Which Brooks saddle?

User avatar
gregmacc
Posts: 155
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:33 pm
Location: Adelaide

Which Brooks saddle?

Postby gregmacc » Sat Apr 10, 2010 1:16 pm

My wife and I are about to get into some serious touring and want to purchase Brooks saddles. We ride old converted MTBs. Is there any model that suits long distance touring specifically? ... Their site seems to suggest the B17 as appropriate ... Are the more expensive models worth considering over the "standard"? ... Are the ladies versions better for ladies?
Cheers

stevepedlin
Posts: 448
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:48 pm

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby stevepedlin » Sat Apr 10, 2010 1:33 pm

Hi Greg,
I had the Brooks Flyer delivered to my door from c r c just this week, I have long distance touring planned for it also.

It's essentially the B17 with springs. The springs work, even under my hefty bulk there is nothing wimpy about them. The seat isn't as hard as I had feared, and the break-in process is already evident after less than 100Km. Mostly, I found this seat puts less pressure on your soft undercarriage and man-tackle than any padded seat, my first ride of 8Km I didn't have to stand at any time to relieve the pressure, and it was nice to be able to ride without nix. I was pleasenty surprised, I had thought it might give my bum hell until 1000Km down the track. I'm happy to predict at this early stage it will become good friend, and am glad I didn't go for the wider models.

Thankfully, I seem to be one of the lucky ones who found this seat to be a treat to use from the word go. There is a Flyer 'S' model for women available as you mentioned, but i can give no advice on them.

Have fun choosing, they really are a quality piece of kit. The Flyer weighs in at 560 grams though, but i'm happy to pay that price for the comfort the springs give you.

steve

User avatar
gregmacc
Posts: 155
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:33 pm
Location: Adelaide

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby gregmacc » Sat Apr 10, 2010 1:47 pm

Thanks for the reply Steve ... I've just had a look at the c r c site ... quite a good range of Brooks saddles ... I wasn't aware of them until now.
Cheers

Outback
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:46 pm

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby Outback » Sat Apr 10, 2010 7:35 pm

G'day Gregmacc
I use a B17 standard model.Done over10,000 kms with it.Be warned it took some time to break in,but after that great saddle for long distance cycle touring.Good luck
Cheers Outback

User avatar
hartleymartin
Posts: 5153
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:56 pm
Location: Fairfield, NSW

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby hartleymartin » Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:45 pm

If you do lots of road cycling, chances are you'll find a B17 comfortable. Some road cyclists prefer unsprung saddles because their pedalling style can cause you to bounce a lot in the saddle. Most other people would benefit from a Flyer, and if you have a fat backside like me or you like to basically sit upright like me, then a B67 is an excellent choice.
Martin Christopher Hartley

http://raleightwenty.webs.com - the top web resource for the Raleigh Twenty

User avatar
HappyHumber
Posts: 5072
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:48 pm
Location: Perth, (S.o.R.) W.A.

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby HappyHumber » Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:07 pm

Maybe it's something with my nether regions, or that I generally ride with knick/bibs or padding for anything more than a scoot down to the shops; but I've never really had an issue with the break in of any of my three Brooks; a B17 Narrow, A Swift, and a notoriously thick & tough Team Pro.

Can't comment on any of the sprung models, however.
--
Hit me up via the BNA dm; I'll get an alert. If y'know, you know.

User avatar
gregmacc
Posts: 155
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:33 pm
Location: Adelaide

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby gregmacc » Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:16 pm

Thanks Outback, Marty and Happy Humber : Since my previous post I've had a chat to a long time member of The Adelaide Touring Cyclists (who's opinion I respect). He's also a great fan of the B17 Special (as is his wife) ... Looks like Wiggle will be getting some more business out of us :)

User avatar
cavebear2
Posts: 2201
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:46 am
Location: Perth

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby cavebear2 » Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:09 pm

I've just ridden 1,010 km in 8 days on a nearly new B17 Standard. This involved some very rough roads/tracks carrying 20 to 30kg of gear & water. I love the comfort factor so much I've just purchased a Swallow with titanium rails for 300km plus Audax rides. I've a feeling that my bum is going to like me for it. :) I couldn't ride on a saddle with springs though as my 68kg bounces around too much already on rough roads. :wink:

trimike
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:19 pm

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby trimike » Tue Apr 13, 2010 11:34 am

Hi Cavebear

Where did you buy the Brooks Swallow from ??

Mike

User avatar
cavebear2
Posts: 2201
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:46 am
Location: Perth

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby cavebear2 » Tue Apr 13, 2010 6:13 pm

Hi Mike,

Wiggle at 15% off (as a Platinum buyer) - $289 Aus

Cheers
Perry

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby il padrone » Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:00 pm

WOW!! (In so many ways)

:shock: :D 8)
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

stevepedlin
Posts: 448
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:48 pm

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby stevepedlin » Wed Apr 14, 2010 12:34 pm

I have to say, that when your cadence is really up there, like above 150 rpm or something, the springs can be felt pumping a little, I can understand how this would be disconcerting to hi-po road cyclists.

But heck :wink: it's a touring saddle, and at normal cadence rates its not at all noticable. 8)


Your saddle, sir.......
Image

User avatar
cavebear2
Posts: 2201
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:46 am
Location: Perth

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby cavebear2 » Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:28 pm

Detail wrote:
cavebear2 wrote: I couldn't ride on a saddle with springs though as my 68kg bounces around too much already on rough roads. :wink:
Bounce around on springs?

Man, those springs don't bounce. (They do squeak.)

It's like saying you don't want to wear gel gloves for off road touring.

