Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Vegan saddles

I'm not 100% sure what the saddle i have is made of but it looks a lot like leather. I'm wondering if anyone has found any totally vegan saddles? If so some links would be awesome, thanks.

synthetic leather is now the norm, not the exception.

yup guess its better to use more energy, create more waste, use more petrochemicals in the manufacturing of a plastic pleather saddle, than to use readily available leather that is natural. And lets be serious here, do you honestly think your plastic saddle is going to make a difference in the grand scheme of the earth, considering that everyday millions of tons of pollutants, billions of tons of garbage are created are dumped back into the earth. (dont forget to add your plastic saddle to that garbage when it wears out, it wont degrade any, unlike a real leather saddle that will degrade properly)

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

haha, so true.

though mr. vegan probably has a point with how much food / water / energy / land goes into raising cattle.

yup guess its better to use more energy, create more waste, use more petrochemicals in the manufacturing of a plastic pleather saddle, than to use readily available leather that is natural. And lets be serious here, do you honestly think your plastic saddle is going to make a difference in the grand scheme of the earth, considering that everyday millions of tons of pollutants, billions of tons of garbage are created are dumped back into the earth. (dont forget to add your plastic saddle to that garbage when it wears out, it wont degrade any, unlike a real leather saddle that will degrade properly)

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

God, shut the **** up. This isn't a ****ing argument on a virtues of vegan saddles, let the guy have his ****ing thread.

God, shut the **** up. This isn't a ****ing argument on a virtues of vegan saddles, let the guy have his ****ing thread.

+1... get off the OPs dick.

God, shut the **** up. This isn't a ****ing argument on a virtues of vegan saddles, let the guy have his ****ing thread.

most vegans are very concerned about the environment as well. I am simply pointing out what goes into making a plastic leather saddle (petrochemicals, foam, heavy manufacturing electrical consumption and waste), and the subsequent garbage that results when said saddle is thrown away. At least with real leather saddles the entire thing is recyclable, the leather rots away with no harm to the earth, the steel rails are recycled into new steel or rust away (harmless).

by the way i'm vegetarian.

synthetic leather is now the norm, not the exception.

This is true.
Unless you're Selle Italia. Check out Selle San Marco.

There is of course the option of buying a used leather saddle - it'll already be worked in, doesn't contribute to the cycle in the same way and will, in all likelihood, outlive a synthetic saddle by a longshot.

I'm vegan, have been for about 12 years and I ride on a used Terry Fly which is leather - I never lose sleep over it.

most vegans are very concerned about the environment as well. I am simply pointing out what goes into making a plastic leather saddle (petrochemicals, foam, heavy manufacturing electrical consumption and waste), and the subsequent garbage that results when said saddle is thrown away. At least with real leather saddles the entire thing is recyclable, the leather rots away with no harm to the earth, the steel rails are recycled into new steel or rust away (harmless).

by the way i'm vegetarian.

WELL then offer some proper ****ing advice. Don't just go on a tangent. Tell the OP about a saddle that you found that is made out of an environmentally friendly material that does not come directly from the slaughter of an animal. Yeah, I know you had cutesy smirking smiley faces at the bottom of your reply, but guess what, it didn't make it cute and the fact you are a vegetarian doesn't forgive it's rudeness. A post like that shouldn't come around until the OP has a good answer. Your reply could have actually been a useful one had it not been so fraught with bitter sarcasm.

IN REGARDS TO THE OP: I agree with MattRennick^^^ Makes sense to me. Avoid any potentially harmful chemicals in new materials and supporting any inhumane practices associated with the current leather industry. Plus, 'Reuse' is one of the three "Rs", right?

but i like bitter sarcasm...

there are so many more important things to worry about than sacrificing a cow.
do you know how many grass plants the cows kill when theyre chomping? how many birds they kill when farting?
im sure as hell there aren't cows that don't eat.
or maybe there are... FREE ENERGY :D

My current favorite is the fizik aliante sport. It has a synthetic cover and can be found for ~$50 on ebay.

+1... get off the OPs dick.

This happens every time one of these threads comes up.

