We reviewed a Cedesius saddle about a month ago. I assembled a group of 5 riders of different ages, weights and levels of experience. The reviews weren’t positive, so in the interest of equal time, here’s the rebuttal to that review from Mark Tonin, Chief Design Manager from Cedesius Custom Saddles.

Well, after a review like this, I ought to offer an explanation or I shouldn’t be in business. I can take the lumps; saddles get bad reviews all the time and I knew it was just a matter of time before some serious haters piped up. I’m not going to attack anyone for making unflattering remarks, because I feel like there’s already enough trash-talking on this site and I’d rather come up with a valid counter-argument. But after reading a few of these reviews, I can’t help but feel like NYVelocity is holding auditions for American Idol judges (okay, one little attack is allowed, right?).

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Cedesius spring 2007 designs

While the saddles were undergoing trial runs, Dan and I kept in contact to see how things were coming along. After several weeks and several test subjects – and several bad reviews – I started to wonder just where things were going wrong. I’ve sold dozens of saddles to paying customers that are more than willing to let you know how they felt good or bad. After all, my numbers tell me that over 80% of my paying clients are satisfied (naturally, this doesn’t count the saddles made for test purposes). So why did less then half of the test riders post negative reviews?

First, the test saddle was designed for a rider around 170 lbs. with a sit-bones width between 100-105 mm, and was not custom-molded to any specific rider as some test subjects erroneously thought. And I feel compelled to point out that those trying a bare carbon saddle for the first time will need a period of adjustment. The benefit, once a rider makes the adjustment, is that the amount of material between rider and saddle is minimized, virtually eliminating problems like chafing and bunching-up. Right off the bat, I could tell that the test subjects that came into the design range are the ones that really noticed the saddle’s benefits. That’s not to say that they went on to give it a stellar review, but at least they could see the positives. And I could tell just from the complaints that were expressed, they didn’t have the saddle adjusted right. Perhaps with a little troubleshooting or if they received the set up instructions it could have been a different outcome. As everyone knows, saddle preference is a highly individual thing. The shell was designed for a specific weight and width; thus, the contours, with a flared back and dip in the center, aren’t going to agree with every rider. But I defend them because they allow considerable relief in the ever-sensitive perineum area; even though the one female reviewer seemed less than smitten with the design, the fact is that women also need a reduction in the pressure placed on that sensitive region. This is not a saddle that’s just for the boys darling.

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Not all riders like this shell design profile, which is why I interview each rider that calls me to inquire about a customized saddle; I do, in fact, go to considerable lengths to understand each person’s preference so I can suggest a specific shell profile for their riding style, and I make detailed inquiries about specific issues they’ve had with past saddles they’ve owned so I can address their concerns as best I can. With that knowledge, the task of designing a customized saddle that addresses each individual rider’s proper width, flex and support ratio according to weight, padding preferences, riding style and rail positioning. Only after arriving at such a detailed set of criteria do I charge a rider $300 for a made-to-order saddle which is hand-made right here in North America and not in some sweat shop overseas. I’m quite sure that if you contacted any of the big saddle makers in business today and tried to get their design team to make you a seat that’s exactly what you want for $300, they’d laugh you off the phone. That’s what sets Cedesius apart in the first place. Considering the test saddle was designed for a 170+ lb. rider with a sit-bone width of 100-105 mm, I’m not the least bit surprised some of the riders found it uncomfortable. It’s like taking a size 8 shoe and forcing it on a size 10 foot. There’s no way that’s EVER going to be comfortable!

A much more accurate representation of the saddle’s benefits would be arrived at by taking 6 or 7 riders that fit the profile of the saddle’s design specifications and letting them test it. I know Dan is around 150lbs, which is a little light for this saddle, but I was willing to take a bit of a gamble on having him test it. After his ride, he told me he was going to send the saddle to a number of other riders with varying weights, and I in turn realized they would probably be heavier than him when he inquired about a weight limit. It was short-sighted of me not to realize that the reviewers would vary in stature as much as they did, and in retrospect it was a disaster waiting to happen. After reading the reviews, I can tell some of the test riders didn’t have the chance to set the saddle up according to the guidelines and troubleshooting tips that were sent along with the saddle prototype.

So, to conclude, I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to participate in the review. I especially appreciate the comments from the riders who offered constructive criticism, and their remarks will be certainly be taken into consideration as I conduct further research into the saddle’s design which, by the way, has already been completed in preparation for the release of the spring model. The new model has already undergone some subtle but effective changes that hopefully will entice the other %20 while keeping the %80 still happy. Some changes include the isolated sweet spot and the length of the nose. Unfortunately, though, this newer model was in the making during the test rides and was not ready to be sent off at the time that NYVelocity was ready to do their review. Thus, test riders did not receive the most up-to-date version of the saddle. As for this review, you can take the facts as I’ve outlined them here and compare them against the reviews and decide for yourself where the truth lies. After all, that’s why we give our opinions. And I invite anyone that has questions or concerns about our saddles to give me a call directly at 1-866-487-2227.

Thank you,

Mark Tonin
Chief Design Manager
Cedesius Custom Saddles