Brooks Saddles

[KnottedYet]

The Team Pro is only 160 mm wide! Is that the saddle Bill recommended when you told him your sit bone measurements?

My bones are wider than that saddle. (170-180mm) I'd be on soft tissue only.

I'm tempted by the B17S for my new bike because it's sexy, but it's only 177mm wide. At best I'd be balancing the points of my sit-bones on the metal frame under the leather, rather than on the suspended leather itself.

My B67 is 210mm. Bones are on suspended leather. It is good.

If the Team Pro is that uncomfortable, don't bother keeping it. It'll get softer, but it ain't getting wider!!!! Call Bill, tell him how the narrow Team Pro feels, and ask him to recommend another saddle. 1-888-731-3537

[KnottedYet]

P.S. I have the extra-wide version of sit-bones.

[xeney]

I didn't buy it from Bill, I bought it from my neighbor for $40. I wanted a B17, and that is how he'd advertised it on Craigslist, but it is brand new so it was too good a deal to pass up. My sit bones are only 4.5 inches apart ... about 115 mm, I think? So wider saddles on a road bike make my butt hurt. That was why I thought maybe I just didn't have this one set right on the seat post, especially since I also had some knee pain on the first try.

I thought my husband might like the Team Pro if I didn't, but he thinks it would look stupid on his carbon fiber road bike, and he doesn't want to put it on his commuter because he's afraid it would get stolen. I will probably Craigslist it if it doesn't work out. Poor unloved Team Pro ... it is the most beautiful saddle I have ever seen.

[pooks]

Does it have copper rails?

[Triskeliongirl]

So, I am doing really well with my Finesse. I started today with her level according to the carpenters level, but after ~10 miles the pressure on my soft tissues was bothering me so I decided to tip it down the slightest it could be moved on my seatpost. Instant relief. I could also instantly feel that my sitbones are now carrying my weight, wheras before it was a bit of both sitbone and soft tissue. I am not sliding forward either, like when I tried to tip it down a lot. By the end of the ride I wasn't even thinking about the saddle. I'm still not in the 'gliding on air can't feel a thing' place.

[mimitabby]

EXCELLENT TRISK!!

have fun, no more pain!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I read this whole thread a while ago, and a similar Brooks thread on another site, and one thing that struck me is that some people find the Brooks to be completely comfortable right out of the box, and other people say it has a long break-in period requiring lots of conditioning and adjustment, and that the saddle isn't really comfortable until it has formed to your sit bones. And it seems like the first group are ultimately happier with their saddles.

From that, I am thinking that if the saddle doesn't work for me right away with a few adjustments, then it is not the saddle for me.


I can't say I agree with that assessment about the two types of Brooks users.
I had some sitbone soreness in the first few days, but that went away pretty quickly to where I was pretty comfortable within a few days of using the new saddle. In the 2 months since then, it just gets more comfortable as the saddle is forming to me. Thus, I don't fall strictly into either group, and my experince would not indicate at all that one can tell "right away" if the Brooks is right for you.

[xeney]

Well, I think people have different ideas of what is acceptable. You said in an earlier post that the saddle mashed your genitals a little but that after a few hours it didn't bother you. For me, that's not acceptable in any saddle and I consider that outside the idea of a "break in" period.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well, I think people have different ideas of what is acceptable. You said in an earlier post that the saddle mashed your genitals a little but that after a few hours it didn't bother you. For me, that's not acceptable in any saddle and I consider that outside the idea of a "break in" period.

It's not that the mashing didn't bother me after a while, it's that it DIDN'T feel like it was mashing me anymore after a while- big difference!
What I was trying to say was that the position I had the saddle tilted to initially felt like it was mashing me (a little) for an hour or two, but that feeling went away and I was then comfortable all the time, even on a 40 mile ride this week. Like you, I certainly wouldn't put up with feeling "mashed" all the time! :eek:
But if i had returned that saddle after a half hour of feeling squished, I would not be riding in total comfort today- I'd probably be frustratedly trying out saddle after saddle.

[melissam]

Hey xeney,

I hear that the Team Pro has thicker leather than the B17, so it takes a little longer for people to get comfortable on it.

If I were you, I'd try adjusting the position and giving it a little longer.

Good luck!

-- Melissa

[Triskeliongirl]

Well, I think people have different ideas of what is acceptable. You said in an earlier post that the saddle mashed your genitals a little but that after a few hours it didn't bother you. For me, that's not acceptable in any saddle and I consider that outside the idea of a "break in" period.

