Market: As a manufacturer of high-quality bicycle saddles, Astute Italia should already be known to some. With ACS, the northern Italians have now also found a partner for Germany, who also brings the various saddle models, from racing bikes to MTB to triathlon, onto the shelves in this country.
The still quite young Italian manufacturer Astute Italia has finally found a distributor for Germany with ACS and will also be offering its premium range saddles in this country from this year. The transport routes for the products, which include not only saddles but also handlebar tapes, are pleasantly short: the development and production takes place entirely at the Italian company headquarters a few kilometers north of Milan.
Astute Italia's product portfolio includes almost 20 different saddle models. Even if the main focus is on road use, the range now also includes products for mountain bikers and triathletes and a women's saddle specially adapted to the female anatomy is now also part of the range. All models have the unique saddle shape in common, which sets the Astute saddles apart from the competition at first glance.
Astute saddles: ergonomics before weight
Astute, together with the Universities of Padua and Bologna, carried out numerous studies as part of the development process, which revealed, among other things, that the right fit, good ergonomics and high comfort improve the performance of the riders by up to 20% over a three-hour ride % could increase. For this reason, the construction also places increased value on these factors and does not rely as ruthlessly on ultimate lightweight construction as one or the other competitor in these price regions.
But how do you achieve the mentioned good ergonomics and the high level of comfort for as many drivers as possible and also in different areas of application? At Astute, they rely on the so-called FEM analysis (Finite Element Method): Put simply, this is a particularly detailed computer analysis of physical processes - in this case it is the movements of the rider on the saddle, taking into account additional factors such as pressure and temperature.
The result of these calculations is the absolutely unique shape of the Astute saddles, which can be found in all models. It should ensure that movement on the saddle is reduced to a minimum and exhausting friction points are completely eliminated. This not only has a positive effect on performance, but also prevents incorrect posture and muscular problems in connection with the sitting position. Most Astute Italia models are also available either with a closed saddlecloth or with a cut-out in the perineal area - your own seating position and preferences are decisive here.
However, the shape of the saddle is only part of Astute's overall ergonomics concept: no less important is the padding with progressive TRI Density Memory Foam, which in different degrees of hardness ensures comfort and support in the right places and, last but not least, the two-layer shell construction underneath, that Astute is particularly proud of. Under the actual saddle shell there is an additional "anti-vibration shell", which in turn is connected to the seat stays by an impact-absorbing polymer insert.
Astute Italia – The available models at a glance
Model | Type | Striving | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Astute Sky Carbon | RR | Carbon | 407€ |
Astute Skylite VT/ST | RR | Carbon | 220€ |
Astute Skyline VT | RR | Titan | 140€ |
Astute Skyline SR Pilarga | RR | Titan | 136€ |
Astute Skyline VT Pilarga | RR | Titan | 144€ |
Astute Starlite VT | RR | Carbon | 195€ |
Astute Starlite VT Pilarga | RR | Carbon | 205€ |
Astute Starline VT | RR | Titan | 144€ |
Astute Starline VT Pilarga | RR | Titan | 145€ |
Astute Mudlite VT | MTB | Carbon | 240€ |
Astute Mudline VT | MTB | Titan | 180€ |
Astute Skylite Taca VT | MTB | Carbon | 220€ |
Astute Skyline Taca SR | MTB | Titan | 133€ |
Astute Skyline Taca VT | MTB | Titan | 146€ |
Astute Misslite VT | Women | Carbon | 195€ |
Astute Missline VT | Women | Titan | 140€ |
Astute Sealite VT | Tria/TT | Carbon | 260€ |
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