I think it’s fair to say that the cycling industry has wholeheartedly embraced additive manufacturing, a.k.a 3D printing. While 3D printing isn't always practical for mass production, it’s proving ideal for anything custom. Saddles, long a point of contention for riders, are now being tailored to individual anatomy with remarkable precision. Posedla, based in the Czech Republic, is not the only company making these custom saddles, but it does have a unique approach: it has developed a process that allows customers to conduct a fitting from the comfort of their own homes. Each customer receives what Posedla calls its “Smiling Butt Kit,” which is used to make a rear end imprint that forms the basis of each custom saddle.
I was able to try out this unique process, and after photographing it thoroughly—the imprint kit, not my rear end—I sent the photos to Posedla so that the company could create a unique saddle for me, based on my anatomy and riding preferences. This entire process took about six weeks, start to finish.
