Brooks B17 saddle questions

[Dax]

jedharrison <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> It surprises me that the other posts haven't mentioned how I protect my Brooks in the rain . . .
> .a common plastic bag from the market

...and I am suprised that nobody's noted that starting a 3-week tour with a new Brooks saddle is a
painful prospect. These saddles are hard like telephone bakelite and should be WELL BROKEN IN before
setting off... ...that said, have a blast! Ъ×

 

[Eric S. Sande]

>These saddles are hard like telephone bakelite and should be WELL BROKEN IN before setting off...

They aren't as hard as telephone bakelite. Trust me, NOTHING is as hard as telephone bakelite.

However I agree with you generally on the touring part.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

[Steve Palincsar]

On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:12:34 -0500, dax wrote:

> jedharrison <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>> It surprises me that the other posts haven't mentioned how I protect my Brooks in the rain . . .
>> .a common plastic bag from the market
>
> ...and I am suprised that nobody's noted that starting a 3-week tour with a new Brooks saddle is a
> painful prospect. These saddles are hard like telephone bakelite and should be WELL BROKEN IN
> before setting off...

My experience with putting 4 B.17s in service has been that they were comfortable for 50 mile rides
right out of the box, and by the time I'd racked up 200 miles they were fully broken in.

"Hard like telephone bakelite" is a gross exaggeration.

 

[Stephen Harding]

Steve Palincsar wrote:

> My experience with putting 4 B.17s in service has been that they were comfortable for 50 mile
> rides right out of the box, and by the time I'd racked up 200 miles they were fully broken in.

I've used two B17's and had no immediate or early problems riding on them.

My most recent one from last year has remained harder longer than my first one, but still good for
touring distances right out of the box for me.

I suppose everyone's derriere will vary, but I think the cautions on Brook's saddles (i.e.
sensitivity to rain, breakin) are very much over stated.

SMH

 

[Smokey]

Steve Palincsar <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:12:34 -0500, dax wrote:
>
> > jedharrison <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> >> It surprises me that the other posts haven't mentioned how I protect my Brooks in the rain . .
> >> . .a common plastic bag from the market
> >
> > ...and I am suprised that nobody's noted that starting a 3-week tour with a new Brooks saddle is
> > a painful prospect. These saddles are hard like telephone bakelite and should be WELL BROKEN IN
> > before setting off...
>
> My experience with putting 4 B.17s in service has been that they were comfortable for 50 mile
> rides right out of the box, and by the time I'd racked up 200 miles they were fully broken in.
>
> "Hard like telephone bakelite" is a gross exaggeration.

agreed. i started doing my usual 20-30 mile rides and loved my brooks immediately. i did put a bit
of proofhide on it and let it set overnight before i used it. i've only been caught in one heavy
rainstorm with no cover or fenders. i let the saddle dry out of the sun and treated it after it
dried. for anyone who gets in a lot of rain, a cover and fenders would probably be a good
investment. smokey

 

[Alan C. Acock]

The plastic bag is a good idea, but a B17 is a really tough saddle. I got about 15,000 miles out
of one before a rail broke (I weigh 220 pounds). I'm working on my second and have about 8,000
miles on it. Living in Oregon, rain is part of our lives and I've only had a problem once. I
left it uncovered over night on a tour and it rained all night. 100 miles the next day did
stretch it a bit but there are two things to remember: (a) you can tighten it at least a few
times and (b) some stretch is a good way for it to conform to your rear. I have nice 'indents'
for my sit bones and there is a slight sway in the middle for my prostrate. A good B17 doesn't
look like a plastic saddle.

Last summer I did three consecutive 100 mile days in the mountains and every part of me was worn out
except my seat.

BTW, my first ride on both B17s was over 50 miles and those were more comfortable than on a plastic
seat with foam rubber padding. Alan
--
Alan C. Acock [email protected] [email protected] http://www.orst.edu/dept/hdfs/acock/
"smokey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Steve Palincsar <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:12:34 -0500, dax wrote:
> >
> > > jedharrison <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> > >> It surprises me that the other posts haven't mentioned how I protect
my
> > >> Brooks in the rain . . . .a common plastic bag from the market
> > >
> > > ...and I am suprised that nobody's noted that starting a 3-week tour with a new Brooks saddle
> > > is a painful prospect. These saddles are hard like telephone bakelite and should be WELL
> > > BROKEN IN before setting off...
> >
> > My experience with putting 4 B.17s in service has been that they were comfortable for 50 mile
> > rides right out of the box, and by the time I'd racked up 200 miles they were fully broken in.
> >
> > "Hard like telephone bakelite" is a gross exaggeration.
>
> agreed. i started doing my usual 20-30 mile rides and loved my brooks immediately. i did put a
> bit of proofhide on it and let it set overnight before i used it. i've only been caught in one
> heavy rainstorm with no cover or fenders. i let the saddle dry out of the sun and treated it
> after it dried. for anyone who gets in a lot of rain, a cover and fenders would probably be a
> good investment. smokey

 

[Tim Smith]

Steve Palincsar <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:12:34 -0500, dax wrote:
>
>> jedharrison <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>>> It surprises me that the other posts haven't mentioned how I protect my Brooks in the rain . . .
>>> .a common plastic bag from the market
>>
>> ...and I am suprised that nobody's noted that starting a 3-week tour with a new Brooks saddle is
>> a painful prospect. These saddles are hard like telephone bakelite and should be WELL BROKEN IN
>> before setting off...
>
>My experience with putting 4 B.17s in service has been that they were comfortable for 50 mile rides
>right out of the box, and by the time I'd racked up 200 miles they were fully broken in.
>
>"Hard like telephone bakelite" is a gross exaggeration.

I'd basically agree with Steve. I've used 5 B.17s, and 4 of them were comfortable right out of the
box. I have one that's a hard case, and I don't know why (I did the usual Proofhide top and bottom
treatment on that one too.)

Perhaps it's that incorrigible 20% that gives Brooks (and leather saddles) their bad rep?

Anyhow, they most of them don't really need to be broken in, but if you do get a bad one, you could
give it the old Lon Haldeman treatment: soak it in water, then in 30W motor oil, and then ride it
across the USA a time or two--it will eventually soften up.