Opinion on Brooks B17 Saddle



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Matt Cahill

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I currently ride a Brooks Professional saddle on my touring bike. However, I moved the Brooks Pro to
a fixed gear I'm putting together so I need a new saddle for my touring bike.

I'm between the Brooks B17 or the Brooks Champion Flyer (with springs). I'm thinking a little cheap
suspension from the sprung saddle couldn't hurt. But I've never tried one so I don't know.

I generally have my bars a little lower than my saddle. I don't really care about extra weight on
the touring bike.

What do you think ?
 
I have both, a regular B17 on my tourer and a sprung B17 (Champion Flyer) on my MTB. The regular is
enough for paved roads, even the 40-grit pavement here in SC.

How much cushioning does your tush need? If you're going to be carrying your own load (racks and
panniers) you can always offset the additional weight of the springs by lightening your load. That's
why bikepacker's aren't usually "gramophobic" when it comes to their machine.

"May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills!"

See you on the road. Chris Chris'Z Corner http://www.geocities.com/czcorner
 
I have both of these saddles (Brooks B17 or the Brooks Champion Flyer) and they are both very
comfortable to sit on.

The Champion does, however, make the ride noticeably smoother.

--
Lewis.

......................... "Matt Cahill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I currently ride a Brooks Professional saddle on my touring bike. However, I moved the Brooks Pro
> to a fixed gear I'm putting together so I need a new saddle for my touring bike.
>
> I'm between the Brooks B17 or the Brooks Champion Flyer (with springs). I'm thinking a little
> cheap suspension from the sprung saddle couldn't hurt. But I've never tried one so I don't know.
>
> I generally have my bars a little lower than my saddle. I don't really care about extra weight on
> the touring bike.
>
> What do you think ?
 
On Thu, 02 Oct 2003 07:51:49 -0700, Matt Cahill wrote:

> I currently ride a Brooks Professional saddle on my touring bike. However, I moved the Brooks Pro
> to a fixed gear I'm putting together so I need a new saddle for my touring bike.
>
> I'm between the Brooks B17 or the Brooks Champion Flyer (with springs). I'm thinking a little
> cheap suspension from the sprung saddle couldn't hurt. But I've never tried one so I don't know.
>
> I generally have my bars a little lower than my saddle. I don't really care about extra weight on
> the touring bike.
>
> What do you think ?

I have the chmpion flyer and have not used the b17. The only major issue i have with the flyer is
that the springs hang pretty low cutting into space used for your rack. I could see this being an
issue with taller trunk bags. Also, my seat bag jut looks silly hanging below the springs rather
than nicely wedged under the seat. That is not a functional issue though.
 
In article <[email protected]>, Matt Cahill says...

>I'm between the Brooks B17 or the Brooks Champion Flyer (with springs). I'm thinking a little cheap
>suspension from the sprung saddle couldn't hurt. But I've never tried one so I don't know.

I have an unsprung leather saddle and a Champion Flyer. The difference between the two is barely
noticable. The CF does not feel 'sprung' or bouncy, it just gives a little more than the other
saddle on bumps.

Also this depends on your weight. A light person probably could not feel any difference.
 
On 2 Oct 2003 07:51:49 -0700, [email protected] (Matt Cahill) wrote:

>I currently ride a Brooks Professional saddle on my touring bike. However, I moved the Brooks Pro
>to a fixed gear I'm putting together so I need a new saddle for my touring bike.
>
>I'm between the Brooks B17 or the Brooks Champion Flyer (with springs). I'm thinking a little cheap
>suspension from the sprung saddle couldn't hurt. But I've never tried one so I don't know.
>
>I generally have my bars a little lower than my saddle. I don't really care about extra weight on
>the touring bike.
>
>What do you think ?

-----------

Like others in this group I use a CF with an MTB and B17 with a road bike, and have switched them
around. I find both very comfortable, and that the CF stiff springs don't make all that much
difference, especially if you stay on the light side in the saddle and habitually weight the pedals
over bumps. To do again I probably wouldn't have bought the heavy CF, although it's very nice. I
qualify by stating the riding is frequent 40-60mi on city streets/trails and no touring.

It would be good if you could borrow a CF for a week/couple hundred riding miles.

Bruce Ball
 
On Fri, 03 Oct 2003 16:40:27 GMT, Steve Knight <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Fri, 03 Oct 2003 07:17:30 -0600, [email protected] wrote:
>
>there is a new seat that uses the same idea http://www.saddleco.com/flowmain.html the few people I
>have read who have it love it even over a brooks. as it lets the saddle breath. if nothing else it
>is interesting. http://www.cyclingforums.com/t17855.html

-----------------------

The above post by Steve Knight has nothing to do with my post, nor with my comment upon the
Brooks B17 or Champion Flyer. I have been irrelevantly referenced to some comment on saddleco;
unknown to me.

Kindly be more careful with your use of associations, quotes, message replies, Steve.

Bruce Ball
 
On Fri, 03 Oct 2003 13:59:20 -0600, [email protected] wrote:

>Kindly be more careful with your use of associations, quotes, message replies, Steve.

sorry about that. I did not mean to. Just thought it was interesting.

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices See
http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.
 
