Brooks saddle question

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tyred

Legendary Member
Location
Ireland
The single biggest issue with sprung saddles that I have seen is that there is only so fast you can pedal before you start bouncing up and down. They suit old roadsters and the like as you are unlikely to be spinning a rapid cadence on a 45lb SS bike with 7 1/2" cranks but would be a no-no on a racing bike if you intended to ride it fast.
 
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thistler

thistler

Veteran
Location
Happy Valley
Still waffling over the Team Pro vs the Finesse....I don't know how much difference 230 grams will make. I am not currently racing but was thinking about starting up again next year and would like to have the saddle broken in by then and not have to switch ever again....

Team Pro S? Finesse? Help!!! :unsure:
 
The single biggest issue with sprung saddles that I have seen is that there is only so fast you can pedal before you start bouncing up and down. They suit old roadsters and the like as you are unlikely to be spinning a rapid cadence on a 45lb SS bike with 7 1/2" cranks but would be a no-no on a racing bike if you intended to ride it fast.

You only bounce if the resonant frequency of the springs matches your cadence. I'm still not convinced that sprung seats slow you down.
 

aberal

Guru
Location
Midlothian
Still waffling over the Team Pro vs the Finesse....I don't know how much difference 230 grams will make. I am not currently racing but was thinking about starting up again next year and would like to have the saddle broken in by then and not have to switch ever again....

Team Pro S? Finesse? Help!!! :unsure:

In reality - it'll not make much of a difference. 230g is about the same weight as a couple of medium sized tomotoes. In some highly technical specialised level then the extra 230g will indeed slow you down. But unless you are competing at a highly competitive level I doubt that you or anyone else will ever notice the difference. So if your budget is tight, forget the 230g and go for the Team Pro. If you can afford it and never want to buy a saddle ever again and more importantly as it is a female fit, then I would suggest going for the Finesse.
 

aberal

Guru
Location
Midlothian
So you are suggesting that my limited edition Selle Italia Genuine Gel with its Ti rails and my name embroidered onto the white perforated Italian leather is a 'slower' saddle than the crappy steel railed (of the same diameter) saddle which resides on my hack.

Nope. That is not what I am suggesting.
 

aberal

Guru
Location
Midlothian
A titanium rail of the same diameter and wall thickness as the equivalent rail in steel is more flexible (whippier). But the rails are increased in diameter or wall thickness to give the equivalent amount of stiffness. So the titanium and steel are equally stiff - but the advantage of titanium is that it is still lighter than the steel.
 

aberal

Guru
Location
Midlothian
Ti.

It's lighter.
 

snailracer

Über Member
The single biggest issue with sprung saddles that I have seen is that there is only so fast you can pedal before you start bouncing up and down. They suit old roadsters and the like as you are unlikely to be spinning a rapid cadence on a 45lb SS bike with 7 1/2" cranks but would be a no-no on a racing bike if you intended to ride it fast.
Looking at my sprung Brooks, bouncing seems unlikely because the springs are rock hard.
 

snailracer

Über Member
A titanium rail of the same diameter and wall thickness as the equivalent rail in steel is more flexible (whippier). But the rails are increased in diameter or wall thickness to give the equivalent amount of stiffness. So the titanium and steel are equally stiff - but the advantage of titanium is that it is still lighter than the steel.
It's plain obvious that saddles are intentionally designed to be flexible - they could easily be made rigid, but no manufacturer does that, or even claim it makes the bike faster.
 

snailracer

Über Member
Actually I was asking about road bikes...sorry if I was unclear!! :blush: I have taken the flyer off my touring bike and put it on my road bike for now, but will replace it when the money is available. Looks like it will be the Team Pro, unless I can convince someone to give me the Finesse for Christmas....
Well do let us know whether you feel faster or slower, won't you?
:smile:
 
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