The Road Cycling UK (RCUK) website has posted a “first ride” review of the Berthoud saddle.

Gilles Berthoud introduces the new “Race” version of his evolutionary leather saddle at the Eurobike trade show in Germany this week. At 315g, with ti rails, M. Berthoud believes that he is offering the lightest leather saddle on the market.

The saddle will come with titanium or steel rails. The steel version should be available around the first of the year. The ti model will come later due to the four-month lead time necessary to acquire the titanium. M. Berthoud hopes it will be available “when the season starts.” The ti saddle should cost less than $350.

The rails on this saddle are common with the current Berthoud Touring saddle. Once the titanium is available the touring model will also have a ti option and the saddle rails can be purchased separately and easily changed by the owner.

This new saddle has been honored with a Eurobike Award.

Originally uploaded by guuwatanabe

GUU-Watanabe shows this frontbag mount on their Flickr photostream. The bag sits on a small rack so this system of wood and straps is an alternative to the decaleur.

There are more pictures of the bag and bike in the photostream.

Please comment your thoughts about the new Berthoud leather saddle here.

Tags: consumerreview

This weekend (7/11-12/09) my wife, Erin, will have this Berthoud equipped Airnimal bike on the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic. If you are on the ride, and would like to see the saddle up close, keep an eye out for her. She’ll be glad to show it to you.

Tags: stp berthoud

Our first batch of the new Gilles Berthoud leather saddle is on the way to us from the California distributor. We should have them Friday, 6/19, or the following Monday.

There are men’s and women’s versions of this saddle in three colors:  Natural and black saddles will cost $222. The cork version will cost $233.

Wallingford Bicycle Parts will give you the same six-month unconditional guarantee that we give on new Brooks saddles. For saddles purchased from this first batch we will give you a $10 tin of Berthoud leather dressing at no charge.

We will also have the classy, saddle-matching, bar plugs in road and MTB diameters for $19/pr

These saddles will be for sale on our website soon after we get them. If you would like to pre-order please give us a call at 888 731 3537, M-F 8:30-5:30.

We have high hopes for this innovative new saddle. Gilles Berthoud has been determined to create a new standard for quality and function. We are anxious to try one and get feedback from riders who have put some miles on one.

UPDATE 6/20, Saturday: The saddles arrived late on Friday. They look great and first short rides are encouraging.

Buy Gilles Berthoud leather saddle here!

If you click on the photos to the right you will be taken to our Flickr photostream. I have posted some pictures of the saddle manufacturing process in the Berthoud factory.