Berthoud mens’ saddle in natural leather	Plastic cantle plate, stainless steel rails

Upper also in black	Natural colouring does not penetrate leather

Allen key fixture allows replacement of upper	Threaded inserts in brass

Gilles Berthoud with his new saddle	The Berthoud range

Dissatisfied with the quality of the premier brand leather saddles sold in France, fabled French constructeur and cycle baggage maker Gilles Berthoud designed his own version in consultation with former employees of the Ideale saddle company complete with easily-replaceable upper, fixture for quick-release saddle pack mount and stainless steel rails.

The Berthoud saddle will be available in mens’s and women’s shapes with a choice of three finishes including natural leather, black and a mottled effect. It comprises a shaped thick leather upper treated to retain its shape even when subjected to extreme manipulation and a frame that uses lightweight moulded plastic in place of the pressed steel or occasionally titanium normally used for the cantle and nose plates.

The nose moulding features a threaded adjuster to permit tensioning of the upper once assembled. The upper is attached using Berthoud-patented fixtures, which use Allen bolts countersunk into brass washers, themselves designed to prevent damage to the edges of the laser-cut holes in the upper. The bolts screw into captive brass threaded inserts in the plates.

Once assembled, the upper is tensioned to suit and the saddle is ready to ride. Other items in the new Berthoud leather range include handlebar grips and bar tape.