Over the years, Velo Saddles have released a special edition saddle to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Personally, I’ve become a bit of a collector of them, with the Year of the Rooster, Monkey, Rat, and Ox in my collection. Some releases are rather tame, while others are a bit more on the wild side, the Year of the Tiger release offers two versions in their Senso Edge saddle to fit both aesthetics.
The tradition began with the 2015 Year of the Sheep/Ram. Since then, they went on to release the Monkey King (2016), Rooster (2017), Dog (2018), Boar/Pig (2019), Mouse/Rat (2020), and Ox (2021). The 2018 Year of the Dog was probably the wildest release, with it’s embroidered golden retriever on the nose of the Prevail Glide+ saddle, gold chain around the back, and dog bones and paw print under the saddle. Only 1,000 were released that year. The last two years, they continued with the Prevail, but used the new Prevail TT saddle with carbon rails. The Year of the Mouse/Rat saddle featured a mouse graphic with rainbow stripes, while the Year of the Ox had a removable bull ring under the nose and a red and white ox logo on the cover.
What really makes the Year of the Tiger saddles stand out though, are the graphics on the covers. You have two options, the Luminous Tiger, or Cotton Tiger. Here is the story behind the designs.
According to ancient Chinese legend, the Jade Emperor sent a Tiger to the human world to suppress evil beasts. Every time the Tiger defeated a beast, the Jade Emperor would mark a horizontal line on the Tiger’s forehead. After the fourth victory, the Jade Emperor drew the final vertical line displaying the character of “King” (王) in Chinese. Since then, the Tiger represents the king of all beasts to protect and maintain peace on earth.
The Luminous Tiger features the Tiger King as the central figure on what looks like their oil slick background, surrounded by flowers, forests, and white rabbits, a nod to the 2023 saddle. What sets this saddle apart from others is the unique material that makes the Tiger King glow in the dark. It has a white base to round out the look.
The Cotton Tiger evokes the traditional Chinese toy representing luck and peace. There are seven cotton tigers down the center of a black cover, with the Chinese character King (王) on the sides. The base is a bright yellow, adding contrast to the more subtle saddle.
Being the King of the Mountain and Forests, Velo is using their Senso Edge saddle for the 2022 edition. Billed as a mountain and e-bike saddle, it is 158mm wide, 270mm long, and rides on Cr-Mo rails. Claimed weight is 330g. It uses Velo’s ArcTech design, creating a perfect balance of stability and flexibility in multiple riding positions. The Air Foam provides 30% more shock absorption over traditional PO foam to help reduce fatigue and improve comfort, along with a center channel to relieve pressure on the sensitive areas. The Senso Edge also uses Velo’s Atmos Shaping to combine the cover with the base, eliminating a visible seam and making them 100% waterproof and easier to clean. The cover has an anti-slip design to keep you planted, even in nasty conditions, making it perfect for mountain and gravel riding. The base also includes an integrated I-Carry grip to help with lifting and moving heavier e-bikes.
At $99, the Year of the Tiger Senso Edge saddles are a great value for the special edition saddles. If you are looking for something special to set your mountain, gravel, or e-bike apart from the crowd, this could be a saddle for you. We’ll have one coming in soon to add to my collection of Velo Zodiac saddles. Once I get some miles in on it, we’ll have a review to follow.
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
~Veggie Powered Athlete~
Location – Lancaster, PA
Current Testing Rigs – 2024 Van Dessel Arch65, 2019 Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie, 2018 Van Dessel Motivus Maximus LTD, 2016 Van Dessel Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 2015 Bianchi Sempre Pro, 1978 Trek TX900
Dream Bike – I’ll tell you when they make it
Discipline – Cyclocross, gravel, road and duathlons (ride/run)
Favorite Rides – Quiet country roads of Amish Country, some of the best roads around.
Food of Choice – Sweet potato roll
Beer of Choice – Unibroue Grand Reserve 17, aged four years
Bourbon of Choice – Widow Jane 10 Year