London-Edinburgh-London 2013: The thread

[stevevw]

how long to get one worn in and ready?

About 2 months commute or one LEL
Probably best to get one broken in on the commute though.

I will warn Greg and Rox to switch off their mobiles and hide all my spare wheels then.

 

[JoeyB]

I have a standard B17 because I have a wide arse. The saddle has a slot cut in it

Why did you cut a slot in it?

 

[PpPete]

Which Brooks?
Depends, not on how well covered you arse is, but how close your "sit-bones" are together.
I resisted the idea of a Brooks for a long time, and along the way, still trying to find a comfy long distance saddle, I had my arse measured by a Specialized dealer. Apparently it come up narrow so, of their three widths (130,143, 155 IIRC) they recommended a 130. It was better than anything I'd tried previously but still got a "numb bum" after 3 hours or so.
Then purely by accident I was obliged to ride a bike equipped with a narrow old Brooks (the discontinued "Competition" model) and found it a revelation.
I now have a Swift which is still hard as a piece of wood (indeed my kids believe it is make of oak, not leather) after 5000km .... but it suits my shape.
I have tried a B17, but despite being well softened, it was nowhere near as comfortable.

 

[velovoice]

Which Brooks?
Depends, not on how well covered you arse is, but how close your "sit-bones" are together.

Yes.

I was a bit spooked at the beginning by all the "breaking in" myths (e.g. "you don't break in a Brooks to your butt, you break in your butt to a Brooks", etc etc) but after many months and hundreds of miles of misery (and multiple bailed what-should-have-been century rides) sitting on 3 different models, I totted up my notes of what I'd learned (what rubbed where, etc; measured my sit bones) and gave Brooks one last chance: the Swallow. Which, after the Swift, is about the narrowest model Brooks make.

Perfection. The perfect shape, perfect size. The most comfortable saddle (for me) ever, right from the start.

Plus - big bonus for me from an aesthetics point of view - the Swallow is the only model that doesn't have the skirting, which I think looks plain silly on any road bike other than one obviously used for touring.

So.... forget the gritting-your-teeth-and-putting-up-with-the-pain-for-x-hundreds-of-miles. If it's the right Brooks for you, you'll know immediately. Don't waste your time waiting for *the wrong one* to somehow get better.

Here's a photo of my Pacer with the Swallow.

 

[ComedyPilot]

oh dear, the Lady Wife has given a pass freely on the sole condition that 'I train properly'

and LBS have said 'come in for a chat' in response to my ludicrous request that they sponsor me

gulp

I'd dearly love to get started on a brooks, pricey though on my miniscule budget, how long to get one worn in and ready?

I would estimate 500-1000 miles

 

[oldfatfool]

By an aged model and negate the breaking in. My aged flyer is very comfy for long days. Looks stupid on the Giant but great on the Panorama

 

[Tynan]

yes, quite the range isn't it, they do look wide but that's the way there are aren't they?

Is the regular B17 fine for a road bike? you're fairly scrawny aintcha martin?

and the previously enjoyed ones on ebay, is it bad to get one already fitted to someone else's arse?

 

[martint235]

yes, quite the range isn't it, they do look wide but that's the way there are aren't they?

Is the regular B17 fine for a road bike? you're fairly scrawny aintcha martin?

and the previously enjoyed ones on ebay, is it bad to get one already fitted to someone else's arse?

I wouldn't particularly describe myself as scrawny, 6'6" and 15 and half stone at the mo. To be honest I never really looked at the standard B17, I just thought the Narrow would be better suited to a road bike.

I also wouldn't know about used ones. I'm about to buy another new one for the commuter. I think it was damaged in the Emsworth crash and then I've just made it worse by being cackhanded with the tension bolt.

 

[mcshroom]

To all those worrying about aesthetics - you can't see your saddle when you're sitting on it

 

[zigzag]

Is the regular B17 fine for a road bike? you're fairly scrawny aintcha martin?

and the previously enjoyed ones on ebay, is it bad to get one already fitted to someone else's arse?

i use regular b17 on a road bike for very long distances - it doesn't look right and it's heavy, but comfy for me (especially i start appreciating it after good few hundred km). i'd suggest buying new if you can and don't get too enthusiastic with proofide - once or twice a year is plenty. here's my bike on 1000km ride in scotland last summer:

 

[martint235]

Tynan. Golden rule. Don't listen to zigzag!! Ever!!!

What he should have said is "here's my bike on one of my shorter rides, a bit of a pootle for 1000km round Scotland last summer".

If you don't believe me, ask him how much climbing was involved?

 

[Tynan]

zigzag dragged me barely breathing all the way home from a very dark hertfordshire (I think) with admirable levels of pleasantness and grace

and too many proper riders have sucked on their teeth in an admiring way when his name comes up

I listen but I pay no attention as it's all too abstract and theoretical for me, so I think we're all happy with that stance

Anyway, I have no problems with what it looks like, I won't be able to see it, and I have a pannier on most of the time anyway

Anyway, I think it looks fine, I like a bit of old skool and I'm 47 this year so getting old enough to carry off that old fashioned look

I've confused you with someone else, again, martin, sorry, zigzag is scarwny anyway so the regular B17 must be fine for my wafer 15st, I thin I knew the answer on second arsed, just hoping to be allowed to be tight

 

[zigzag]

the reason i advice to buy new brooks saddle is that you might need to use their warranty offer. many audax riders agree that the leather of new (i.e. after the company was bought by italians) brooks saddles is thinner/softer and goes out of shape quicker, which usually is not a good thing. i've had to return my b17 after very wet lel'09; it collapsed in five days of riding in the rain. brooks kindly replaced the top with a sturdier leather and it's been fine so far.

 

[PpPete]

I have had three successes with 2nd hand Brooks off Ebay, and one failure.
Maybe I've just been lucky though.

May I repeat though, whether a wide or narrow saddle is more comfortable is now't to do with how scrawny or how well fleshed you are, it is much more to do with how wide apart your sit-bones are.

 

[velovoice]

May I repeat though, whether a wide or narrow saddle is more comfortable is now't to do with how scrawny or how well fleshed you are, it is much more to do with how wide apart your sit-bones are.

+1

Fat may be relevant to how much rubbing you get on the side of the saddle. I know I prefer a saddle with a definite indent in the side rather than a gradual curve (think T shape rather than pear).

But the starting point must always be your sit-bone width. Do bear in mind also the metal plate under the cantle and allow a little clearance for that in addition to your sit-bone measurement. Trust me, you do not want your sit-bones resting on that!