# Anyone riding a vintage Selle Italia Turbo saddle?



## boostmiser (Sep 10, 2008)

I'm in the market for a saddle. I was leaning towards a Fizik Alante. However, I started thinking about vintage saddles like the Turbo or San Marco Regal. I used to ride the Turbo saddle and am thinking of getting a re-issue for my bike. What do you think? Anyone else riding one of these? Pics please.


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## seeborough (Feb 3, 2004)

I own/ride a few of them in pretty decent shape, but would not want to pay current NOS prices for them. $210? Ouch!
If you don't mind spending that type of money, here's a link:
http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6250&currency=USD

Of course, there's always ebay...


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## boostmiser (Sep 10, 2008)

Yeh, the real NOS are expensive. I re-issues are $50 but they are not real leather. I noticed a lot of them on eBay say NOS but are not, they are the re-issue.


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## frpax (Feb 13, 2010)

You can buy decent old ones on eBay that are still in great shape for about what a new one would cost. I'd prefer the older ones, as they're real leather. The reissue, of course, is not leather, as I'm sure you know.

The Turbo is one of my favorite saddles of all time. I also really like the slightly more modern Flite. But any of the classics, the Turbo, Regal, Concor, Rolls, etc. all feel very good to me. I've got an NOS Vetta that is very similar to the Turbo.


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## boostmiser (Sep 10, 2008)

What current saddle is most like the Turbo?


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## frpax (Feb 13, 2010)

boostmiser said:


> What current saddle is most like the Turbo?


You mean other than the current re-issue?


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## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

frpax said:


> The reissue, of course, is not leather, as I'm sure you know.


So they're not real leather. Does that affect comfort or performance?


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

put one back on for grins this yr, and after riding it asked myself wtf did I ever ride that?
soma makes a knockoff version (synthetic leather), called tubo or tabo or something like that


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## nayr497 (Nov 8, 2008)

In my experience (and from knowing the dimensions of them) these saddles are quite different. The Turbo is wide, both in the tail and the nose. The Aliante is pretty long and narrow.

I'd try to sit on both saddles in your favorite shorts/bibs before sinking cash into them. Saddles are very personal. I have a Regal and a Rolls, both feel good in around town clothes, but in bibs feel a bit too wide and plush. As some say, it's a brace, not a seat.

With modern chamois many of us like a smaller, slimmer saddle.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I borrowed a bike with an old Turbomatic saddle on it and found it very comfortable. After that, I ordered a Turbo 4 from someone on eBay, but it wasn't the same as the old Turbo. It wasn't nearly as comfortable and I sold it after a few rides.


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## Allez Rouge (Jan 1, 1970)

Turbo, or Turbomatic? I think there's a difference although I'm not certain of that.

I rode the original Turbomatic for ~14 years, absolutely loved it. Got a Turbomatic 4 a few years ago and, meh, just like Tarwheel says, it was different, so not so much love for it. I also have a Regal that I bought from Dave Hickey and is still on my most-ridden bike. It worked well until I lost a bunch of weight; now my butt is unhappy on about one ride out of three. So just yesterday I ordered an Aliante, a $180 experiment that may or may not work out.

The re-issue of the Turbo (no "-matic") is currently available for a paltry 50 bucks. Never had an original Turbo (again, no "-matic") and don't know how they differed from the Turbomatic, but have been tempted to try one of these re-issues since they're so cheap.

/ETA: nayr, I think you may be thinking of the Arione.


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

I rode the Turbo for years.
Really liked it.
Now I am* Brooks* and no pain and easy to maintain


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## ElvisMerckx (Oct 11, 2002)

I've got San Marco Rolls saddles on my commuter and my Fargo. Purchased both saddles new in 1985 and 1986 -- still comfy, but the gold trim didn't patina well.

And I've got a Turbo -- a white, Bernard Hinault signature Turbo from 1985, but it's sitting in a parts box -- that saddle is completely worn out.


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## MShaw (Jun 7, 2003)

I rode Turbos for a while. For my a$$ the Regal is a better fit.

I DID like both the Pro Team Indurain and the Turbomatic series of saddles. I haven't tried the -4 tho. 

YMMV

M


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## MShaw (Jun 7, 2003)

I rode Turbos for a while. For my a$$ the Regal is a better fit.

I DID like both the Pro Team Indurain and the Turbomatic series of saddles. I haven't tried the -4 tho. 

YMMV

M


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## Cpk (Aug 1, 2009)

I'm riding a new turbomatic team edition, the black and white one, and I love it. Tried 5 different saddles prior to it and it is head and shoulders more comfortable to me.


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## Mike Prince (Jan 30, 2004)

I ride a Turbomatic4 (all black) on my sole remaining bike, although I would hardly call it classic or vintage - I bought it in 2003 or 4. Being a larger rider, I also have used the Regal with a lot of success. For some reason I rode the original Flite for years which is a bunch narrower than either of these and never had comfort issues.

