New Brooks saddle like hard wood!

[Lone Rider]

should I have gone for a gel saddle?

If you're only doing a mile a day go for the soft option. I had a gel saddle at first but found it uncomfortable if I did more than 30kms. With a Brooks I can cycle as far as I want. Although it did take getting used to. Mine is stll "as hard as wood".

 

[philepo]

I don't know how many miles it is to be honest. Probably best to say time on backside = approx 20 mins x2 a day plus longer wk end ride = 1 hr.

I want the Brooks to work as it looks good and I don't want to have wasted 60 quid and then have to get a gel one and gamble on comfort again.

Cheers.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

believe it or not, in the long run, sitting on a hard saddle is more comfortable than sitting on an inch of gel or foam. you need to support yourself by sitting on your sit bones, the pointy bits in the cheeks of your ass, and not the fleshy muscle bits of your arse. perhaps your sit bones just need to get used to being used.

 

[Davidc]

I agree with MacBs posts. I have a Brooks shaped backside so never have a problem, but some people find them very uncomfortable. You may be one of those people. There are loads of bike seat designs and makes to chose from if the Brooks doesn't work for you.

If after working on height, angle, etc. it still doesn't work then sell it. You should be able to get 80 to 90% of what you paid (on ebay for example). Sell it before it gets marked, or starts to bed in to your shape too much.

 

[philepo]

There are loads of bike seat designs and makes to chose from if the Brooks doesn't work for you.

That sounds like a lot of wasted time and money - how do you choose without riding for a week? I hope the Brooks and my backside make friends eventually.

 

[Davidc]

Davidc;1146062There are loads of bike seat designs and makes to chose from if the Brooks doesn't work for you.

That sounds like a lot of wasted time and money - how do you choose without riding for a week? I hope the Brooks and my backside make friends eventually.

I've never really had the problem, but I think a chat with the lbs might help.

If you're really having problems do bear in mind the very high secondhand values Brooks saddles have, which could help keep your losses under control.

 

[Barbelier]

Bought a Brooks recently for a new touring bike and a planned LEJOG trip on recommendations seen on this forum and others. Never owned a Brooks before and was dreading the 500 "purgatory" period so often mentioned.

The saddle was a bit tender for the first 100 miles or so (but no worse than the one it had replaced). Now I'm not even aware of it and did over 50 miles on Saturday without the slightest problem.
The legs, however, (after going up and down the Chiltern Hills) ................different story!

 

[ASC1951]

I know 99% of people like them so I will give it time, but logically it seems od that sitting on a hard flat surface will be comfortable!

If they stayed the same shape that might be true. The Brooks secret is that, uniquely, their saddles don't.

 

[Chrisc]

Well that's a bugger. I got a flyer special a couple of weeks ago in brown that was so comfy out of the box I never give it a thought when riding. My gel saddle crippled me after fifteen miles.
Maybe brown is softer than black?

 

[andrew_s]

It's been rumoured for a while that the black saddles are harder.

The new Team Pro on my new bike is like a block of wood. It was so stiff I couldn't get the proofhide on the bit where the side flap almost touches the rail. I've also not seen fit to use it for more than about 40 miles in one go yet. My last new Team Pro was used for a 400k on it's first ride without any problems

 

[Fab Foodie]

The answer with a Brooks is , as ever, simple.

Find a piece of granite, a large brick sized cobble-stone's good. Take it to the launderette and put the granite and the saddle on a really long program. After a rapid spin and a short-time in the tumble dryer, take the saddle out and carefully chuck it in the bin. Fix the cobble-stone to your bike. Perfect.

 

[Chrisc]

Does sound like more miles may be needed. A mate of mine has a black B17 which was a bit hard but it soon settled. As I said, mine was plush from the off but now it's even better after 150 or so miles and is starting to develop two dents where my sit bones rest.
Another issue may be handlebar to seat height, if the pain is perineal you could raise the bars a touch or tilt the saddle to relieve it.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

It's been rumoured for a while that the black saddles are harder.

The new Team Pro on my new bike is like a block of wood. It was so stiff I couldn't get the proofhide on the bit where the side flap almost touches the rail. I've also not seen fit to use it for more than about 40 miles in one go yet. My last new Team Pro was used for a 400k on it's first ride without any problems

my black b17 does seem to be slightly less comfy than by green b17 special…

 

[Davidc]

I've had brown and black, never noticed any difference. The present one's black and now well over the 1000 miles.

I've definitely got a Brooks shaped bottom! If you haven't then use something else (as Fab Foodie clearly does). Note however that Fab Foodie's procedure does tend to reduce the second hand value just a tad!

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Well that's a bugger. I got a flyer special a couple of weeks ago in brown that was so comfy out of the box I never give it a thought when riding. My gel saddle crippled me after fifteen miles.
Maybe brown is softer than black?

hi chris,

may i ask what your overall impression is of the flyer special. i'm thinking of getting a sprung saddle to help deal with the state of the roads in rossendale and manchester. do the springs make a noticeable difference? is it a boing boing ride? is it better having a wider saddle with springs. i currently have a brooks team pro and it had at least 1000 miles of my arse and some more miles when i lent it out. it did eventually break in. it is comfy but i think it may be too narrow as i feel like i'm sitting on the metal frame. i was thinking flyer special or b33 or b190.