Iscaselle Saddles

ISCASELLE/SERFAS PLUMA TITANIUM SHELL SADDLE

The Pluma takes an interest in Titanium to the limit by making the shell of a single piece of thin wall sheet, and using hollow Ti tubes for the rail assembly. The shell is stamped to the required shape with a 1/16" metal edge folded back on itself around the perimeter for safety against cuts and to add structure through thickness at the edge. We measured the folded thickness at .91mm which means that the single wall thickness is in the region of .5mm thick. The shell is made of Grade 6 Titanium plate. Grade 6 is not discussed specifically in our metallurgy section, because its use in the bike industry is uncommon. It is an Alpha phase alloy available in a standard grade or extra low interstitial (ELI) grade. The standard grade is used for gas turbine engine casings and rings operated at high temperature.

The ELI grade is used for pressure vessels for liquefied gases and plumbing and hardware fittings for use at cryogneic temperatures. Grade 6 Titanium (UNS # R654250) is Titanium alloyed with 5% aluminum and 2.5% tin. The Ti shell has a broad depression for a custom molded foam padding that covers much of the shell. Again a part of the padding is recessed into the shell while an added 3/8" rises over the top of the shell. The padding is cemented to the shell, and a thin suede calf leather is cemented to the padding, carefully tucked and glued at the edges. The rails are permanently welded to the bottom of the shell, as an alpha phase Titanium welding has little effect on the mechanical properties of the annealed material. (While it may seem that a metal shell may be unyielding, and punishing, your author for years road a Viscount on a very narrow saddle made only of molded nylon with just a very thin split leather cover and no padding. Your body adapts easily to any saddle, provided you ride often enough that it remains accustomed to it.) The Pluma is now imported by Serfas, comes only in a Black suede cover, and weighs 153 1/2 grams. $ Price in Catalog Copyrighted material - All rights reserved

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