Bicycle saddles have evolved

  • Ride as far as you like – no pain, no seat imprint
  • Surface mobility promotes a 360° pedal motion
  • The Manta™ technology gives a fluid ride
  • A natural seating area – while peddling



Rear of MANTA Saddle

    MANTA NEWS

LATEST UPDATE

The past month has been unusually challenging for what remains, essentially, a one-man operation.

Jon lost several weeks to a cascade of technical problems — none of them related to the product, but involving his own nervous system, the office network and communications infrastructure. At one point, there were two weeks with effectively zero communication. Internet connectivity, hardware, telephones, banking and other essential systems were all affected, compounded by an extremely poor mobile signal.

After replacing hardware and changing ISP — more than once — the systems are now operational again. It has been an eye-opening reminder of just how dependent modern logistics and business operations are on infrastructure that is normally taken completely for granted.

Jon is now concentrating on establishing a local branch, and is prepared to generate the funding required to make that happen. If the search for the right people and organisation locally proves unsuccessful, the focus may move towards Edinburgh.

There is considerable interest from further afield, including internationally, but pursuing those opportunities takes time — time that is currently in short supply. The practical reality is that this is still a numbers game, particularly on a relatively small island where people and organizations have many competing priorities.

The immediate objective is therefore clear: get Jon out of sales and back into the work he should actually be doing.

Jon has also returned to his primary role as designer and developer, following the difficult experience of a previous partnership. That experience consumed a substantial amount of time, investment and potential progress, and reinforced the need to structure the business very differently going forward.

There is important work waiting: product updates, new components, materials development, production improvements and the next generation of the technology.

For now, we are still catching up with machining, building current stock and dispatch. As communications settle back into a regular rhythm, the backlog of shipping emails and enquiries will also be cleared.

The objective remains to establish a structure in which sales, logistics and dispatch can operate independently, allowing the design and production side to concentrate on what it does best: developing the technology and building the products.

More news will follow.

Expansion is coming. A division of the operation will happen, one way or another.

Evolution.

The Manta difference

Be cool and comfortable

Distinct from other saddle technology, the Manta doesn’t rely on sit bones, or a saddle nose, to support the rider’s weight.

With advances in medical technology, we have a greater understanding of how we are affected by ‘traditional’ saddle designs. A great deal of research has been conducted on the effects of cycling on riders, with the obvious focus falling on the saddle, the weakest link in an otherwise healthful and joyful activity.

Any pressure on the perineum is too much, so remove the nose! Sure, but the support you remove, needs replacing.

Numerous studies link the use of traditional saddles with even long-term damage to areas involving the perineum, which were not evolved to support a human’s body weight, and around 7x bodyweight riding over potholes, kerbs, speed bumps, etc.

Riders are more aware of problems caused by conventional saddles, problems that have been tolerated, for so long.

The Manta has a dynamic surface, in harmony with rider’s limbs.

This allows for a multiplying of the support area away from the pudendal area, alleviating pressure points, allowing increased blood flow, with benefits, on and off the bike – and your backside won’t feel like it’s been on a bike, however many miles you ride.

The design provides not just a reduced-decrease of bloodflow compared to other seats, the Manta provides a measurable, significant increase in blood flow, during riding, generally, an increase such as is found in sports, other than cycling.

By optimizing the base connection between rider and bike, a Manta removes pain that can affect stamina. This is very relevant for static bikes, and e-Bikes, and removes the urgent need to dismount to avoid numbness, and recover butt composure.

reimagined cycle seating