Once upon a time, bike saddles were made of moulded leather stretched over a steel frame. When it rained and they got wet they sagged. Too much of this and the saddle was ruined, which, given the time spent getting the saddle comfortable in the first place, was annoying to say the least.

Then, sometime in the mid 1960s, someone had the bright idea of moulding the shell of the saddle in Rilsan plastic, which while perhaps not as comfortable as leather does at least have the advantage of being impervious to weather.

Thus was born the legendary UnicaNitor, which in its earliest incarnation did not have the thin leather and foam covering with which most interested cyclists are familiar.

That original saddle has now been recreated by Cinelli, the firm that did much to popularise the design. The new version has a ‘calibrated technopolymer’ shell, meaning presumably that it is thicker in some places than others to provide some sort of ‘give’, is offered in black or white and has satin-finished steel rails.

The dimensions are identical to those of the original, as is the overall shape by the look of things. Perhaps the only obvious difference is the addition of the name ‘Cinelli’, which is inlaid into the top surface of the shell.

Full road test soon, price £44.99.