Has Selle Italia produced the most environmentally friendly off-road saddle yet?

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Model Y is 100 percent recyclable and produced with ultra low C02 emissions

The Model Y saddle from Selle Italia side on
Model Y features Selle Italia Greentech technology (Image credit: Selle Italia)

Selle Italia is renowned for producing some of the best mountain bike saddles and the brand based in Asolo, Veneto, Italy has now enhanced its green credentials with the release of its Model Y saddle, which is the latest addition to the family of saddles made with Greentech. Selle Italia says Greentech is the brand's patented automated process developed to produce high-quality products with a low environmental impact. The production process of the Model Y saddle, just like that of its sister Model X, involves the mechanical assembly of the saddle components without glue, solvents or other polluting substances. 

The production process is also defined as KM-Zero, KM-Zero is according to the EU a product that has travelled less than 100 km during production, with the companies involved in the production of the Model Y being located within 15 km of the Selle Italia headquarters. Selle Italia also adds that the Model Y is even more sustainable by the fact that all its components can be recycled at the end of its life. Selle Italia collaborated with Italian company Up2You in a study and analysis of its CO2 emissions as part of its commitment to decarbonisation and found that the production of a Model Y saddle involves the emission of 2.06kg of CO2, 34 percent less than a standard saddle produced outside the European Union.

The Model Y saddle from Selle Italia side on

Model Y is designed to favor and optimize rider movement (Image credit: Selle Italia)

So with all the green credential boxes ticked is the actual saddle ready to challenge in a very crowded market?

Selle Italia has developed the saddle specifically for off-road riding, and it weighs in at a feathery 277g. The Model Y is also designed with a neutral shape which the brand says guarantees appropriate support for riders with anterior pelvic rotation (more dynamic riders) and those with posterior pelvic rotation (more static riders). It's also said to favor and optimize rider movement and improve transitioning in and out of the saddle. 

The Model Y has a T-shape that is designed to promote a more dynamic pedaling style, with a shell featuring a Superflow cut-out to reduce pressure on the perineal area. The saddle doesn't have a visible cut-out though as it's closed to prevent mud from passing through.

The Model Y is available in now at selleitalia.com and cycling stores worldwide priced at $85.00 / £79.00 / €79.90.

The Model Y saddle from Selle Italia from above showing the T-shape

Model Y has T-shape that with a Superflow covered cut-out to reduce pressure (Image credit: Selle Italia)

Tech specs: Selle Italia Model Y saddle

  • Size: W 142 x L 246 mm
  • Rail: TI 316
  • Weight: 277g
  • Cover: Greentech
  • Use: Off-road
  • Shape: Neutral
  • Size: L1
  • Price: $85.00 / £79.00 / €79.90
Paul Brett
Paul Brett
Staff writer

Paul Brett joined BikePerfect as a staff writer in 2022. He has been an avid cyclist for as long as he can remember, initially catching the mountain biking bug in the 1990s, and he raced mountain bikes for over a decade before injury cut short a glittering career. An award-winning photographer, when not riding a bike, he can be found at the side of a cyclocross track or a downhill mountain bike world championship shooting the action. Paul was the founder, editor and writer of Proper Cycling magazine, and he's traveled the world interviewing some of the biggest names in mountain biking and writing about some of the biggest cycling brands.

Current rides: Canyon Inflite, Specialized Diverge, Marin Alpine Trail 2