I'll take the bait...
Andre, you and I share a similar design aesthetic, and a love for thoughtful, rational design and evident craftsmanship . I tend to seek out items, components, objects whose designs speak to me and resonate at a core level. Some things aren't fungible; regardless of price or reputation, saddles differ and there may be no substitute for a favorite model. The literal seat of knowledge --one's bum -- is the best judge!
...Along these lines, I'd surely like to see a photo of your saddlebag.
Thanks for the photographs of the Cheeko90, Dan. I have one, though not the deluxe or maybe merely newer model with the light that you show. It's on my Smover full-on Di2 bike -- I leave that cut-down Dura-Ace Di2 rubbish for poor cyclists! -- at
http://coolmainpress.com/BICYCLINGsmover.html. (Actual truth: Trek Benelux had a hard time selling the small custom run they made of those because their designer styled them too sporting for the intended market, and I bought it for a bargain -- not precisely cheap, but for what it is -- from a Belgian dealer, and Trek kicked in for the carriage to Ireland as well, and then helped me find components to re-ingineer it into a self-contained fast touring bike.)
I heartily recommend the Cheeko90 for the casual, intermittent, recreational, low mileage cyclist, suchlike. I think most of the people on this board are beyond needing it. If the Cheeko90 has a downside, it is that the materials, while of reasonable quality and very agreeable, are chosen to reflect the intended use; most likely no one in its primary market will wear it out. Mine lasted three years or about 6000km before a split developed, and the faux MBtex was by then appearing a little rubbed. One could reasonably ask for a saddle in that price class to last longer, no matter how comfortable. I must report though that my bum and back liked the Cheeko90 so much, I thought about having it recovered in leather, but went for the triple-sprung Brooks B73 instead as a known higher-quality item. I am not sorry I bought the Cheeko, and not sorry I bought the Brooks either.
As requested, are some photos of my leather and canvas bike luggage. Apologies for having to fetch them yourself but I don't want to try the Thorn web manager's patience with so many large photos. I started with the usual black nylon stuff, which have served me faithfully for years. But the nylon gear had so little wear on it after a decade or longer, I decided I could reasonably use leather without it soon looking tacky, and that leather or vintage canvas would suit my current favorite bike better.
http://www.coolmainpress.com/miscimage/BikeLuggage/Kranichblackbriefcase.jpgAgu handlebar bag like many people have, Basil Cardiff pannier basket, five buck nylon briefcase with hidden compartment for tools, the last fixed with tiewraps. I buy two of everything, but often use them in combinations. Those briefcases are immensely strong, and each one can take three bottles of wine, so more shopping can be carried in a pair of them than at first appears. A pair the Cardiff baskets carries two cases of wine, plus mucho other groceries.
http://www.coolmainpress.com/miscimage/BikeLuggage/Smallleathertoolbag1lr.jpgThis leather purse worked so well for so long, and still, as a toolbag, I decided leather was viable, especially since my nylon luggage was little worn. If your bike is properly planned from the ground up, the tools can be minimized. That little lady's change purse carries not only the tools for maintenance, including an electronic manometer and gloves, but all the tools necessary to strip the frame totally except for the bottom bracket...
http://www.coolmainpress.com/miscimage/BikeLuggage/honeybags_125k.jpgThe saddle was originally honey, but neatsfoot oil turned it brown. The front bag is an inexpensive woman's leather handbag chosen because the straps would make it versatile as a handlebar bag, racktop bag, saddlebag or medium-sized pannier. The racktop bag shown is a vintage French doctor's gladstone in canvas and leather, given to me by a charming young Frenchwomen when it still looked like I might practice; I found it in a trunk in the loft when I needed bicycle luggage. Held on by its own straps. Note the toolbag hanging on the mixte rail.
http://www.coolmainpress.com/miscimage/BikeLuggage/rackbag3_125k.jpgEventually I decided to match the saddle, and to get a bag of better quality than honey one above. Here the bag I decided on, about STG80 at House of Frazer (mine are off the net, one for 99p plus carriage, one for about twenty quid plus carriage, both apparently unused), is used as a rackbag, attached by its own straps. Note the brown leather toolbag is now attached to the Tubus Cosmo stainless rack. (The black German SL system rack -- very nice but now sold to Hebie -- shown elsewhere lost an argument with a Range Rover that returned for a second bite. The Range Rover then lost an argument with my Abus U-lock, which makes a very efficient three pound hammer.)
http://www.coolmainpress.com/miscimage/BikeLuggage/leather_saddlebag_125k.jpgHere the brown leather bag is used as a saddlebag, still attached by its own straps. It holds rain-jacket and -trousers, wallet, camera, polarizing lenses for my orange or yellow wraparounds, depending on whether it is day or night, phone, food, extra plastic bags. It is surprisingly light for a quality bag, being made of thin leather and lined in silk. I stiffened it on the inside with a ring of the same plastic from which the nylon briefcase above is made; so it doesn't flop even when empty; the stiffener also serves to partition wet gear from camera, wallet, etc.
I'm looking for some suitable brown leather to make matching shoe protectors for the mixte rails, which are currently honey leather, from Swedish furniture I broke up to get the laminated wood for making prototype geriatric bikes.
Andre Jute
Have bag, will bring the picnic.