Huge portions of rich farmland are set aside to grow Monsanto GM corn, then Petroleum-based pesticides are sprayed on the corn, which are then fed to poorly treated, factory-farmed animals whose waste is hugely polluting to local ground waters and our rivers. Meanwhile, the nitrogen-rich fertilizer (required to grow feed-grade corn season after season) runs off into our rivers, where it floats down stream into the ocean, causing massive "dead-zones," which are seriously threatening a number of plant and animal species with extinction. All of this in ignoring the astonishing amount of energy required to raise one cow from birth to slaughter, as well as the disgusting and dangerous chemicals used in tanning leather.

People continue to act like leather saddles are plucked from the ****ing Saddle Tree, while synthetics come from the Once-ler. At best, the difference between the types of material used to cover your saddle is negligible, and claims to the contrary are wholly without merit.

I haven't found any faux leather saddles, but if yours is leather don't bother throwing it out just because a critter died. That animal is already dead and it's not like you are actively contributing to the industry by keeping a used item. Nobody is going to think less of your vegan-ness just because you happen to be using a leather saddle, and if they get in your face about it, don't bother talking to them because they're being a pretentious nit.

Take good care of your current saddle as not to waste it or let it get weathered+destroyed, if your concern is for the animal's sake, it would probably be offended knowing that it died just so it could be thrown into a landfill! If you really do feel uncomfortable or that it conflicts too much with your beliefs, donate it to another cyclist and see if you can find a comparible one from a local bike shop.

btw, I am a very strict vegetarian, only thing keeping me from going back to vegan is my insatiable love of cheese :]

Very well stated, bonechilling. I heard somewhere that not too far back meat in this country was something that people had on a once a week or once a month basis...not with EVERY meal like it is now days. Too bad I nearly lose control of my salivary glands every time someone puts a Del Monico steak in front of me.

What would have to be done to qualify as a vegan saddle...just that it doesn't use any animal products in the process? I think going into a LBS and asking which saddles use real leather and which ones do not would yield the best results.

slaughter a redneck meat eater and cure their skin and make a saddle from that. that'll make all of us feel so much better. plus, it's the genuine vegan option: only vegetables harmed in the process.

what you plan to eat your saddle?????

bonechilling ftw

but check out the specialized saddles
www.specialized.com (http://www.specialized.com)

most fizik's are synthetic also

so is this (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=6000114&subcategory=60001082&brand=&sku=21696&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Saddles) sexy little biatch

yes to the Fizik's (though I don't like their look), also the Tioga Spyder that pops up on here every once in a while is plastic and well liked (by some), Kashimax made plastic BMX saddles that the fixie kids like here in Tokyo, you could get a fabric covered one--no names except Selle San Marco spring to mind off hand but there are several varieties of kevlar/cordura/embroidery type saddles floating around.

i've been vegan for almost twelve years, no leather for the first 6, then integrated used pieces to my life (started with a practical motorcycle jacket--save my own skin), and then down the slippery slope to buying any leather good my heart desires. still on the vegan wagon food-wise though.....

most vegans are very concerned about the environment as well. I am simply pointing out what goes into making a plastic leather saddle (petrochemicals, foam, heavy manufacturing electrical consumption and waste), and the subsequent garbage that results when said saddle is thrown away. At least with real leather saddles the entire thing is recyclable, the leather rots away with no harm to the earth, the steel rails are recycled into new steel or rust away (harmless).

by the way i'm vegetarian.

The tanning process is harmful to the environment also. However, I bought a leather saddle, because I feel we should reduce how much we buy and I feel it is probably less detrimental to the environment.

I am Vegetarian too, it took me a while to decide to get a leather saddle.

Oh and just because a saddle is not made of leather does not make it vegan.

glue creeps into everything..... or are you talking about something else, level-elph?

glue is probably more synth than not these days. or....is it???

People continue to act like leather saddles are plucked from the ****ing Saddle Tree, while synthetics come from the Once-ler.

am I the only one that caught that reference?

glue creeps into everything..... or are you talking about something else, level-elph?

glue is probably more synth than not these days. or....is it???

Nope talking about the process of making plastics and rubber.

No

I like beef and broccoli

People continue to act like leather saddles are plucked from the ****ing Saddle Tree, while synthetics come from the Once-ler.

+ The Lorax.

