The news for made-in-Europe bike parts hasn’t been great lately. Between new tariffs (15% on top of the already existing ones) and exchange rate fluctuations (the dollar lost 15% of its value compared to the Euro), it’s hard to keep importing products from Europe. Raising prices by 30% isn’t really something we want to do, so we’ve been thinking about alternatives. For Berthoud saddles and mirrors, we’ve decided to take pre-orders. That way, we can offer all models and colors, rather than focus only on the best-sellers. And we can keep the old, pre-tariff prices for now.
We are taking pre-orders for one week, until February 15, 2026.
Making the saddles and mirrors, and then shipping them to Seattle, will take about 6-7 weeks, so your orders will be delivered in late March.
Here’s a quick guide why we like these saddles and mirrors so much:
There was a time when cyclists thought that cushioning was the secret to a comfortable saddle. Saddles with gel inserts were popular for a few years—until riders realized that no amount of padding can make up for a shape that doesn’t fit our bottoms. Obviously, that fit is different for every person. In an ideal world, we’d all ride on custom-made saddles.
That’s the secret of leather saddles: Their shape is customized for the rider. The leather tops shape themselves to our anatomy, rather than the other way around. When new, leather saddles may seem hard and unyielding, but once broken in, they perfectly fit the our bottoms—because the leather has been shaped to fit. In my case, that means two little dimples for my sitbones, but every rider is different.
‘Breaking in’ sounds painful, but fortunately we don’t have to suffer first to be comfortable later. Berthoud saddles are made from the finest leather, and the leather tops are cut so they’re aligned with the grain of the leather. In my experience—and I use them on all my bikes—they are comfortable from the first ride, and I haven’t yet worn out one.
The saddle at the top is a prototype Berthoud sent me in 2008, before they went into production, to get my feedback as part of their R&D. The serial number is 022—the 22nd saddle Berthoud made. It’s still in use today. Over those years, the leather has developed a beautiful patina, and it’s still as comfortable as any saddle I’ve ridden. I haven’t been so lucky with other leather saddles—including recent saddles from a famous British company. The last one I had took a thousand miles to break in, only to lose its shape and become lopsided just a few hundred miles later.
There’s more to Berthoud saddles than the superior leather. The underframe is made from a composite material: lighter, stronger and more flexible than the steel parts found on most leather saddles. Available with steel or titanium rails, Berthoud saddles are among the lightest leather saddles, and also the most comfortable and most durable ones.
Ted King famously rode a Berthoud saddle to a podium spot at Unbound (top photo). And I’ve been using them on all my bikes. It’s hard for me to imagine riding Paris-Brest-Paris or setting an FKT on the Oregon Cascade Volcanic Arc 400 on any other saddle.
Some riders wonder whether it’s OK to ride leather saddles in the rain. The answer is: Yes—as long as you protect the underside of your saddle from getting soaked. You don’t need fenders—a small underseat bag is usually enough. The photo above was taken during a rainy two-day mid-winter adventure. We traversed the foothills of the Cascade Mountains on gravel roads covered in mud and snow. Bikes (and riders) were a mess, but the saddle was none the worse for wear. In fact, I later rode this saddle in Paris-Brest-Paris, and it’s still on the bike I ride most during the winter months.
Berthoud saddles are available in three widths, plus a women’s model. The narrow Galibier is perfect for spirited riding and a very inclined riding position—that the saddle Ted rode in Unbound. I use it on my gravel race bikes, too. The medium-width Aravis (titanium rails) and Aspin (steel rail) are perfect with a more upright position—I use it on my rando bike for long rides like Paris-Brest-Paris. The wide xxx is great for more casual riding with an upright position. The women’s models are basically shorter versions of the medium-width saddles. The medium-width men’s and women’s saddles also come in the OPEN versions, with the most comfortable cutouts of any saddle we’ve tried.
All models are available for pre-order, in your choice of four colors: black, brown, tan and the fun ‘cork’ (leather printed to look like cork; available on some models).
Another great thing about Berthoud saddles is that all spare parts are available—and we stock them. (It doesn’t help if components are rebuildable, but you can’t get spares.) Best of all, you don’t need special tools to rebuild your saddle: an Allen and a Torx wrench are all you need.
If you’ve got an old saddle that needs a new leather upper or have lost one of the bolts, you can pre-order these now at the old prices. We’ll continue to stock spare parts for Berthoud saddles, but the prices will have to go up, and we may not be able to carry every color.
Many of us have a love-hate relationship with mirrors. We love the idea of being able to see what’s behind with just a quick glance downward, but we aren’t really fond of the looks of most mirrors on our bikes.
The Berthoud mirrors are small and unobtrusive, yet large enough to clearly show what’s coming from behind. CNC-machined from aluminum, they sturdy and handsome. Available in black or silver, they are the perfect complement to a beautiful bike. No wonder they are Ted King’s favorite mirror, too.
If you’d like to pre-order your saddle or mirror, here is how it works:
- Place your order by end-of-day Sunday, February 15, 2026.
- Delivery will be in late March.
- All sales are final—sorry, no returns or exchanges on pre-orders. That is, unless there’s something wrong with your Berthoud part. In that (unlikely) case, we’ll warranty it (if purchased from Rene Herse Cycles).
- If your order includes in-stock and pre-ordered items, we’ll ship everything together when the pre-ordered items arrive. To receive your in-stock items sooner, please place separate orders for pre-ordered and in-stock items.
We’re excited that these parts are available—I know I’ll stock up for a few projects that are in the pipeline.
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