Berk Lupine, Ax Lightness Leaf II. .

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MyM3Coupe
Posts: 374
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 10:32 pm

by MyM3Coupe

Anyone with experience with these saddles as far as comfort and quality? I'm currently using a Selle SMP Dynamic which is great but sometimes I want to move around a bit and you can't on this saddle. Was considering the two mentioned in the title, but may also consider the Selle SLR C59 when available. Never rode a full carbon saddle.

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Johnny Rad
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by Johnny Rad

Hope to have some miles on Berk's Lupina (uncovered) in the coming weeks. I'm expecting big things from it!

It "appears" to have the same profile as my beloved San Selle Marco Superleggera. This saddle was formerly called the Aspide Composite, but I think the Aspide Composite had more upward flare at the tail though it wasn't an issue for my backside.

The Berk has a little flex to it whereas the Superleggera / Aspide Composite had very little if any.

Sorry, no experience with any AX-Lightness saddles, but that's not for a lack of interest! AX has always captured my attention, but this Berk Lupina looks like it's a winner.
Last edited by Johnny Rad on Sun Mar 05, 2017 5:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

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mrgray
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by mrgray

i am a huge ax leaf fan. i never would have thought i could live with a carbon saddle being 87 kg. i first bought an ax endurance and that was a disaster.

anyway i was lucky enough to win a leaf via starbike competition. with little hope i tried it out. perfect! prior to that my saddle of choice was a fizik khameleon. i had an aspide on the way. the leaf is very flat and i can move back and forward on it and it is all day comfortable for me. it has been very robust with no issues whatsoever. i have ones with leather on plus ones without any covering. both good. now i have 3 of these because it is my perfect saddle. i was thinking to try the berk as it looks to be of the same shape but i'm perfect so why bother. plus these things aren't cheap.

so obviously, your experience will be different but for me, big winner. good quality, strong and very comfortable for me.
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tonytourist
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by tonytourist

I have 2 Berk Lupinas and they are awesome! I've used plenty of saddles and the Lupinas remind me of a Toupe S Works with a little more flex/padding. Hard to go wrong with a Berk 8) Once two of my friends tried mine out, they ended up ordering their own :thumbup:

sp3000
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Location: Sydney

by sp3000

I also ride a Selle SMP dynamic (and it is brilliant), and arriving tomorrow I will have the Ax Leaf II UD. I'm away for 2 weeks before I will build it up so I can only report then if you can wait!!
I'm 69kg 31" waist. I'm interested (worried) that I'll slip around because as you say, the SMP locks you into one spot mostly. I originally came from Fizik Aliante Carbons, very comfy but made me numb sometimes. Never had that on the SMP, only the very occasional saddle sore, but been great of late.

gitsome
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by gitsome

Do leaf or lupina have any substantial give/flex in them? I ride a selle tekno which is ok for 2-3 hrs but after that not great im in market for something i can ride 5-7 hrs wondering if theres an all carbon superlight that can do that. Im 170 lbs btw.

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gitsome
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by gitsome

Or berk?

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KCookie
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Location: Pom living in Australia

by KCookie

I have a carbon Lupina and a padded one to. I ride both bikes and actually find the carbon one a little bit more comfortable, maybe as it's easier to move around on it. They are a great product and very light. My 3k is 68g & my wife's 75g with the padded one being 100g.

sungod
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by sungod

[quote="gitsome"]Do leaf or lupina have any substantial give/flex in them? I ride a selle tekno which is ok for 2-3 hrs but after that not great im in market for something i can ride 5-7 hrs wondering if theres an all carbon superlight that can do that. Im 170 lbs btw.
/quote]

i'm similar weight and find the leaf (the original one) really comfy even on long rides, i've used it for four years so far, for me it's the best saddle i've ever ridden, there's a bit of give, enough to ease rougher surfaces

obviously depends on how good a match it is for you though

not tried the lupina, but i see it's available in two widths, whereas the leaf is one size only

this thread about the leaf is worth a read...

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=143288&

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sugarkane
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by sugarkane

i have both and i prefer the Lupina, infact i'm going to get another one to replace the leaf. they are both good saddles, mine are both rated to 100kg so the flex in them is bugger all :D

MyM3Coupe
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by MyM3Coupe

sp3000 wrote:I also ride a Selle SMP dynamic (and it is brilliant), and arriving tomorrow I will have the Ax Leaf II UD. I'm away for 2 weeks before I will build it up so I can only report then if you can wait!.

Thanks! I can wait. I'm 72kg for what it's worth (winter weight lol). I'm leery of full carbon saddles as the surface is too slick that's what I'm really interested in the Leaf II. Seems a smart idea to put some leather for grip.

sp3000
Posts: 180
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Location: Sydney

by sp3000

Here it is, should be interesting testing this one out! Apparently it has a little more give than the original with the cut-out...apparently..
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choiboi
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by choiboi

I went from smp dynamic to Berk lupine and find it just as comfortable! Great weight savings with no penalty other than the wallet haha
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sp3000
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Location: Sydney

by sp3000

2 rides on the Leaf II over 2 days back to back. 1h40m then 1h. No problems at all!
Full carbon, no leather and it was perfet with my Assos bibs, didn't even notice any slipping etc, not a concern at all, go full carbon.
No chaffing, on the odd occasion the SMP gave me saddle sores and after a ride I could mostly tell the skin was slightly red from friction. I always use chamois cream and sometimes used the Assos repair gel. There was no signs of friction at all from the Leaf II.
The pressure points are close to the SMP but felt slightly different. When I first got the SMP my bone contact points took a few weeks to get used to it, I can feel a similar feeling to this but much less pronounced than the first rides with the SMP and not tender on the second day.

That's really all I can say with the limited rides, all in all I think this could be a winner for me, I do accept that I might be very luck with fit and the contact points are about right. I don't think padded or not really makes much difference, I think it's all about fit.

Pan
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Location: New England

by Pan

I'd like to finish my Pinarello F8 build and the saddle is the last piece of the puzzle.

2-3 hours is cute and all, but how about 6 hours + or a hilly century using the AX Lightness leaf?
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