I'm vegan and I use Specialized BG saddles. Most of them (if not all of them) are non-leather. Plus they are the most comfortable saddles that I've used.

i didn't know that saddles could be eaten

I'm a vegan and I still ride my Brooks under the concept that I didn't support the industry by buying the saddle (traded for it second hand), and that it's really damn comfortable compared to my Nitrox.

i didn't know that saddles could be eaten

Veganism is a lifestyle, not a diet.

i didn't know that saddles could be eaten

+stupid comment

People continue to act like leather saddles are plucked from the ****ing Saddle Tree, while synthetics come from the Once-ler. At best, the difference between the types of material used to cover your saddle is negligible, and claims to the contrary are wholly without merit.

I could give two sh*ts about saddle material.

I said you should get off the OP's dick because the OP came in with a question and you took it upon yourself to go on some tirade about something only tangentially related to the question.

It's just like all the other threads that go something like, "What size stem does a stock Flaming Fleeburflur come with?" and one of the first responses is, "Dude, the Flaming Fleeburflurbur is a sh*tty bike, you should have bought the Plastic Pusher instead 'cuz it's so much better." Doesn't really answer the OPs question, does it, and it's not really on-topic for the thread, is it?

I could give two sh*ts about saddle material.

I said you should get off the OP's dick because the OP came in with a question and you took it upon yourself to go on some tirade about something only tangentially related to the question.

It's just like all the other threads that go something like, "What size stem does a stock Flaming Fleeburflur come with?" and one of the first responses is, "Dude, the Flaming Fleeburflurbur is a sh*tty bike, you should have bought the Plastic Pusher instead 'cuz it's so much better." Doesn't really answer the OPs question, does it, and it's not really on-topic for the thread, is it?

And neither does your rant. However, his post did address the OP's concerns about vegan saddles.

Microtex (just another name for Lorica which Sidi and other companies use on their shoes) looks enough like leather than kids who thought they were riding the leather verisons of the Fizik Arione were probably riding the Microtex ones. It is a great saddle and what I have been riding for several months.

Here is a review of the saddle: http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/arione.shtml The Aliante is a slightly different shape and may be a more traditional shape so it may be more comfortable for some people but the Arione is one very popular saddle.

And unlike leather, quality synthetics are meant to breathe and not absorb as much sweat and moisture. A cheap ass leather saddle may not last as long as a leather saddle but ones made out of microtex won't have the cracking/drying out/flaking apart problems that Brooks and other leather saddle have.

most vegans are very concerned about the environment as well. I am simply pointing out what goes into making a plastic leather saddle (petrochemicals, foam, heavy manufacturing electrical consumption and waste), and the subsequent garbage that results when said saddle is thrown away. At least with real leather saddles the entire thing is recyclable, the leather rots away with no harm to the earth, the steel rails are recycled into new steel or rust away (harmless).

by the way i'm vegetarian.

EDIT: bonechilling beat me to it. I dont care about the moral ramifications of killing a cow, but people need to understand the environmental impacts of the beef industry and reconsider their love of cow products.

I could give two sh*ts about saddle material.

I said you should get off the OP's dick because the OP came in with a question and you took it upon yourself to go on some tirade about something only tangentially related to the question.

It's just like all the other threads that go something like, "What size stem does a stock Flaming Fleeburflur come with?" and one of the first responses is, "Dude, the Flaming Fleeburflurbur is a sh*tty bike, you should have bought the Plastic Pusher instead 'cuz it's so much better." Doesn't really answer the OPs question, does it, and it's not really on-topic for the thread, is it?

You might want to go back and reread the thread. I was the one you were agreeing with, or at least I thought that's what was going on.

You might want to go back and reread the thread. I was the one you were agreeing with, or at least I thought that's what was going on.

Ooops.

You're right. My bad. I got you confused with Bushman. It must have been the leading "B"s in your IDs.

Sorry! :)

Assuming the morons in this thread are finished with ******** derailment attempt # 782:

I'm not 100% sure what the saddle i have is made of but it looks a lot like leather. I'm wondering if anyone has found any totally vegan saddles? If so some links would be awesome, thanks.
Selle Italia's Rever is made of lorica (synthetic), super light at 190 grams, and pretty comfy.
If you regularly ride +60 miles, opt for the Rever K, also made of lorica-- slightly heavier at 240 grams, but noticeably more comfortable on longer rides.
I've ridden both extensively, and recommend them highly.

