Brooks Saddles

[jsirabella]

Hello All,

I know it has been brought up many times but would like to see if anyone has my experience and can make any recommendations. I have 2 herniated discs but I have been finally over the last 6 mos been able to get back on the bike. I am really doing pretty well right now but want to maximize the amount of time I can stay in the saddle. Right now I can do up to 2 hours and not too many issues but I hear such wonderful things about this saddle like riding on air that I should give it a try. I ride road bikes but really not worried about the extra weight. Just want to see if I can improve the comfort.

I tried to measure the width of my tailbones but for the life of me I can not seem to do it. I saw from other threads that is important but but when I asked my wife to help (talk about for better or worse) she told me 4 inches but that does not seem to make sense as most are sitting 160mm.

I hear the conquest, the champion with springs are amazing as I am more concerned with being able to stay in the saddle as long as possible, any recommendations.

Thank you all for reading

-js

On a side note I heard the shock seatposts are just not good for my issue as you do more bouncing than most.

 

[kdelong]

Brooks are wonderful saddles. I have heard both horror stories and great reports about the break in period, but everyone that I know who made it through the break in period love them. To measure the distance between your ischial tuberosities (sit bones), take a piece of aluminum foil, place it on a carpeted step, and sit on it for a couple of seconds. Measure the distance between the deepest parts of the indentations. This measurement in millimeters is the width of your tailbone.

You might want to talk to your doctor about a suspension seat post. I have one on my MTB and I don't tend to do more bouncing around on or off pavement. They do tend to take some of the strain off my back on a rough surface, but for the bumps that I encounter on the road, standing slightly on the pedals when riding over the bumps is more than sufficient for easing back strain.

 

[bregan brooks]

The Conquest is no longer produced, you would need to purchase the Flyer, which is a B17 with springs. The Flyer is certainly wide enough for you.

http://www.brookssaddles.com/en/Shop_ProductPage.aspx?cat=saddles+-+touring+%26+trekking&prod=Flyer+Special

 

[OldGoat]

Brooks saddles are marvelously comfortable. I have both a Flyer (on my cross bike) and a Swift (on one of my road bikes). My 3rd bike has a Terry Fly Ti, which I intend to swap for a Brooks Team Pro Ti as soon as I can afford it. IMO, the springs on the Flyer are so stiff that they resist compression on all but the hardest bumps, and do little to enhance comfort. They do, however, add weight--lots of weight. Had I to do it again, I'd get either a standard (no springs) B17 or a Team Pro, either of which is likely to be sufficiently broad to suit your behind.

 

[jsirabella]

all->Thanks for all the advice. I guess the question becomes springs or no springs and it sounds like pretty heavy with springs. I am also now looking to seat adjustments as that may help my issues. I am going to try that first and than add a saddle to the bike.

But it sounds like the B17 no springs or Team Pro which sounds a bit more expensive. Is the Team Pro lighter so can be used on road bikes for racing if you want?

-js

 

[Froze]

Brooks are great saddles, their the number one used saddle within the touring crowd. But the B17 and the Team Pro are not as adapt to road racing bikes as their Swift and Swallow saddles are. The B17 and the Team Pro, as well as their spring models are intended to be ridden in a more upright position thus the saddles are wider, whereas the Swift and Swallow are narrower thus allowing a more comfortable seat when riding on drop bars. If you decide on a wider seat like the B17 you will probably have to bring the bars up quite a bit so the bars set at least as high as the saddle, which in your case will be better for your back anyways.

However I cannot tell you if those saddles or any other saddle will work for you with your back. A spring saddle will take some of the jolt out of the ride, or you could buy a suspension seat post and accomplish the same thing. A lot of people with back problems either stop riding or bought recumbents which allow you to almost lie down on the bike making a lot of back pain suffers more comfortable.

 

[doctorold]

I made the switch to a Brooks Swallow Ti about two weeks ago. I am digging it so far. 132 miles and still breaking in. For me, I like the firmness. Makes you sit up on your sit bones so your perineum doesn't get numb. You can visibly see it conforming. I am curious to see how it does on a really long ride. I did 32 yesterday and I was fine. I was torn whether to get the B17 but the "side skirts" on it were making me wary. Had read how some had to be tied back after warping. But I think the Swallow was just the right size for me. Definitely wouldn't want it any narrower. So many people have horror stories about the break in period but I really feel that many of those might be people using the wrong size or simply not sitting on it properly. I believe that poor posture is the culprit in many situations. But so far, I am a +1 for Brooks.

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by jsirabella .

