[CR]More Selle Italia Turbo

(Example: Production Builders:Cinelli:Laser)

Content-class: urn:content-classes:message
Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 12:06:42 -0400
Thread-Topic: More Selle Italia Turbo
Thread-Index: Acel+S0mLRM9WervRHSPZTYiGZU5tw==
From: "Bingham, Wayne" <WBINGHAM@imf.org>
To: "Classic Rendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]More Selle Italia Turbo

I've been riding Turbo saddles since the early or mid 80's. It was my favorite saddle for many years, and I've owned just about every version. Torbos were probably the most popular saddles we sold at the shop in the mid to late 80's. I remember advertising that stated "Nine of the top ten finishers in the 1983 World Championship Pro Road Race used this saddle". I don't think the SLG referred to the alloy railed version. I remember them listed in the catalogs as simply the steel or alloy versions. I did break a couple of the alloy models. The Hinault model was just a version of the original. Turbo saddles were available in a wide variety of colors and finishes. I've had blue, red, yellow, black and white in smooth, perforated, and suede finishes. I still have an NOS Turbo in brown suede, brown only being available in the suede finish. The Specials (with the gold plates and nose band) originally came in a textured black leather, and later in black and red Lycra, with opposite and contrasting fine stripes. Supers had the World-stripes under plastic on the nose and tail. They were also available in red, yellow, black and white, and in both smooth and perforated covers. The Lady Turbo was available in smooth black and yellow, and black suede buffalo hide, but with steel rails only. The Turbo Bio was in Lycra, mostly in colored-stripe patterns. There were, of course, lots of one-off specials for various manufactures as well. I still have quite a stock of Turbo saddles, and might try and take pictures and post an album of the various models I have, but not until after the Cirque!

Okay, back to the shop!

Wayne Bingham
Lovettsville VA USA