Xeney, I felt that way too on my first ride, and it certainly wasn't acceptable. But, once I tilted the saddle down just a tad, it went away. On the other hand, my butterfly was leaving me blistered and bruised, and that certainly was not acceptable. The shape conforms perfectly to my body.

[Triskeliongirl]

Well, I think people have different ideas of what is acceptable. You said in an earlier post that the saddle mashed your genitals a little but that after a few hours it didn't bother you. For me, that's not acceptable in any saddle and I consider that outside the idea of a "break in" period.

Xeney, I felt that way too on my first ride, and it certainly wasn't acceptable. But, once I tilted the saddle down just a tad, it went away. On the other hand, my butterfly was leaving me blistered and bruised, and that certainly was not acceptable. The shape conforms perfectly to my body.

[xeney]

Nah, no matter how I adjust it, my sit bones are sitting right on the rivets. It doesn't hurt but that is not going to be comfortable over the long haul. It's not a good fit for me. My husband is going to use it after all, I think, but he's going to buy a locking seat post bolt.

I have another leather saddle, which I think is a Wright (Brooks competitor, from the 70s?) that is almost perfect. It's about a centimeter wider than the Team Pro, and it's only problem is that it has a huge fat nose on it. (Much bigger than any Brooks I've seen.) The nose rubs my thighs, but the seat platform is perfect and it's the same width as a B17. That was what made me think a B17 would work for me, so I'm going to go with one of them once I can afford bike parts again. (And a Champion Flyer for my around-town road bike might be a higher priority.)

Pooks, I missed your question: it does have copper rails. Which is why I am so sad that it did not work for me.

[Triskeliongirl]

FYI, what is great about the finesse is that it is wide in back but has a narrow nose.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Xeney,
keep in mind that the B17 "S" is a tad wider than the B17- it's made more for women, it's what I got, and I have wide hips. I f you have trouble with your sit bones being too wide for a saddle, you might want to try the B17S.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I also have my saddle - a green Finesse - tipped up.

V.

http://tandemhearts.com/coppermine/albums/nova-scotia-2006/08-ns.jpg

Ok, so Veronica....what's up with the towel? Did your bike just wash its hair or something? :cool:

[Veronica]

No, I had just washed my hair and the towel was there to dry. Plus it hides my Brooks Leather bar tape and lugged stem, so no one gets envious. ;)

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

No, I had just washed my hair and the towel was there to dry. Plus it hides my Brooks Leather bar tape and lugged stem, so no one gets envious. ;)

V.

Yeah well I see that lugged stem coyly peeking out from under that towel...it's a good thing I have a lugged stem too, or I'd be JEALOUS!!!

[Rebeccah]

Add me to the list of satisfied Brooks saddle users.

The gel saddle that came with the used Trek 7100 I bought off Craig's list was too narrow, so I got a Brooks B.67S. I've ridden about 40 miles on it so far, and have had to raise the seat a couple of times, so I think it's breaking in. It was immediately more comfortable than what it replaced, and MUCH more comfortable than my 25-year-old Avocet Racing W-II (which is on my other bike), and has gotten more so. I've had to do some tinkering with the seat position -- I have it tipped up slightly, as otherwise I tended to slide forward, and I can't put it quite as far back as I think I'd like, because the springs impinge on the rear rack.

I do wish Brooks made an unspring saddle this wide! My sit bones are quite close to the rivets as is, and I'd really like to replace the W-II (which is almost as wide) on my road bike.

Rebeccah

[khgulledge]

yeap, gonna call bill and talk to him or someone at wallbike about getting a brooks saddle.

the more i've read about them and looked at all the pictures, iv'e decided to give one a try. if it doesn't work, it's returnable.

i did some more measuring this morning:

sit bone stuff:
outside edge-outside edge (of indentions)=6"=152mm
center-to-center (of indentions)=5"=127mm
indentions are 1.5" in width and are 2.75"+/- apart from the inside edges.

i'm really thinking that i need something that has the abrupt change from the saddle to the nose and the b17N might be the trick. my terry butterfly ti is 155mm total width, but i think it's still to gradual of a transition from the saddle to the nose.

if the saddle itself is the same width as my outside-outside measurements, does anyone think it would be supportive enough?

does anyone know how heavy the b17N is?

the swift looks nice too, but i just don't know about plunking 250.00 down for a saddle :eek:

team pro might be another choice, but again, 269.00 :eek:

i'll let you know which one i order; i'm gonna order today too, so that i can get it as soon as possible!

[massbikebabe]

O.K. Ladies...

