Chuck wrote:
"The Ottusi saddle I have with the low Brooks B.17 frame (not shortened)... the leather sides (flaps) overlap the bottom of the rails by 19mm on each side. Even more than the 10 to 15mm of your shortened/lowered railed Ottusi."
Chuck,
I'm not in a competition or have any vested interest here. Just trying to spread information.
I saw my first Ottusi saddle at a six day race at the old Madison Square Garden. I lived in the infield for those six days and would hang around each teams plywood "hut." The riders put their bikes on a peg that was nailed to the infield railing. The saddle was put on the peg, with the rear wheel off the ground and the bike pointing toward the track. I studied those bikes several times and was impressed by the saddles; large copper rivets with letters stamped into them. The riders had different brands of bikes but all had the same mysterious saddle. I though they were Brooks made for professional riders. But I couldn't find any stamp on the leather. When I tried to ask what they were, language was a barrier.
So years later, when Cino showed me the Ottusi saddle it all came together. It was the exact saddle I had seen at the six day race. I brought over eight in a three year period 1963-66). It's pretty funny when I think about those times. I was buying bikes from Faliero, and saddles and clothing from Cino. Is it possible that there were two tier Ottusi models?? I've seen those with the holes. Both Ottusi and Bettini made them. But at the time, I only wanted traditional stuff.
Michael
New York, NY