Brooks saddles... whats the deal?

[alfeng]

Ya gotta make the distances for the Brooks the same as the old saddle? GadZooks, what was I thinking? Of COURSE they didn't work(sarcasm intended).

Peter, I did say "for other people" ...

While it may be obvious to you/me & some others that measurements should be taken after making some changes to a bike's components to ensure that the earlier "fit" remains the same, I think a lot of people are pretty unconscious about what-was-what when they try to do any kind of wrenching (okay, it's hard to think of putting a different saddle on a bike as "wrenching") ...

In that vein, I don't think most people know what the height of the top of their saddle is relative to the center of their bike's BB (to use the common reference point), so if most people were to swap a Brooks saddle for another without making the adjustment then bad things could happen unless their saddle height was too low to begin with.

Consideration of your previously expressed situation was merely a springboard which made me pause to think how-or-why "other people" may have experienced a problem which so immediately manifests itself as a love-hate situation because I consider myself to be in the middle of the conflict since I have BOTH leather & "plastic" saddles ... and, I still ride on both ...

Apparently, I'm fortunate to find both TYPES of saddles to be comfortable because my preferred "plastic" saddle is no longer in production -- the San Marco Concor. The Concor Lite + some other "plastic" saddles are comfortable for me, too.

Regardless, it's moderately easier to buy a replacement "leather" saddle, now, since they are once again ubiquitous rather than trying to scrounge either of the "plastic" San Marco saddles which I prefer off of eBay ... so, any future saddles that I buy (I have more than one bike) will undoubtedly be leather -- it's not just a fashion statement & it's not a fetish ... the choice for me has become one of practicality at the expense of a few minutes of maintenance + the unfortunate weight penalty.

 

[randochap]

Of course, no one saddle will suit everyone and it's a good thing that we have more saddles than ever to chose from.

I personally use two different Selle Italia models and two different Brooks saddles. The latter include a 32 y/o Brooks Pro that I bought new and an 18 month old B-17 Special.

The B-17 was comfy right out of the box and my first ride on it was 100 km over mixed terrain, including bumpy chipseal and unpaved trails.

I'm not particularly a Brooks fetishist -- I value quality and comfort. I neither reject innovation nor the tried-and-true.

There must be something to the fact that so many long-distance riders choose Brooks. Go to any randonnee and see how many B-17s (in particular) are in evidence.

I'm confident that both my Brooks will still be around long after the Selle Italias -- as nice as they are -- are worn out.

My guess is there are more new cyclists who ignore traditional technology based simply on gram counting and style, than old men like me who reject the new based on "retro-grouch" factor.

As above, I'm not at all averse to adopting new technology when it improves my ride, but the slavish adoption of every new gizmo the bicycle industry spews out brings out the iconoclast in me.

 

[Old Biker]

I agree with you all the way. I always start the wrapping from the centre. With ends being tucked into the bar ends and end caps finishing it off.
As for Brookes saddles, I used one for about 10 years in 50's and 60's but I've found the plastic saddles are just as comfortable but admittedly have to replace them every few years.

 

[hwka]

Wow...amazing how partisan people get over product.
I have now been through 4 saddles and have tried out numerous others from my LBS...all with really poor results.
My butt is the focus point for the whole damm ride by the 10 km mark.
So I have finally ordered two saddles...a Brooks Swallow Classic and a Selle Italia SLC Gel Flow.
Ridiculously expensive...but what is the point of spending a couple of grand on a bike that is a pain in the butt to ride?
I now believe that trialling saddles from the LBS is a complete waste of time because it seems that they need to be "run-in" over a considerable period of time, and my LBS is probably nervously checking flight schedules if I am not back the next day with the borrowed item.
What got me interested in Brooks was the fact that they have been in continuous business since when?....1870 !!!...having originally started in leather saddles around 1860.
That and this fact...when I was a lot younger I had a fixed gear bike with a leather saddle. My shorts were Model T...football shorts in any colour as long as it was black. Padded shorts did not exist. I have no idea what that saddle was called but I distinctly recall riding all day...tired yes, sore no.
Now, I would happily settle for a Walmart saddle for $10...if such a product existed...and worked for me.
But I expect a result, finally, and will trade the one that doesn't work ...for me.
If you hear a loud scream in the coming weeks it could well that the search ain't over.

 

[alienator]

You have to expect people to be partisan when it comes to choosing on what they're going to rest their dainty bits.

In the saddle world, there be exciting news, as Selle San Marco is releasing a new Regal, the REGALe (Regal Evolution), and Selle Italia is releasing a new Turbomatic.

 

[dhk2]

You're correct about the ultra-marathon guys and their Brooks. But the ones I know here use the more expensive models, not the B17. Personally, mine is still on the Gran Sport which it came on 35 years ago, but I never liked it much. It felt rock-hard, even with progressive oil treatments. Finally I soaked the underside overnight, which turned the saddle into a bit of a hammock. My preference is for flat saddles, set level, but that never worked for me on the B17. Due to the kicked-up tail, found I had to set it slightly nose-high, which meant crunch-time when down in the drops.

My buddies who ride Brooks seem to do the same thing, but it doesn't bother them. Suppose after you ride a couple of non-stop 1200K brevets, everything goes numb

Have to agree about them lasting a long time though. My last Selle Italia Flite, the instructions warned that it should be replaced every 9K miles to avoid the risk of fatigue in the hollow ti rails. The old Brooks is just getting broken in by then

 

[hwka]

Some 400 kms later...
Brooks will be the saddle of choice for me.
Mine is a black Brooks Swallow...expensive as hell but I spent more than the purchase cost looking for a suitable saddle amongst other brands.
I was in pain...not discomfort...pain ...after 10 km on other saddles.
Trying to alleviate that pain meant moving around placing unnecessary stress on knees and back.
I am not going to be evangelical on this, but if you are having similar problems the design concept of a pure leather tensioned saddle (which is in effect a pliable but firm and adjustable leather hammock ) may be for you.

 

[Meek One]

Brooks makes bar tape too...

im still using the 30 or so year old tape on my bike.. its falling off and bloody uncomfortable... that another thing i should get done... my hands sometimes slip off of it too, not very safe