I sold a 1990 Specialized Stumpjumper a few years ago and it had a pristine original Turbo on it. Wish I had held onto the saddle now just to say I had it. I rode on a Concor Light about 5 years ago and that was the single most torturous ride I can ever remember, I think that one went into the bin (not the parts bin) as soon as I got home.


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## Allez Rouge (Jan 1, 1970)

MShaw said:


> I rode Turbos for a while. For my a$$ the Regal is a better fit.


Can you elaborate on this? I have generally done better on saddles that have a rounded profile at the wide, back end. I can't recall how rounded my old, first-gen Turbomatic was, but I think the problem with my Regal may be that it's TOO rounded.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Last year I bought 2 NOS Turbomatics with steel rails from this place. http://www.mombat.org/MOMBAT/index.html. They had something stacked on top of them and they had a couple of "dents" in the top of the seat. The dents have disappeared & the seats are just like I, or my butt, remember. I don't see any on their site now, but they might be worth a call.


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## keinreis (Aug 2, 2010)

I rode one for years in the early 90's It now sits on my old bike up in the attic. I have considered putting it on the new bike to see if it is still as comfy as I remembered. Mine was a turbomatic...


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## merckxman (Jan 23, 2002)

I ride a Turbo2 and love it but the leather is coming ooff...after what...17 years? I l also ride 2 bikes with the Regal saddle and like those very much.


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## MShaw (Jun 7, 2003)

Allez Rouge said:


> Can you elaborate on this? I have generally done better on saddles that have a rounded profile at the wide, back end. I can't recall how rounded my old, first-gen Turbomatic was, but I think the problem with my Regal may be that it's TOO rounded.


The turbomatic is different than the turbo. Flatter across the top. My rear liked em, but the orig Turbo is harder and rounder. The Regal I'm riding now is kinda in the middle.

Its been a while (2002) since I rode my last Turbomatic, so take these remembrances with a grain of salt.

If you liked the Turbo, the Pro Team Indurain was the same shape, just lighter. 

M


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## frmrench (Apr 10, 2009)

Wait a minute.....so vintage Turbo's are in demand and worth a few $$? I have a second year Turbo (real leather) that's been sitting in a drawer in mint condition. Any offers?? :ihih:


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I bought 2 NOS Turbomatics last summer for about $45 - 50 IIRC.


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## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

jmlapoint said:


> I rode the Turbo for years.
> Really liked it.
> Now I am* Brooks* and no pain and easy to maintain


I've got 2 and they're almost perfect. My only complaint is having to put a plastic bag over them when it's raining.


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## tombike (Jun 9, 2010)

I rode the Turbo saddles for years starting in the mid 80's through the late 90's (with an Ullrich signature model). So far (for about 50 miles) the current model Turbomatic Team (without the cutout) is a great improvement over a variety of Specialized and fizik saddles that didn't really fit me, a larger guy at 6'0" and 180 lbs.

A little concerned about the lifespan of the carbon rails, however.


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

Not anymore, but I've got an old one from the 80's, down in the basement that has 40-50,000 miles on it. It's a white turbo (cool in the 80's) that has much of the white worn off, down to "skin" color.
I used to from when I started to when I got my first Flite.


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## rayms (Sep 11, 2013)

Anyone know the name of the model dropped in 1985 due to alloy rail failure?
Heard it had carbon in the shell.


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

the 1980 reissue is made with nubuk/nubuck. i would assume that's real cow hide.









https://www.selleitalia.com/en/saddles/turbo-1980-nubuk/

the vintage ones still hold up well for the most part. i've had several, and only once or twice did they show too much wear to be uncomfortable.


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

i had two similar saddles recently on mid '80s univegas i flipped. one still felt great; the other, not so much.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

boostmiser said:


> I'm in the market for a saddle. I was leaning towards a Fizik Alante. However, I started thinking about vintage saddles like the Turbo or San Marco Regal. I used to ride the Turbo saddle and am thinking of getting a re-issue for my bike. What do you think? Anyone else riding one of these? Pics please.


I rode the Turbo for about 20+ years. Liked the basic leather ones. I bought a couple re-issue ones a couple years back and didn't like em. I still have a nice 15 yr old Turbomatic I used for 10 years. But have since moved on to SMP models and Specialized Romin too. Much better for me.

still have a vintage Rolls on my vintage race bike. it feels good, I should have tried them back in the day, but they were expensive and looked so similar to the Turbo


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## GKSki (Nov 12, 2014)

I still have a vintage Celeste Turbo form off 1 of my Bianchis. Have had it on CL off and on.


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

I had a Turbo for a while back in the 80s, it used to come stock on lots of complete bikes (I had it on a Miyata 914). When I got more serious, I raced on a Regal for years back in the day. I don't remember any issues ever with that saddle. I rode a more upright position back then and the wide Regal worked well for me in that position. 

However, I think modern saddles can be equally great. I currently have about a 4 inch saddle to bar drop on my road bike and the Romin Evo is splendid. I have the Romin Evo on three different bikes, it works for me just as well as the Regal used to.


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