Brooks Flyer sprung Saddle

[Enogeze]

Anyone any experience of this saddle http://www.evanscycles.com/products/brooks/flyer-saddle-ec007600

The male half of this long distance couple http://www.downtheroad.org/Equipment/Bike_Parts/bicycle_touring_saddles.htm seem to swear by the Flyer.

Thanks

 

[ASC1951]

It looks very heavy. I have always found my Brooks saddles to be perfectly comfortable in their unsprung versions.

 

[rickangus]

I'm interested in getting a Flyer, probably pre-aged.

My wife has a B67s which I think is the woman's sprung version and she absolutely loves it, never ever gets saddle sore. I'm sure it's a bit heavier that most saddles but for the comfort she gets, is more than happy to pay the price.

Whether you want or need 'sprung' will be heavily influenced by your riding position. If you are riding upright, with more weight on your backside, then sprung will almost certainly be more comfortable than solid.

If you're on drops, with less weight on your backside, then there may be less need for it.

I've often wondered about the difference, if any, between a suspension seatpost and fixed saddle v. solid seatpost and sprung Brooks. I suspect over the next few months I shall find out;-)

At the minute I am on the former and although comfortable, the seatpost is irritating me as various shims/spacers wear allowing fore-and-aft and sideways movement all at once.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

The unsprung B17 works for me. I ride on the dropbars these days a lot more than I did when I first got the bike (less belly in the way now see). It is a heavy saddle and it does need TLC, but in return I have a comfortable ride and no saddle sores. It is important to position it correctly though (like all saddles), there is no groove to combat numb nut syndrome. This took a while, but as I lost weight it became easier. I find the ride is more comfortable without padded shorts, just a simple pair of nike running shorts does it for me mostly. This combination cuts out the sweaty arse syndrome caused by some synthetic saddles and over padded shorts...that is what causes sore arses in my opinion. Let the air get to your bits and all will be well.
Here endeth the lesson.

 

[mikeitup]

Anyone any experience of this saddle http://www.evanscycles.com/products/brooks/flyer-saddle-ec007600

The male half of this long distance couple http://www.downtheroad.org/Equipment/Bike_Parts/bicycle_touring_saddles.htm seem to swear by the Flyer.

Thanks

I used to use gel saddles but just couldn't get comfotable with them.
I purchased a Brooks Flyer and it is great! 72 mile p/w commute and weekend rides of 50-70 miles. I used padded lycra shorts and the saddle has been fine. I like it!!

BTW, if you do decide to get one try either Bike Plus or Spa Cycles (or even wiggle or Chain reaction cycles). U will find that these will be cheaper than Evans.

 

[Tony]

Sprung saddles?
NO!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CycleTourer]

Sprung saddles?
NO!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have ridden the washboard gravel roads of Iceland or the cobbled roads in the old East Germany and Poland, you will appreciate the need for a sprung saddle.

My wife and I both have the Champion flyers and we have tried several different saddles in the past, gel ones, ones with the hole in the middle but still have found the flyer to be the most comfortable over longer distances. They do take a bit of braking in though and you do need to keep them from getting too wet.

 

[rickangus]

Sprung saddles?
NO!!!!!!!!!!!

A fairly unambiguous opinion!

Are you speaking from a particular viewpoint or from experience?

I can understand that sprung saddles don't exactly have great style but there comes a point for me, I'd guess about the 50 mile mark, when function overcomes appearances.

 

[Tony]

If you have ridden the washboard gravel roads of Iceland or the cobbled roads in the old East Germany and Poland, you will appreciate the need for a sprung saddle.

My wife and I both have the Champion flyers and we have tried several different saddles in the past, gel ones, ones with the hole in the middle but still have found the flyer to be the most comfortable over longer distances. They do take a bit of braking in though and you do need to keep them from getting too wet.

I have ridden the Iceland roads, and lots of cobbled stuff, and the "unsealed" Aussie ones. I have tried all sorts of saddles from gel through Terry Liberator and elastomer-sprung saddles to sprung seat-posts. I find they make me feel too remote from the bike, and I have stuck with Brooks B17 for a loooooong time now with no problems. No problems breaking them in; the one on my main tourer is like an armchair for comfort.

 

[CycleTourer]

Tony, each one to their own. What works for one doesn't always work for another.

You might be interested to hear that last year in Iceland we met a German guy touring on an unsprung saddle, who broken his seat post clamp riding over the washboard roads on the F35 Highland route and had to catch a bus to Reykjavik to get a replacement. Apparently he had heard of a Dutchman who had had a similar thing happen to him on the Icelandic roads.

I'm no medical expert and I only pose the question. If the impact is enough to brake a seat clamp, just what could it be doing to your body in time? - the same as the joint problems that runners suffer from with too much road running perhaps?

I'll stick to springs and a comfy ride.

Jon

 

[xilios]

We use the Champion flyer & "s" models and find them very comfortable. The spings are there for a reason and after a few unforseen potholes we found out why.
We highly recomend the sprung saddles for touring.

 

[Enogeze]

A note for heavy riders: I was told by Steven Green of Brooks UK the other day that he knows of people weighing 130kg / 20 stone that are comfortably using the Brooks flyer.