Garth asked: "I am trying to place the Selle Royal CX saddle in time and target market for its time. Let me describe it. I purchased it NOS recently and it actually comes with a blue rubber cover which is supposed to protect it during transit. It says Royal in the back support for the saddle rails. It is some kind of grained material that looks like it could be leather but probably is some kind of high tech material which feels like leather but is grippier and grainier. It is black with gold accents. There is a gold CX imprinted at either side of the nose. The nose has a gold metal U piece and the rails are gold also. The padding is thick and extra firm, and the leathery fabric is stitched on similar to the way work boots attach the sole. The skirts are low so I feel it should be about 1980 or so but it only says made in Italy, with no other stampings on the underside."
The Selle Royal CX came out right about 1980. The blue cover is a rain-cover. It is leather-covered. It was one fo the first saddle to be designed in such a way that you would supposedly not crush a vital part of your anatomy, as it was designed with a "flat area" in the top of the saddle curve. It was called CX because the opening at the front of the saddle was designed to allow smoother passage of the air. Yes, people were truly that much into aerodynamics at the time.
Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