PARIS (BRAIN) — Italian saddle maker Selle Royal is showing its newest saddle collection at the first Autonomy urban mobility expo in Paris this week. The show features everything from share cars and Uber to electric scooters and cargo, folding and electric bikes. It runs from Friday, Oct. 7, to Sunday, Oct. 9, at the Grande Halle de la Villete in the 19th arrondissement in Paris.
Selle Royal held a media preview Thursday to show off the latest addition to its TA+TOO saddle collection, which it launched this summer. Geared toward the urban rider and commuter, the TA+TOO is a two-piece saddle with a removable top. The interchangeable saddle is designed with versatility in mind — not only can riders mix up the color scheme and design, they can protect the saddle by removing the top in inclement weather as well as reduce the risk of theft without removing the entire saddle.
"The top locks onto the base and riders are able to choose a specific top. They're not obliged to always ride a black saddle anymore," said Monica Savio, marketing coordinator at Selle Royal. "Customization is an established trend in many other industries, and you can personalize the bike with accessories — now you can easily customize your saddle depending on your mood of the day."
The TA+TOO base is constructed with a durable and flexible plastic and designed to withstand the elements. The top is removable with the twist of a small handle and can be locked to the base with an included key.
The saddle top is constructed with Selle Royal's Royal gel on top of a foam layer. It is available in a variety of designs and solid colors. The base is also available in white or black, and the consumer can buy additional tops on Selle Royal's website.
Selle Royal collaborated with several artists on the first three print collections, each consisting of three designs each. The themes include travel, animals and the wild. The fourth collection based on the theme of love will be available in early December.
The TA+TOO collection is sold consumer direct online. Some 2017 urban and commuter bikes will also be spec'ced with TA+TOO models.
"We've had some retailers asking us if they can carry the TA+TOO line in their stores, but right now, our website is the main distribution channel for this saddle," said Roberto Bucci, brand manager at Selle Royal. "There are just too many options and it's too wide of a range to be properly presented in a shop. In the future we might select a certain shop that is able to display the whole collection."
For now, Selle Royal is using the two-piece system on its urban saddles only. Bucci said Selle Royal is looking to bring the concept to other models in the future to cater to performance riders.
The TA+TOO collection is available at selleroyal.com.
To learn more about the Autonomy show, visit autonomy.paris.
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Selle Royal’s Roberto Bucci shows editors its TA+TOO collection at the urban consumer show, Autonomy, in Paris this weekend. -
The TA+TOO saddle’s two-piece construction helps prevent theft, protects it from the elements and lets the rider swap out the saddle top for easy personalization. -
Selle Royal worked with various artists and designers on its printed TA+TOO collection.
