Selle Italia’s new Mannequin X Leaf expands their eco-friendly and reasonably priced Greentech saddle line-up with one other new look. However it’s the quietly launched new Novus Enhance EVO Superflow that actually reinforces the concept the simplified, automated & solely made-in-Italy manufacturing course of might shake-up how Selle Italia makes saddles from the entry-level to excessive efficiency…
Selle Italia Mannequin X Leaf reasonably priced eco bike saddle
The brand new spotlight of Selle Italia’s sustainable GreenTech made-in-Italy saddle manufacturing is the brand new Mannequin X Leaf. A easy replace to the Mannequin X Inexperienced that launched final spring, the one actual distinction is the brand new cowl that drops the refined perforated look of the unique in favor of a brand new leaf-pattern to focus on the ‘inexperienced’ character of the saddle.
Sustainable Saddle – Tech particulars
In actual fact, there’s a small technical change, as the brand new Selle Italia Mannequin X Leaf does add new anti-bacterial remedy included into the up to date padded prime.
The important thing environmentally-friendly manufacturing side stays the identical – the saddle is “free from pollution” made with out dangerous adhesives or chemical resins. As an alternative the three particular person parts – metal alloy rails, strengthened plastic/composite shell & “whole gel” foam padding – are every co-molded on prime of each other. The mechanical connection between layers (with out glues) is a cleaner manufacturing course of and likewise means the saddle might be damaged aside on the finish of its life-cycle to be recycled.
Selle Italia even says that all the further waste materials throughout manufacturing, will get recycled proper again into the following batch of saddles.
The complete course of is quicker, extra automated, much less labor-intensive, and requires much less power. That makes the Greentech saddles cheaper to provide, and allowed Selle Italia to deliver their manufacturing again to Italy, additional decreasing the embodied power & environmental affect of their manufacturing. The complete patented manufacturing course of now happens inside a 15km circle from Selle Italia’s HQ.
The brand new Selle Italia Mannequin X Leaf is available in the identical waved-top, brief & vast L3 Enhance form because the authentic (145mm vast x 245mm lengthy) with a full-length SuperFlow cutout. It nonetheless weighs 315g with spherical metal rails making it a heavyweight in comparison with different efficiency street saddles, however your pockets will likely be lighter with its $60 / 60€ pricetag.
Selle Italia Novus Enhance Evo Superflow endurance saddle
Whereas the X line of saddles are specializing in selling sustainable saddle manufacturing, Selle Italia appears to have quietly began utilizing the identical tech for extra of their common saddle manufacturing. Late final fall they revamped their virtually 30-year-old Novus endurance street efficiency saddle household with a brand new Novus Enhance Evo line.
Novus Evo Tech particulars
Utilizing an analogous vast curved match to the Mannequin X, the 145x245mm L3 Novus Enhance Evo seems to be virtually precisely the identical form. However what’s most notable is that the Novus Enhance Evo is available in 4 spec ranges – with metal, tubular manganese, tubular ti, or full carbon rails and from 80-270€ worth factors.
And that least expensive model – the Novus Enhance Evo Superflow – makes use of the identical 3-piece mechanical development because the Greentech saddles (even when Selle Italia doesn’t hype it). And whereas the mid-spec saddles are made abroad, the entry-level is made in Italy with the brand new automated, eco-friendly manufacturing course of.
Most notably too, the 80€ Selle Italia Novus Enhance Evo Superflow endurance saddle is simply 246g, presumably due to a extra superior composite base materials that seemingly isn’t as recyclable. It’s nonetheless not a superlight saddle, however at 69g much less it’s 22% lighter than the Mannequin X whereas utilizing a lot of the identical core expertise. And it’s nonetheless fairly low-cost. Plus, it prices much less and is 19g lighter than the Asian-made model with manganese rails.
all images c. Selle Italia
Appears to be like like our prediction of extra reasonably priced, made-in-Italy saddles from Selle Italia is coming true. And can seemingly broaden at this reasonably priced to mid-priced efficiency stage.