My Brooks Flyer was the single best investment I've made for my trip. It absorbs plenty of road vibration and works well when the track gets more bumpy.
When hitting severe ruts for mile after mile, man my butt doesn't contact the saddle that much at the crucial moments. I instinctively put more weight on my feet by doing a 'part stand' at crucial bump hitting moments taking appropriate weight off the saddle. (like a roadie) Also, on good paved roads even touring with a heavily loaded bike, springs on a saddle are going to be counterproductive to my efficiency given my extremely high cadence rate. Yes, that's right I ride like a roadie even when touring on a bitumen road. Once a roadie, always a roadie. :lol:

btw. it's me that's going to bounce not the springs.

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby il padrone » Wed Apr 14, 2010 1:51 pm

cavebear2 wrote:Also, on good paved roads even touring with a heavily loaded bike, springs on a saddle are going to be counterproductive to my efficiency given my extremely high cadence rate. Yes, that's right I ride like a roadie even when touring on a bitumen road.
I ride with a Brooks Conquest (with springs), on my MTB tourer with the bars set quite low. When my cadence drops below 90 I feel like changing down a gear.

I don't find any tendency to bounce with the springs. To the contrary, I often wonder whether the springs are moving at all :o
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

tmac100
Posts: 212
Joined: Fri May 28, 2010 12:09 am
Location: Qatar

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby tmac100 » Fri May 28, 2010 12:27 am

I own 3 B17s and they are great - once broken in. I purchased all of mine used when I lived in North America on e-bay because folks did not try hard enough to break them in. The women need (usually) a slightly different one than the men because of the "sit bones" in their pelvis being spaced differently.... Oh bother as Pooh Bear would say.

OTOH, go to http://www.bikeforums.net and then go to the touring forum. Look at all the articles on Brooks saddles. A WEALTH of additional info. Register and post your question(s) there. I got lots of info from folks on those forums..

Best wishes in your touring.. Have fun ;-)

pawnii
Posts: 536
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 2:54 pm
Location: Macleod, Melbourne
Contact:

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby pawnii » Sat May 29, 2010 12:45 pm

My g/f has a B17 Imperial (woman specific) and i have a B17 standard.

We both have suspension seatposts to suck up large bumps. My g/f swears by the B17 Imperial womans specific model with the cutout.

Hope this helps
yes, I'm an overweight weight weenie
2012 Scott Foil Premium

User avatar
gregmacc
Posts: 155
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:33 pm
Location: Adelaide

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby gregmacc » Sat May 29, 2010 9:41 pm

Thanks all for the input ... didn't know this was still going ... Purchased a B17 Special each from Wiggle a few weeks ago. We've done a few hundred Ks on them so far. Mine feels better than my previous saddle already and Wendy is still not sure (it's "different" for girls) ... Gott'a love those little black rain coats that come with the Specials.
Cheers
Greg

User avatar
gregmacc
Posts: 155
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:33 pm
Location: Adelaide

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby gregmacc » Sat May 29, 2010 9:46 pm

Addit: Because the smooth surface of the leather is a little slippery I have needed to angle the front of the saddle further up than my previous one. Setting it at exactly the same angle to the ground had me sliding slightly forward and putting more weight on my shoulders and wrists than I was happy with. An easy fix and I am quite happy with the purchase so far.
Greg

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby il padrone » Sat May 29, 2010 10:13 pm

gregmacc wrote:Addit: Because the smooth surface of the leather is a little slippery I have needed to angle the front of the saddle further up than my previous one. Setting it at exactly the same angle to the ground had me sliding slightly forward and putting more weight on my shoulders and wrists than I was happy with. An easy fix and I am quite happy with the purchase so far.
Entirely normal setting for a Brooks saddle. As it breaks in and develops some sag you may need to:

a) tighten the nose bolt slightly (don't overdo it!)
b) angle the saddle up some more still - the rear section needs to be kept closer to level than the saddle overall.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

User avatar
geoffs
Posts: 380
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:16 pm
Location: Inner west, Sydney

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby geoffs » Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:13 am

There must be a lot of people around who are into masochism. My last memories of riding a brooks saddle are that a brick would have the same comfort level.
Ed Pavelka used to swear by his brooks which he used to set numerous long distance records as he found the seat so comfortable. Only problem is that due to damage from poor position and the shape of the brooks his fun gun only works with the help of drugs.
This isn't something I wish to experience.
Best long distance saddle is a SMP lite 209
Last edited by geoffs on Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

stevepedlin
Posts: 448
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:48 pm

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby stevepedlin » Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:33 am

With 1300Km now on my Brooks flyer saddle it's only getting more comfortable each week. I can put in a long ride one day and my rear is all ready to do it again the next day. What I'm liking best about it is it puts your body weight on your sit bones, not your perineum which is the case with a vast majority of padded saddles.

No worries with my fun-gun on account of a Brooks saddle, and I doubt there ever will be. :wink: :mrgreen:

User avatar
Aushiker
Posts: 22395
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
Location: Walyalup land
Contact:

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby Aushiker » Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:57 am

Hi

I have a Brooks B17 on my Surly Long Haul Trucker and it was previously on my Giant CRX 1, so I guess it has done 10,000 km now along with two tours (Geraldton to Perth and Esperance to Perth). Given my experience I see no reason to change to another Brooks model.

Image

Andrew

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: Which Brooks saddle?

Postby il padrone » Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:55 pm

geoffs wrote:Only problem is that due to damage from poor position and the shape of the brooks his fun gun only works with the help of drugs.
That problem is called AGE.
geoffs wrote:Best long distance saddle is a SMP lite 209
Great joke man!!
:lol:
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users