I am in a state of LUST!!Gilles Berthoud Aspin saddle
Gilles Berthoud Aspin saddle
If you have one of these, or have had one of these, then please tell me all there is to know. Tell how well they are made, how supple the leather gets, how they mold to your shape and caress your n..... OR tell me how you couldn't wait to get rid, how it cut you in half, lost its shape, waste of money type thing...........................TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW!!!!!!!! I am in a state of LUST!!
I am in a state of LUST!!-
alexnharvey
- Posts: 1924
- Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:39am
Re: Gilles Berthoud Aspin saddle
I've posted a few times that I have 5 of them because they suit me straight out of the box. I've been using them for 7 or 8 years now so have some that have seen considerable use and some that have had very little, but I can jump on and ride any of them perfectly happily. Supple - just like any leather saddle, if you tap it with a finger it sounds hard, but if you press a hand steadily it gives a little. Mould to shape, not like a Brooks which has thinner leather. I have not noticed any dimples where I sit, but I can see that my most used saddles have flared a small amount compared with the little used ones. This is probably after 20,000 miles. A good thing is that you can buy any of the parts direct from Berthoud. This year I changed the leather on one because I was moving it to a different machine and fancied a change of colour. I have found Berthoud very easy to deal with.
Will it suit you, or will you sell it on eBay after a few months I cannot say.
Will it suit you, or will you sell it on eBay after a few months I cannot say.
Re: Gilles Berthoud Aspin saddle
Worth the investment - and i'm 'careful'!
mine has small dimples after 10k miles, maybe a little spread, but no where near the extent of an unlaced B17 after similar mileage (even a good one).
it's comfortable enough to go totally unnoticed - the mark of comfort imho.
mine has small dimples after 10k miles, maybe a little spread, but no where near the extent of an unlaced B17 after similar mileage (even a good one).
it's comfortable enough to go totally unnoticed - the mark of comfort imho.
mark
Re: Gilles Berthoud Aspin saddle
I have an Aravis which I got to replace a Brooks Titanium Swift that had been very comfortable but went badly out of shape.
I got the Aravis because it seemed likely to last longer than the Brooks Swift. I liked the fact that it can be disassembled and individual rails or other parts replaced at home, should the need arise. And the Aravis has thicker leather that should keep its shape better.
Out of the box it has a perfection that you don't find with Brooks. Beautiful screws rather than rivets. It oozes quality.
On the bike it takes a long time to brake in. There are people who can jump on a new saddle and say it feels good from the start, but I have a tender bottom and I'm not one of them. So it took me a couple of hundred miles of short rides to get it acceptable for longer rides. I didn't mind because I knew this would be the case. At perhaps 800 miles it acquired subtle wrinkles where the sit bones go, meaning it was becoming more compliant there. I've not used that bike a lot since, so it remains at that stage. It still looks almost new and remains in shape.
Somewhere online there is a video of GB saddles being made. It is impressive. Less artisans with craft knives and hammers than Brooks, more hi-tech machinery and precision.
I got the Aravis because it seemed likely to last longer than the Brooks Swift. I liked the fact that it can be disassembled and individual rails or other parts replaced at home, should the need arise. And the Aravis has thicker leather that should keep its shape better.
Out of the box it has a perfection that you don't find with Brooks. Beautiful screws rather than rivets. It oozes quality.
On the bike it takes a long time to brake in. There are people who can jump on a new saddle and say it feels good from the start, but I have a tender bottom and I'm not one of them. So it took me a couple of hundred miles of short rides to get it acceptable for longer rides. I didn't mind because I knew this would be the case. At perhaps 800 miles it acquired subtle wrinkles where the sit bones go, meaning it was becoming more compliant there. I've not used that bike a lot since, so it remains at that stage. It still looks almost new and remains in shape.
Somewhere online there is a video of GB saddles being made. It is impressive. Less artisans with craft knives and hammers than Brooks, more hi-tech machinery and precision.