Selle Royal: Retro Bike Seats

“Some things come back because they never went away” — that’s the thought behind two new seats from Selle Royal’s Origins collection. The saddle maker, perhaps best known for its gel-filled comfort seats, claims that “old is new again” with its ContourRoyal and Aeroyal models, both of which have a retro look and old-school design.

I’ve been doing saddle time in each of these two seats for the last several months. The ContourRoyal is a classy, modern-built version of the same seat Marino Basso won the 8th stage of the Giro d’Italia on back in 1977. Even though padding is minimal, I found this seat to be a genuinely comfortable ride. Its ’70s-era style is offered in either real leather ($89) or a synthetic ($59). Both models weigh in at 395 grams.

Second up, the Aeroyal model is a true throwback. This saddle reminds me of the days of launching my Schwinn Predator BMX bike off of curbs and drainage culverts all over town as a kid. Now anyone can relive that radness with this nearly indestructible thermoplastic delight!

Don’t expect too much comfort from the Aeroyal saddle. It’s best on your bar-hopper cycle for short trips. There’s even a spoiler/handle on the back — a true “love-it or hate-it” feature. It comes in black or white only and costs 40 bucks.

With style that has withstood the test of time — thermoplastic spoiler included! — either of these Selle Royal saddles could be a perfect, stylish addition to your fixed-gear or urban bike.

—T.C. Worley