I've always thought that the Turbo Special was a marketing inspired reaction to the immense success of the San Marco Rolls. Anyone from the business remembers this? Here's a Special:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
I dont consider the Special as very comfortable though; its quite hard IMO. I am a great fan of the later itterations, the Turbomatic 3 and 4. I think the last one is still used widely in the pro peloton. I think it has something to do with more modern foam in the padding? I'm quite sure that that older foam ages into something quite uncomfortable!
Freek Faro Rotterdam Netherlands
2007/6/3, Bingham, Wayne <WBINGHAM@imf.org>:
>
> 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