About 12 years ago I started to sell a brand of accessories in my shop by Serfas. Lights, tyres, saddles, grips, bar tape etc, I had a small slatwall full of it. It’s American-based and was actually decent kit, just nobody new the name.
I would always try what I sold, where possible, and this was no different. I had a top of the range set of lights, a rear LED light and tyres, loads of tyres but the stand out was their Vistoso VST-1 saddle. The comfiest saddle I’ve ever sat on.
Notwithstanding Serfas saddles were good, they were an easy sell in the shop too. They came with a unique 90 day comfort guarantee, probably the best saddle guarantee I’ve ever seen. No demo saddles, just take it, ride it and if you don’t get on with it, within 90 days of purchase, take it back for a refund or exchange. I haven’t seen any other saddle brand do anything like this.
I closed my shop in 2015 and at some point the Vistoso saddle got discontinued. I had one on a bike I already had but when I bought one of my Dolan gravel bikes a couple of years ago I needed a new saddle and managed to track down and buy one new on eBay for £25 (RRP £40)
Fast forward to last week and having my new Planet X Pro Carbon road bike delivered, I found myself in the same quandry. I needed a new saddle and wondered if anyone still had one floating around in a shop somewhere? I did a quick google and actually struck gold. B Page & Son Cycles in Hinckley £30. I’ve never heard of them but they popped up and it was the last one in stock. I wonder how long it had been there? Anyway, delivery was swift and I fitted it and took it for a spin on Saturday.
I swear because your comfortable, you sit still and just ride and I bagged quite a few PR’s on Strava that ride. I’m just glad I found one but that will probably be my last now. I carried on looking to see if I could get a spare but no joy.
If you ever come across Serfas kit, don’t be a brand snob, check thhem out, it’s decent stuff and if you ever find a Vistoso VST-1 saddle, let me know please.
Adios
36x25 