Which Brook's ?

[knapdog]

I'm toying with purchasing a Brook's saddle (I'm doing the RAB challenge next year) but have discovered that there are a few different styles. At present I have a Specialised Secteur and don't have too much of a problem with its saddle but would I be stepping up into the Premiership division if I changed?
I have also read good reviews regarding the Selle San Marco Rolls.
Does anyone have any experience of both these types of saddles and could point me in the right direction?

 

[PpPete]

If you are happy with you're existing saddle - don't bother changing.

There is no inherent superiority in Brooks saddles. They are old-fashioned, mostly quite heavy, and damned expensive....but some Brooks saddles suit some peoples arses. I'm still trying to find one which suits me. The only redeeming feature is that they fetch good prices second hand on e-bay if you buy one and really can't get on with it.

 

[upsidedown]

Standard B17 for me, love it.

 

[John the Monkey]

Having a Brooks seems to be a bit of a rite of passage, I think.

Every cyclist of a certain stripe will try one sooner or later, and come to the conclusion that they should have done so earlier, or that the whole thing was a huge mistake.

I have a B17 standard (old, and pre-broken in, bought 2nd hand) on my tourer/commuter, and I like it. It is heavy, but it's about as heavy as my old saddle plus a saddle rail bag loop clamp for my Carradice, so the trade off works out ok for me. I have Crackle's B17N too, which I've yet to put on the bike (but will do, at some point).

 

[Fab Foodie]

Standard B17 for me, love it.

Me too.

 

[Manonabike]

I have the B17 Champions which just the standard B17 but with a better finish and I love it. It has taken a long time to be very very comfortable though

I also have a Books Pro on my road bike and I like that one too.... I have not been on my road bike for a long time so not sure how I will feel next time I do... hopefully great .

What most new Books saddle owners fail to understand is that the saddle will never be soft to the touch and anybody that has no experience with them will always wonder... how that hard thing could ever be so comfortable?

My saddle is at the stage where I can ride my bike with no padding on my backside and it still feels comfortable. None of the other saddles has ever felt like that for me.

I do think that many people might give up before the saddle is ready.... I for one used to wonder if the saddle would ever be comfortable and yet, other people don't need any braking time at all.

The good thing is that I think both saddles can get better still - I have probably done 700 miles with the Pro and under 1000 with the B17 Champion.

I have not used the stuff is sold by Brooks to look after the leather.... is not that I don't trust it but I have other products to look after leather which I have used for years and I know exactly how to use them on my saddles.... in fact, I could sell mine tomorrow and nobody would know they are 2nd hand.

 

[knapdog]

So are you going to tell us what it is you put on them???????????

 

[Manonabike]

So are you going to tell us what it is you put on them???????????

I use mostly This I even use it in my car seats with excellent results.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Ah...."page cannot be found". Brilliant stuff

 

[BentMikey]

Gerry, if you take a more careful look at Manonabike's link, you'll see which character to delete to make it work. No doubt it's just a typo in his post.

 

[ASC1951]

I've used a B17 for touring and found it excellent. At the moment I'm on a Ti Swift, which is the most comfortable saddle I have ever used, although I can tell after eight years isn't going to last as long as the Pro my next door neighbour gave me, together with his well-used bike, in 1964 - that saddle shows no change after at least 50 years and will undoubtedly outlast me.

 

[Manonabike]

Ah...."page cannot be found". Brilliant stuff

Sorry, my fault try this link

 

[knapdog]

Thanks for all your help, but I'm still a little confused. To purchase one of the models and get it wrong is going to be an expensive mistake. This seems to be my choice:
Swallow, Swift, Team Pro, B17 and B17Narrow.
At present I cycle, on my Secteur, twice a week to work (10 miles each way), tend to do a 40 to 60 mile ride on the weekend with everything building up to RAB next June. So I'm not a racer and never will be, but neither are my handlebars and seat level in a sit up and beg position. Any further suggestions? Plus, would buying second hand mean that the saddle has already formed to the shape of someone else's bottom with this being irreversible?

 

[yello]

To purchase one of the models and get it wrong is going to be an expensive mistake.

Welcome to the world of getting the 'right' saddle!

This seems to be my choice:
Swallow, Swift, Team Pro, B17 and B17Narrow.

Don't forget the B17N Imperial! The B17N with a cut away section. Is there a B17 Imperial as well?? Probably!

At present I cycle, on my Secteur, twice a week to work (10 miles each way), tend to do a 40 to 60 mile ride on the weekend with everything building up to RAB next June. So I'm not a racer and never will be, but neither are my handlebars and seat level in a sit up and beg position.

Have a look at the Brooks website, I'm sure they give a description of each saddle's purpose. From memory, the narrower saddles (like the B17N) are better suited to the more sporting position - that maybe what you are after.

would buying second hand mean that the saddle has already formed to the shape of someone else's bottom with this being irreversible?

Yes, potentially. Depends how much mileage it's done.

 

[ASC1951]

On that basis, knapdog, I would go for the B17 Narrow. The £150-ish saddles are only when you already know that a Brooks is what you want. To put it in perspective, £150 is the price of a pair of reasonable (but no more) wheels, which will last a third of the time of your saddle.

The saddle is the single most important component on a bike, so it's important to get it right. That doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune, just what is enough to get the right saddle for you.