I guess the question becomes springs or no springs and it sounds like pretty heavy with springs. I am also now looking to seat adjustments as that may help my issues. I am going to try that first and than add a saddle to the bike.

But it sounds like the B17 no springs or Team Pro which sounds a bit more expensive. [COLOR= #ff0000]Is the Team Pro lighter so can be used on road bikes for racing if you want?[/COLOR]

FYI. The BROOKS (TEAM) PROFESSIONAL saddle is [COLOR= #ff0000]heavier[/COLOR] than the B17 "Narrow" and probably heavier than the "standard" B17, too, because it is made with a thicker cut of the hide.

The Brooks Professional saddle has always been intended to be a "racing" saddle. By my recollection, it is essentially the same WIDTH as the BROOKS SWALLOW & BROOKS SWIFT saddles.

Preventing the skirts from flaring is not a problem, IMO.

​

Some Lycett saddles were made with thinner leather than the comparable Brooks saddles, so those Lycett saddles will be marginally lighter.

Most Wrights saddles were made with thinner leather than the comparable Brooks saddles, so the Wrights saddles will be marginally lighter.

BTW. While perhaps cosmetically less attractive, I think you may be better off with a Thudbuster or TrickyDick seatpost than a B67 saddle.

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by doctorold .

I made the switch to a Brooks Swallow Ti about two weeks ago. I am digging it so far. 132 miles and still breaking in. For me, I like the firmness. Makes you sit up on your sit bones so your perineum doesn't get numb. You can visibly see it conforming. I am curious to see how it does on a really long ride. I did 32 yesterday and I was fine. I was torn whether to get the B17 but the "side skirts" on it were making me wary. [COLOR= #ff0000]Had read how some had to be tied back after warping. [/COLOR][COLOR= #000000]But I think the Swallow was just the right size for me. Definitely wouldn't want it any narrower. So many people have [/COLOR]horror stories about the break in period but I really feel that many of those might be people using the wrong size or simply not sitting on it properly. I believe that poor posture is the culprit in many situations. But so far, I am a +1 for Brooks.

FYI. ONE of the TWO THINGS that you do not want to do to-or-with a BROOKS-or-other-leather saddle is to treat it with neats foot oil ([COLOR= #808080]as I recall Sheldon Brown suggested to expedite breaking in a leather saddle for those who lacked patence[/COLOR]) ...

• [COLOR= #ff0000]Treating a leather cycling saddle with neats foot oil will result in the saddle's leather taking on a hammock-like quality ... and subsequently, the skirts will need to be laced[/COLOR] ...

If you don't mistreat the leather, then the saddle will be able to maintain its shape.

• The tensioning screw should rarely-if-ever be touched, BTW.

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by alfeng .



FYI. ONE of the TWO THINGS that you do not want to do to-or-with a BROOKS-or-other-leather saddle is to treat it with neats foot oil ([COLOR= #808080]as I recall Sheldon Brown suggested to expedite breaking in a leather saddle for those who lacked patence[/COLOR]) ...

• [COLOR= #ff0000]Treating a leather cycling saddle with neats foot oil will result in the saddle's leather taking on a hammock-like quality ... and subsequently, the skirts will need to be laced[/COLOR] ...

If you don't mistreat the leather, then the saddle will be able to maintain its shape.

• The tensioning screw should rarely-if-ever be touched, BTW.

Finally AllFangs got something right!! Glad you read the Brooks web site to glean that info. In fact the only thing Brooks recommends is their Proofide and it's stated clearly on their warranty card that using anything else on your saddle will void their warranty. Remember, Brooks has been making saddles for over 100 years, they know how to treat them to make them last a long time, your friends or some web site who might tell you differently don't have a clue. Follow the Brooks care instructions to the word and you won't go wrong. The spanner tensioning screw should be adjusted about once every 6 months according to Brooks, and then you only turn it about an 1/4th of a turn at a time and then check the tension...I only turn it about 1/8th of turn. Most of their saddles use the same spanner tool, but the Swallow TI has it's own special spanner tool and the Swift TI that I have has a special allen key. I think the adjustment varies according to riders weight, I weigh 165 and have found an 1/8th turn to good, but maybe some one weight 210 may have to go 1/4th turn.

 

[limerickman]

Brooks saddles are the best in my view. In terms of durability and comfort you will not get a better saddle in my humble opinion.
I agree with the poster who stated that if you do buy a Brooks you need to follow their instructions to the letter on how to maintain/clean the saddle.
Their products last a life time in my experience (my dad's bikes used always have Brooks leather saddles) and as the other poster said Brooks have been in business
for decades!