ED:
Sorry, you asked for links...
Rever (http://www.totalcycling.com/index.php/product/SD_SAN_MARCO_REVER.html)
Rever K (http://www.totalcycling.com/index.php/product/parts_accessories/saddles_men/SD_SAN_MARCO_REVER_K.html)

If you can find one, there's always the old plastic Cinelli Unicanitor.

well, i've been a vegan for, uh, [does some math]... 21 years. currently i ride the leather saddle that came with my (37 year old) bike when i bought it (used). the way i see it, you have two options and which one you choose depends on the situation you are in.

if you are surrounded by people who are always playing 'vegan cop' and trying to catch you out on something, no matter how trivial it is, you should probably get a non-leather saddle that looks non-leather. you know what's a bigger pain in the ass than a poorly-fitting saddle? explaining to every third person that, no, it's not leather.

if you aren't surrounded by the abovementioned type folks, then i'd say get a used saddle that you like and is comfy. period. my observation over the years is that when you see a bike that is totally wrecked beyond repair, the one thing that's probably still good on it is the saddle. the world is probably *full* of awesome saddles sitting on top of crappy bikes. go find one!

this, of course, brings up the 'used leather question'. ie. is it vegan to buy leather used. there are two schools of thought on this. first is 'freegan school' which states that since used leather doesn't create demand for cows, it's okay. the other school, the 'doctrinaire' school, says that by buying used leather you are depriving a non-vegan the ability to buy that used leather article and they may, as a result, buy a new leather article instead, thus creating a demand for dead cows.

both arguments have their points but, of course, it's not really such a simple dichotomy. i would submit that, in the case of bike saddles, the freegan model is probably appropriate. first, if buying a used saddle makes a non-vegan buy a new one, that new saddle will almost assuredly be non-leather. second: who the heck actually buys used saddles anyway?

not to start a side argument, but newer synthetic saddles are lighter and more comfortable than leather saddles.
when i started riding the aforementioned Rever saddles, one thing i noticed is how comfortable they are from the immediate start-- never needed to be conditioned, and it took me about one week to break it (rever, not k-- k was comfy as **** out of the box) in--assuming it was even broken in; it's more likely that it was all in my head. flexy, light, smooth... there's no reason to use leather, especially if you're vegan.
honestly, the idea of spending a ride sweating on the tanned skin of a dead mammal is sorta grody to begin with.

brooks ftw

My Selle Italia SLR took some breaking in, but it is very comfortable now. However, after riding nearly every day for 4 or so months, it is beginning to show wear. My brooks is pretty comfortable so far, but I have only ridden 10-15 miles, so it is hard to say.

Ok, apparently my blunt and to the point posting style comes across as ass-holish. fair enough, not aiming to tread on toes here. Everyone go grab a beer or ride their bike or sumtin.

if i HAD to buy a non leather saddle, i would go for the WTB Pure race saddle:

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/acatalog/WTB-PURE-V-RACE-CAMO.jpg

As a side note, while using animal leathers doesn't use petrochemicals for the form of the saddle, the chemicals involved in modern-day leather-making like chromium and others are toxic and not good for the earth, either.

As a side note, while using animal leathers doesn't use petrochemicals for the form of the saddle, the chemicals involved in modern-day leather-making like chromium and others are toxic and not good for the earth, either.

I already pointed that out. But then said that leather last longer, and so...

SELLE ITALIA NITROX FTW. yes.

Very well stated, bonechilling. I heard somewhere that not too far back meat in this country was something that people had on a once a week or once a month basis...not with EVERY meal like it is now days. Too bad I nearly lose control of my salivary glands every time someone puts a Del Monico steak in front of me.

What would have to be done to qualify as a vegan saddle...just that it doesn't use any animal products in the process? I think going into a LBS and asking which saddles use real leather and which ones do not would yield the best results.

Yeah, pre-Industrial farming age, meat was very expensive and not very affordable to the middle class. Of course, it was also organic and grass-fed, which both jack up the price of meat today pretty high to the point where you either have to be a foodie, rich, or have very little other expenses to afford regularly.

Vegan? Fixed Gear? hipster Gold!!!

My Selle Italia SLR took some breaking in, but it is very comfortable now. However, after riding nearly every day for 4 or so months, it is beginning to show wear. My brooks is pretty comfortable so far, but I have only ridden 10-15 miles, so it is hard to say.

it took you 4 months to ride 10-15 miles!? is that like twenty feet a day?

edits---oops.....two-different-saddles totally sabotages snarky comment. d'oh. ;)
heeheehee