We both kind of chuckled at this design years ago when we first saw it but after Larry had some "undercarriage issues" a few years ago he began a long (and rather expensive) buy-and-try search for a comfortable saddle. After trying pretty much EVERY other alternative (SMP's were left for last as the most expensive option) with not much luck, he contacted Gianluca of Albabici, the US importer/distributor. Gianluca sent a saddle out and was very helpful in the selection process (something that has since become much easier with test models available at your dealers as well as sizing charts) and after trying 3 or 4 different models settled on their GLIDER model as "just right" as Goldilocks would say.
How and why these saddles work is not simply the cut out section or the unique shape - it's a combination of all of these things. No more smashing of the "tender vittles" also lets you roll your pelvis forward as all the cycling coaches used to tell us, giving you a much flatter back when down in the drops. It also makes those drops more comfortable to use. Heather ended up liking the same model so, needing saddles for an entire fleet of personal bicycles, we started talking to Gianluca about being an official supplier. Nice guy that he is, he's taken care of us there along with some saddles to equip our rental fleet as well. This season we should have enough of various models for every one of our rental bikes to sport an SMP saddle. Grazie Gianluca!
No comments:
Post a Comment