Brooks B17 special.... Should I??

[stedlocks]

come on then, the font of all knowledge!!

I've done a few hundred miles on my Kona Jake now, off road and on, and its very clear that the WTB rocket that I have on there hurts my hoop and numbs my knackers a lot.........

So I got to thinking....Ive made the kona look very retro with the addition of 60's little ally mudguards....and I think it looks superb! So what about a Brooks saddle on there too??

Ive read loads of reviews and it seems to fit the bill.....I can also get a green one and with the addition of some new bar tape, make it look very nice indeed.

I know I'm probably a bit shallow, but looks are important!!

Tell me why they are so good!!


( and who is doing the best deal on the one with the big copper rivets???)

 

[Globalti]

Don't bother - I bought a Swift and was shocked at how crude and heavy it was; it looked as if it had been made by a medieval chastity belt manufacturer. Really, like it was out of a Brunel museum. And uncomfortable too.

 

[Chuffy]

Yes, get one. Best saddles you can buy.

Lots of advice in Accessories and Know How about looking after them (basically, DON'T TOUCH THE BOLT).

 

[theloafer]

as chuffy says best you can get ....wont sit on nowt else...though not to everyone,s tastes needs about 250 miles to break in ....thast your @rse not the brooks ...

 

[Crackle]

.....and in those first two posts you have your answer.

You either get on with them or you don't. Of the former, there seem to be two camps. Those who suffer to break them in (me) and those who find them comfortable out of the box. Of the latter, the same people can also sleep comfortably on sacks of coal with nails sticking out.

I think they're class saddles but you won't know until you actually try one. There is a good 2nd hand market for them though if you try and fail. If you do get on with them, they are very comfy.

 

[4F]

Don't bother - I bought a Swift and was shocked at how crude and heavy it was; it looked as if it had been made by a medieval chastity belt manufacturer. Really, like it was out of a Brunel museum. And uncomfortable too.

With you there, 1500 miles and still oooooooooooooooooow. It's now at the back of the shed in disgrace.

Got a specialized toupe instead

 

[dellzeqq]

dreadful things. I rode on them for years, and I can't describe how big an improvement a modern saddle is.

 

[tyred]

I love 'em. Mine was comfortable straight out of the box and I was amazed that it has actually got more comfortable.

 

[Paulus]

I have a B17 narrow on my Galaxy, and it is really really comfortable.

 

[bonj2]

i've ordered one, i hope it's comfy as i quite like the idea of having a saddle that has its own special substance with which it has to be polished.

 

[wafflycat]

Best thing to get is a saddle that fits your rear. If it does not fit from day 1 you're going to have a sore backside whilst said backside & saddle fight to the death over who wins out in the reshaping stakes....

 

[stedlocks]

thanks guys......Ive since done a search on here....should of done that first i suppose

anyway....I've got my heart set on a green B17 special......and if it isn't compatible with my ringpiece, then I can always flog it, like the man says.....

now its just about trying to get the chain reaction site to accept my paypal.....thats my secret playing money in there

 

[simoncc]

I've had a Brooks saddle and it was OK, but then every saddle I've ever had on a bike has been OK. I can't really tell the difference between saddles.

The disadvantage of the Brooks was that it required breaking in which seems bit old fashioned these days like running in a new car or breaking in a pair of shoes.

 

[bonj2]

I've had a Brooks saddle and it was OK, but then every saddle I've ever had on a bike has been OK. I can't really tell the difference between saddles.

The disadvantage of the Brooks was that it required breaking in which seems bit old fashioned these days like running in a new car or breaking in a pair of shoes.

shoes don't have to be broken in these days largely 'cos they're not made of leather. Shoes that are made of leather do.

even modern cars are still best not revved right up in the first 1000 miles.

'breaking in' of a brooks saddle is presumably just the leather conforming to the shape of your arse, but if it's wildly differently shaped anyway then it's probably not going to be that comfy anyway. i.e., it goes from quite comfy to very comfy - it's not going to go from uncomfy to comfy.

 

[simoncc]

shoes don't have to be broken in these days largely 'cos they're not made of leather. Shoes that are made of leather do.

even modern cars are still best not revved right up in the first 1000 miles.

'breaking in' of a brooks saddle is presumably just the leather conforming to the shape of your arse, but if it's wildly differently shaped anyway then it's probably not going to be that comfy anyway. i.e., it goes from quite comfy to very comfy - it's not going to go from uncomfy to comfy.

Brookes saddles are comfy once you've broken them in. But any decent bike saddle will be comfy straight away with no breaking in required. That's why I don't understand the appeal of Brooks saddles these days except as a retro item for traditionalists.

Maybe I'm lucky in that saddle comfort has never been an issue for me. They all seem comfortable - even the 12 yr old, plastic covered one that came on the Dawes Giro I bought in 1997 and which now is fitted to my everyday bike.