Berthoud Saddles and Spare Parts
Berthoud saddles are among the most comfortable in the world. What’s even better, they are fully and easily rebuildable. Every part for the saddles is available from Compass Cycles, and you can replace all parts using standard tools. Berthoud saddles are designed to be easy to work on, even though it is rarely necessary: The 10-year-old prototype saddle I am using on my Urban Bike shows no sign of wearing out.
The most important spare parts are probably the leather tops (above). After a few decades of hard riding, you may need a new one. Or if you want to change the color of your saddle, it’s easy enough to do. Simply unbolt the top and install a new one.
All the other parts are available as well. If you want a lighter saddle, you can replace your stainless steel rails for titanium ones. A friend once lost one of the bolts on his Berthoud saddle – easy to fix. The front and rear frames have never broken before, but just in case your saddle is involved in an accident, we have the parts in stock. It’s all part of Compass’ commitment to customer service. And if you prefer to have your bike shop service your Berthoud saddle, we wholesale all these parts, too.
In addition to the spare parts, we now have Berthoud’s women’s models, the Marie-Blanque (stainless rails) and Agnel (titanium) in stock. The names are inspired by the high mountain passes where these saddles were developed: The stainless steel models take their names from the Pyrenees, while the titanium-railed saddles are named after passes in the Alps. The women’s models have shorter noses than the men’s saddles. On all Berthoud saddles, the extra “give” of the flexible underframes makes them more comfortable than leather saddles with metal frames.
Berthoud also makes leather handlebar tape, in colors matching those of the saddles (except the “cork” finish). It’s one of the best handlebar tapes you’ll find anywhere.
We enjoy working with Berthoud, because everybody there has many years of experience. Above you see company owner Philippe Marguet (left) and Vincent Crétin (right) examine the hides that will be turned into saddles. Before starting production a decade ago, Gilles Berthoud tracked down employees from the long-defunct French saddle maker Idéale to learn about the craft of making leather saddles.
The same applies to the bags and panniers. For the last 20 years, they all have been made by one woman: Véronique Durand. And she in turn was trained for three years by a seamstress from Sologne, the bag maker that pioneered these bags in the 1950s. All this experience shows in products that are among the best in the world.
Last summer, we cycled across beautiful backroads to Pont-de-Vaux in France, where Berthoud’s workshop is located. We spent a day learning how saddles, bags and other parts are made. We met the dedicated employees, and even had Véronique sign the panniers she made for me 17 years ago (below). We ate a great lunch at a traditional French brasserie and enjoyed a day filled with fun and laughter.
We reminisced about the story behind the bags on my bike: I had to wait six months for these panniers while Véronique was on maternity leave. Gilles Berthoud apologized at the time, but I was glad that she could spend time with her daughter. I think of that every time I use the panniers – and now they even have Véronique’s signature on them. I plan to use them at least for another 17 years!
It’s one of the many fascinating parts of the Gilles Berthoud story. For a detailed feature on the company, with many photos, check out the Summer 2017 Bicycle Quarterly.
To find out more about Gilles Berthoud products, click on the links below:
