While bicycle design has changed over the years, suspending of a piece of leather on a metal frame is one of the oldest forms of a bicycle saddle and still one of the best. The tension of the leather can be made tighter or looser by the turn of a screw, and the use of thick leather creates a ‘saddle’ that can often outlive the rider. Selle An-Atomica of Elkhorn, WI has taken this idea and created a line of bicycle saddles that uses a thick, suspended piece of leather, but cut a slot in the middle to make a ‘anatomic’ version of this classic saddle design.
The Titanico saddles are Selle An-Atomica’s answer to manufacturing a classic saddle yet making sure it fits in with the desires of the modern cyclist by incorporating a cut-out or anatomic design. This cut-out design has caught on in recent years due to its increased comfort level it provides to the rider. As best stated on their website “When you ride, the right and left sides of your pelvis move independently. There’s no reason your saddle shouldn’t move with them. We make the world’s most comfortable bicycle saddle. Period. From the patented slot carved out of watershed leather to the suspended leather design, you’ll feel the difference from day one.” Along with the Titanico saddles allowing the left and right sides of your pelvis to move independently, the slot also provides ventilation for those long days in the saddle and helps reduce sweat build up.
In 2012, the Titanico line looks to be joined by a couple of additional variations, a version designed specifically for riders over 200-pounds under the testing name ‘Titanic X’ and a light weight version that has very few details at this time. The Titanico X is in beta testing now and has no release date announced, while the light weight version has just this line posted on their website “We are working on a lighter weight prototype and hope to be able to introduce it in 2012.”
The Titanico saddles are not the only products the Selle An-Atomica produces. A ‘No Slot’ version of their saddle design, replacement anatomic leather saddles for the English made Brooks saddles, leather pant leg straps, leather bar tape and even leather coasters are all produced by Selle An-Atomica and they are all made in America.