Brooks ... worth it?

[ChrisV]

I think I'm on the verge of buying a Brooks saddle as I still have the stock one on my bike and fancy something more comfortable.

Originally I was going to buy the B17 for £85, although just spotted the Cambium C17 which is made out of rubber but doesn't need breaking in or kept dry etc.

Who's got a Brooks? Anyone have the C17? What are the alternatives at that price point/cheaper?

 

[rualexander]

No point in paying £85 for a B17 http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/brooks-b17-standard-saddle/aid:635675
I just got a second hand Cambium last week and have been out on it twice, very comfortable but starts feeling a bit hard after a couple of hours and not as comfortable as my well broken in B17 on my other bike.
I will probably continue to use the Cambium too though.
Also worth considering is the Spa Nidd but they are very hard for about a 1000 miles or so breaking in process.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I love the B17s I have on a couple of my bikes. Tremendously comfy.

Others will tell you otherwise.

The good thing about a Brooks is that you can buy it and if you don't find it to your taste, sell it on with no particular loss.

 

[jhawk]

I too am struggling with a Selle Anatomica that I have. Am thinking of switching to the Brooks come next year. For whatever reason, the Anatomica feels narrow and sometimes its great and really comfy, other times it digs into the inner thighs and is tremendously uncomfortable. Brooks seems to be the majority of people's favourite, maybe I will switch it up!

 

[raleighnut]

My most comfortable Brooks is my B17n (Narrow) its more of a Randonneur/Audax saddle than the Standard. I've currently got it on my Ridgeback but I may try it on the Trike (that's got a B17 on it but it doesn't fit me as well)
The Swift is also comfortable as is my Swallow but both of those (with Titanium rails) are very expensive.
Edit link http://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=l&a...addle-7952.html?utm_source=google_produit_cpc

 

[byegad]

I love the B17s I have on a couple of my bikes. Tremendously comfy.

Others will tell you otherwise.

The good thing about a Brooks is that you can buy it and if you don't find it to your taste, sell it on with no particular loss.

I'll tell you different. After 1000 miserable and painful miles on a B17 I bought a Specialized Body Geometry saddle. Comfortable on day one and when I sold the bike 10000 miles later! So comfortable that I ended up with one on all seven my bikes. Then I bought a recumbent and comfort of a whole new order was mine!

 

[sidevalve]

Yes - but each to his own. 'pends on your bum shape.

 

[robgul]

I'm fully Brooksed on all my bikes (7) except the folder - B17 on most, 1 with a Cambium. All have been comfortable from the off, save one B17 in Honey (others are black or brown) that's still a bit hard after quite a lot of miles - but I guess with a natural material there are going to be variations.

.. and from feedback who have bought (and then sold) the Spa lookalikes ... don't! The finish of the frame, top etc is nowhere as good as a Brooks.

Rob

 

[djb1971]

c17s on all of my bikes plus 2 spares for n+1s

they are great, comfy and better than leather for me. One had over 12 river crossings last week that would've ruined leather, it had a couple of good dunks. they wash mud and cow poo out easily with a good scrub too

 

[Profpointy]

[QUOTE 3781877, member: 45"]Bum shape, Schmum shape. Specialized BG for me all the way. Brooks are archaic, overpriced and start blubbering at the hint of drizzle.

It's an emperor's new clothes thing.[/QUOTE]

You're right about the rain thing. My bike lived outside for six months and the Brooks saddle went mouldy, apart from weeds growing up through the spokes. Had to get a new saddle some 10 years later.

 

[e-rider]

I think I'm on the verge of buying a Brooks saddle as I still have the stock one on my bike and fancy something more comfortable.

Originally I was going to buy the B17 for £85, although just spotted the Cambium C17 which is made out of rubber but doesn't need breaking in or kept dry etc.

Who's got a Brooks? Anyone have the C17? What are the alternatives at that price point/cheaper?

using real leather for a bike saddle is just crazy - what is the point of a saddle that isn't allowed to get wet? I can see that in the old days it might have been the best that was available but these days it's just stupid!
Brooks saddles are crazy heavy too - I'm not a fan

 

[rualexander]

A good point about the B17 if you find them comfortable, is that you can replace them with the same saddle if it wears out, whereas every other comfortable saddle I've had over the years had to be replaced with a completely different one because the old one was no longer made!
No guarantees that the B17 will always be around though I suppose.

 

[tyred]

I'm a huge Brooks fan. They're the only saddle I feel comfortable on. They are pricey but worth it if you want to cover a lot of miles. The water thing is a red herring imo. Use mudguards (as you should anyway) to keep the bottom from getting soaked and cover with a plastic bag if leaving bike outside and occasionally treat with proofhide/dubbin or whatever and you should have no problems.

Having said that - I put a cheap Chinese B17 copy from Ebay on a bike was doing up on the cheap recently and I've found it more comfortable than a real B17!!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

[QUOTE 3781877, member: 45"]Brooks start blubbering at the hint of drizzle.[/QUOTE]
No they don't.

 

[martint235]

I've had two Brooks and with both the main issue was a creaking noise that just drove me nuts and that I just couldn't make go away. I then switched to Spa saddles (Aires I think mine are) and they've been perfect. The older one completed LEL without issue and is still going strong. The other is just over a year old and not a sound out of it.