egginbonce
New Member
- Location
- cornwall
I keep reading about 'Brooks B17' saddles(breaking them in???),so whats the special thing about this saddle?.the one on my specialized secteur is OK, but the wider one on the hybrid aint so comfy.............
Brooks B17
- Thread starter egginbonce
- Start date
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Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
This thread is destined to be several hundred posts long!
My backside is B17 shaped and I don't need to break them in. Some people do though. It's to do with the natural leather moulding to the riders backside.
Some people never find them comfy and hate them.
There are different widths - your 2 may be different.
Make up your own mind, consult your bum, its opinion matters. If you get on with them fine, if not there are hundreds of different saddles to chose from and some bike shops will let you try them out. Comfort is the only legitimate criterion.
If you get a decent make of saddle and don't like it the 2nd hand market is good and you won't lose much.
My backside is B17 shaped and I don't need to break them in. Some people do though. It's to do with the natural leather moulding to the riders backside.
Some people never find them comfy and hate them.
There are different widths - your 2 may be different.
Make up your own mind, consult your bum, its opinion matters. If you get on with them fine, if not there are hundreds of different saddles to chose from and some bike shops will let you try them out. Comfort is the only legitimate criterion.
If you get a decent make of saddle and don't like it the 2nd hand market is good and you won't lose much.
For me its comfort and also value for money.
Comfort - I find them extremely comfortable - don't need to wear padded shorts or use cream even on 100+ mile rides or long tours.
Other people (as you will soon find out) find them extremely uncomfortable.
Some say you need 500-100 miles to break them in until they are comfortable but I find them comfortable straight from the box.
Value for money - more expensive than most other saddles but they last for years. I'm on my second now because the first one only lasted 25 years.
Comfort - I find them extremely comfortable - don't need to wear padded shorts or use cream even on 100+ mile rides or long tours.
Other people (as you will soon find out) find them extremely uncomfortable.
Some say you need 500-100 miles to break them in until they are comfortable but I find them comfortable straight from the box.
Value for money - more expensive than most other saddles but they last for years. I'm on my second now because the first one only lasted 25 years.
skudupnorth
Cycling Skoda lover
- Location
- Astley,Manchester
Best saddle ever ! Need another for my other bike because i'm fed up with swapping it over ! Did 400 mile Manc to Cornwall ride last year without padded buttocks on a Brookes and had no problems.
middleagecyclist
Call me MAC
- Location
- Prestwich, Manchester
Got one for each bike. Lent one saddle to my brother last month when he joined me for a mini tour. Put the original (quality) saddle back on the mountain bike in the meantime. Couldn't get my B17 back fast enough. Love em!
Mitz
New Member
- Location
- Valencia Province, Spain
Well, I bought mine for my up and coming LEJOG, and after a month / hundreds of miles it wasnt comfortable. Then I got my new bike which came with a gel Italian saddle on it, and I found that more comfortable. I swapped the B17 onto the new bike though, but it lasted a couple of days before being removed again. I guess, as said, some find it good, some dont. So my poor B17 sits in a box unused!
The B17 is made from quite hard leather, with rigid rails. If you aren't used to riding a bike then it will seem a bit hard. Once you have a backside that is used to sitting on a saddle, and if your bottom is "Brooks shaped" then the B17 and the other Brooks products can be very comfortable indeed.
Problem is, not everyone gets on with this idea of saddles so there are plenty of Brooks haters out there
Brooks are expensive now since they were bought out (istr it was Selle Italia?)
Problem is, not everyone gets on with this idea of saddles so there are plenty of Brooks haters out there
Brooks are expensive now since they were bought out (istr it was Selle Italia?)
Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
Well, I bought mine for my up and coming LEJOG, and after a month / hundreds of miles it wasnt comfortable. Then I got my new bike which came with a gel Italian saddle on it, and I found that more comfortable. I swapped the B17 onto the new bike though, but it lasted a couple of days before being removed again. I guess, as said, some find it good, some dont. So my poor B17 sits in a box unused!
You'll get a good price if you sell it - CCs for sale forum should get a good price with no commission or listing fee!
numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
After well over 25,000 miles I have I have a love/hate relationship with mine, I love the way it looks 
but it is still a pain in the arse after 50+ miles
but it is still a pain in the arse after 50+ miles
samid
Guru
- Location
- Toronto, Canada
I have Brooks leather saddles on all my bikes (I have a few) except for one - which has a Wright, very similar to a Brooks. They are not all B17 - in fact my most ridden bike has a Brooks Pro (slightly narrower than B17), another a Swift (even more narrower). All seem comfortable to me now. Initially I started using Brooks because the padded saddle that I had was too uncomfortable to my backside.
And besides, they look great
And besides, they look great
I bought a Brooks 17S to replace the man-shaped saddle that came with my bike. First ride was a disaster - it was so slippy I couldn't stay put. I then adjusted the saddle so it was pointed slightly upwards and it's now vastly improved. It's been very comfortable ever since I did this adjustment.
Mitz
New Member
- Location
- Valencia Province, Spain
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
B17 variants on all my bikes. The B17N makes the MTB (Boardman HT Pro) look positively weird but I reason I can't see it when I'm on it so who cares.
200+km done on road quite a few times now without padded shorts without discomfort. But as others have said if your arse don't fit you are in for a world of pain.... in which case try a charge spoon.
200+km done on road quite a few times now without padded shorts without discomfort. But as others have said if your arse don't fit you are in for a world of pain.... in which case try a charge spoon.
Moodyman
Legendary Member
Agree. Got both. Bought a B17 to put onto my new commuter which came with the Spoon.
The Spoon was that good that the B17 stayed in its box for six months until I put it on my weekend bike.
Both are lovely, though the B17 edges it on the comfort factor. I prefer the Spoon's for its low maintenance - no need to proofide and keep dry.