Steve Knight wrote:
>> there is a new seat that uses the same idea http://www.saddleco.com/flowmain.html the few people
>> I have read who have it love it even over a brooks. as it lets the saddle breath. if nothing else
>> it is interesting. http://www.cyclingforums.com/t17855.html
>
>
> -----------------------
>
> The above post by Steve Knight has nothing to do with my post, nor with my comment upon the
> Brooks B17 or Champion Flyer. I have been irrelevantly referenced to some comment on saddleco;
> unknown to me.
>
> Kindly be more careful with your use of associations, quotes, message replies, Steve.
>
> Bruce Ball

Jeez, Bruce, take a pill. Steve was only suggesting a similar type of saddle, or at least a new
approach. You are not the only one reading this thread and others may benefit from his observations.
Usenet replies often go very far afield and at least this one stayed on comfortable saddles. Now
that you are aware of Saddleco perhaps you could check it out. Who knows, it may be a better
mousetrap. I sort of doubt it but I find more information beats less overall. To return to the
thread, I tried a Brooks Swift and found the center section too hard on my perineum and sent it
back. I now use a Fizik Aliante and like it a lot. Oh no, I mentioned another brand...don't get mad!

Tim McTegue
 
Thank you all for the information.

I went ahead and ordered the Flyer from Harris Bicycles. I figured that I might as well give Sheldon
some more business for all that he has done for the tech group. My main concern was that a sprung
saddle would be bouncy. Your replies indicated that the spring effect seems fairly subtle.
 
On 4 Oct 2003 06:49:08 -0700, [email protected] (Matt Cahill) wrote:

>Thank you all for the information.
>
>I went ahead and ordered the Flyer from Harris Bicycles. I figured that I might as well give
>Sheldon some more business for all that he has done for the tech group. My main concern was that a
>sprung saddle would be bouncy. Your replies indicated that the spring effect seems fairly subtle.

------------

Congrats Matt, I'm sure you'll be happy with the CF. I, too, bought one from Harris in similar
support. Mine has 5500 on it, one minor nose tightening, beautiful in matured coloring, finish,
comfort. Be easy with the Proofide; you don't need much. Bounce? What bounce?

Bruce Ball
 
"Tim McTeague" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>... <cut>
>
> Jeez, Bruce, take a pill. Steve was only suggesting a similar type of saddle, or at least a new
> approach.

<cut>
>
> Tim McTegue

Tim, it wasn't the content Bruce was objecting to, but the misattribution of the comment to himself.

Andrew Webster
 
On Sat, 4 Oct 2003 07:27:51 -0400, "Tim McTeague" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Steve Knight wrote:
>>> there is a new seat that uses the same idea http://www.saddleco.com/flowmain.html the few people
>>> I have read who have it love it even over a brooks. as it lets the saddle breath. if nothing
>>> else it is interesting. http://www.cyclingforums.com/t17855.html
>>
>>
>> -----------------------
>>
>> The above post by Steve Knight has nothing to do with my post, nor with my comment upon the
>> Brooks B17 or Champion Flyer. I have been irrelevantly referenced to some comment on saddleco;
>> unknown to me.
>>
>> Kindly be more careful with your use of associations, quotes, message replies, Steve.
>>
>> Bruce Ball
>
>Jeez, Bruce, take a pill. Steve was only suggesting a similar type of saddle, or at least a new
>approach. You are not the only one reading this thread and others may benefit from his
>observations. Usenet replies often go very far afield and at least this one stayed on comfortable
>saddles. Now that you are aware of Saddleco perhaps you could check it out. Who knows, it may be
>a better mousetrap. I sort of doubt it but I find more information beats less overall. To return
>to the thread, I tried a Brooks Swift and found the center section too hard on my perineum and
>sent it back. I now use a Fizik Aliante and like it a lot. Oh no, I mentioned another
>brand...don't get mad!
>
>Tim McTegue
>

---------------------

I didn't mean to explode on the matter, however Steve's message continued:
---------
>On Fri, 03 Oct 2003 07:17:30 -0600, [email protected] wrote:
>
>there is a new seat that uses the same idea http://www.saddleco.com/flowmain.html the few people I
>have read who have it love it even over a brooks. as it lets the saddle breath. if nothing else it
>is interesting. http://www.cyclingforums.com/t17855.html
-------------

As though I was promoting a new seat. And the "same idea" was non-existent in terms of the thread
discussion of the Brooks Champion Flyer and B17. I had not written the above, but anyone who reads
that would think so by structure. And it's unsigned.

We may benefit from Steve's welcome observations, but not when they're attributed to me via a
continuing ">" line presence. This wasn't a reply, this was a highjacking because replies don't
formulate with the same number of ">" symbols as the preceeding message. In fact, a current reply
has none at all. In other words, the above wasn't accomplished thru an email reply mechanism.

Visions of someone taking a ride on the spam saddle to which four tubes of superglue have
been applied.

Bruce Ball
 
> Tim, it wasn't the content Bruce was objecting to, but the misattribution of the comment to
> himself.
>
> Andrew Webster

Oops, my bad, I missed that part. Sorry if I jumped the gun.

Tim McTeague
 
> I went ahead and ordered the Flyer from Harris Bicycles.

i use "IceWax". (on the hinge when it starts to squeak. quite annoying it is.)
 
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