December 2023

SMP: Baum & Signature

 SMP Dynamic in black leather with silver grey grid perforations and Baum Cycles new tree logo for Signature Cycles.


SMP Bison

Tim's SMP Dynamic with some fresh EVA foam padding and a lovely and durable shrunken bison leather cover in chocolate. Thanks Tim!

Fizik Aliante VS Carved V & VI

This is custom carved Aliante VS saddle number 5 and 6 for Ross. All done in 2023. This last two are in chocolate shrunken bison and whiskey kangaroo whip. Thanks Ross, it has been my pleasure to work on your saddles.


Wednesday, 20 December 2023

Mosaic Prologos

Prologo Scratch M5 Nack: Two saddles for Salifu's two new Mosaic bikes. First in light olive green with the Mosaic name perforated key-line and radiating concentric perforated row all in bitter orange. Second in black leather with the Mosaic tree logo sized up and raised across the whole saddle.


Prologo Dimension: Prova Burgundy

 Prologo Dimension Nack saddle in black kangaroo leather with burgundy perforations and bar tape to match with the same perforated pattern for Prova Cycles.



Tuesday, 19 December 2023

SLR Superflow Classics

A couple of Selle Italia SLR Superflow saddles I completed earlier this year with marching bar tapes. Both are black on black. The first one takes reference from the classic superflow look while the second one derives its seam lines and detailing from an older SLR Flow. The detailing is adapted to suit the shape of the Superflow and the front end carbon fibre trim has been padded out and covered over. It's subtle but it was a lot of work.