Sprung Saddles

[Y Cymro]

As I get older comfort becomes more of a factor. I have already resorted to a suspension seatpost on
my off-road bike, but am considering something similar for my hack bike.

A Use seatpost is quite pricey. A cheaper option sems to be a Brooks sprung saddle - a 'Conquest' or
a 'Flyer'.

Does anyone have any experience of these?

 

[Simon Brooke]

"Y Cymro" <[email protected]> writes:

> As I get older comfort becomes more of a factor. I have already resorted to a suspension seatpost
> on my off-road bike, but am considering something similar for my hack bike.
>
> A Use seatpost is quite pricey. A cheaper option sems to be a Brooks sprung saddle - a 'Conquest'
> or a 'Flyer'.
>
> Does anyone have any experience of these?

Long, long time ago... The better part of forty years ago, I had a huge old ex-army roadster with
such a saddle. I remember it as comfortable, and I was using it on a wide mix of terrain; but it is
a long time ago.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/ ,/| _.--''^``-...___.._.,; /,
\'. _-' ,--,,,--''' { \ `_-'' ' / `;;' ; ; ; ._..--'' ._,,, _..' .;.' (,_....----''' (,..--''

 

[Pete Biggs]

Y Cymro wrote:
> As I get older comfort becomes more of a factor. I have already resorted to a suspension seatpost
> on my off-road bike, but am considering something similar for my hack bike.
>
> A Use seatpost is quite pricey. A cheaper option sems to be a Brooks sprung saddle - a 'Conquest'
> or a 'Flyer'.
>
> Does anyone have any experience of these?

There are some cheaper suspension seatposts from the likes of Post Moderne and Kalloy. I've got a
Post Moderne Bracer Road post on my tourer (not one of the cheaper models): the effect is useful but
very minimal.

I have tried a sprung Brooks B66 Champion* previously on the same bike: much softer and bouncier
suspension than the above - too much for me, really, although it was the top that finally put me
off rather than the springs. I also briefly tried a Conquest. Springs don't do as much on this
model and the leather was rock hard on this second-hand one I used. Dear oh dear: Brooks is a
strange religion

* narrower than standard B66, same shape as B17, can be used with micro adjust seatpost by using an
adaptor (from St John Street Cycles).

~PB

 

[Peter Clinch]

Y Cymro wrote:

> A Use seatpost is quite pricey. A cheaper option sems to be a Brooks sprung saddle - a 'Conquest'
> or a 'Flyer'.
>
> Does anyone have any experience of these?

Yes, I had one (B66) on my tourer for ages, now it graces my 8 Freight. And it's very comfortable,
as saddles go, but doesn't make *that* much difference over the unsprung B17 IME.

The reason is it no longer graces my tourer is my tourer is now a recumbent with a large, comfy
padded chair and full suspension designed for the road. If you really want to be comfortable then
recumbents are just streets ahead of the game. Not cheap, of course, but do you want to rearrange
the Titanic's deckchairs, or melt the iceberg?

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email protected]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/