Are you ready for the Brooks Bar tape??? It's out there but too rich for my blood right now.


karen

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

if the saddle itself is the same width as my outside-outside measurements, does anyone think it would be supportive enough?



Hmm...I would think that you don't want your sit bones to be sitting right on the outer edges of the saddle. That outer edge is where the support frame in under the leather. You want your sitbones on the leather within that frame, so it can form to your bone contours, like a stiff hammock. Have you considered the Brooks "S" models, made for ladies and slightly wider?
In any case, I would call Brooks and describe your measurements and see what they recommend for you- they KNOW.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

O.K. Ladies...

Are you ready for the Brooks Bar tape??? It's out there but too rich for my blood right now.


karen

I checked it out on a bike installed. I love the look and the color and the feel. Except for one thing though- it does not lie as flat as cork tape or fabric tape. Because it is thicker, it forms a slightly raised ridge where its edges overlap, spiralling along the whole bar length. Some people might not mind that uneven ridged feel, others might want their bars real smooth.

[Veronica]

O.K. Ladies...

Are you ready for the Brooks Bar tape??? It's out there but too rich for my blood right now.


karen


I have it and love it. It holds up well in the rain too. Mine is black. It doesn't look dirty the way my green cloth tape did.

V.

[KnottedYet]

if the saddle itself is the same width as my outside-outside measurements, does anyone think it would be supportive enough?

Nope. What LisaSH said. There is a metal support running along the rear curve to which the leather is bound. Sitting on that metal isn't going to be the best choice. A B17N is gonna be NARROW. A B17 or B17S might work better as far as getting the full benefit of a leather saddle. Tell Bill or Diane at Wallingford your measurements and talk to them to get a good saddle choice.

[khgulledge]

well, i talked with bill, but he pretty much said i wasted my time by taking my measurements and flat out suggested only the women's models. he said they didn't go by measurements, but by riding style and the kind of bike you had.

i wasn't very impressed with his help...maybe i called at the wrong time or something. i told him of my troubles on the longer rides, the soreness and chafing on the left side and he just wasn't as helpful as all ya'll made him out to be.....

anyway, i took the plunge and ordered the b17s. guess i'll find out in a couple of days whether i got the right one. and i know it will take a lot of riding to figure out whether it's the ONE or not, but i just mean width wise right now.

177mm (7") seems like it might be too wide, but what do i know.....

[mimitabby]

7" barely covers the span of my hand.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have the B17S, and it doesn't seem that wide at all (at least compared to my bottom! :eek: ), so don't worry too much about that, I would say. The extra width of the "S" is really not very much.

[khgulledge]

well, today, i also exchanged my butterfly for a liberator x (gellisimo) at perf.

put that on the bike this evening, and all i can say is WOW! it is shorter than the butterfly and i immediately noticed that girly parts are not being mashed nor is there any pressure on them. i rode in the drops for a short while and no pain/pressure. my butt actually felt ok and i hardly noticed i was sitting on the saddle!

i should be getting the b17s in a couple of days and will try that one out as well. seems like you can return to perf just about anytime and the b17s is 6 months, so, i should be able to figure out what works in that time period.

all i can say right now is i'm in saddle nirvana :D

[DebW]

I'm not joining the cult, but here are some pics of an old Brooks from a 1954 Raleigh three-speed that's sitting in my basement to be refurbished someday. I can see a "B" and a "7" and a "L" on the skirt, so probably a B17L. You all can swoon over it if you want to. But let me tell you, her leather is cracked, there is a tear by the rear nameplate, and the nose rivets are about to pop through the leather. If you sit on it, you're practically sitting on the metal frame underneath. It's so short that when I sit on it, my pubic bone is right on top of the nose. I should try adjusting the nose tension and see if I can tighten it up without tearing the leather. Any thought on whether I should keep this with the refurbished bike or send it to the Brooks home in the sky?

[xeney]

I would not trust it. We have a lot of old Brooks saddles in this house -- some came on old bikes, some we bought to put on old bikes -- and not one of them is safe or comfortable to ride. If a Brooks is treated well it can last a long time, but people don't sell old Brooks saddles that they are treating well, and once an old Brooks stops being cared for, they fall apart pretty quickly.

I had one that looked very much like that, except someone had dunked it in Neatsfoot oil so it was also slimy and gross right over the cracked leather, and on my second ride I was truly riding on the frame. It was miserable.

My husband had one that looked mostly fine, but it broke in the middle of a ride. It had been overtensioned and over-oiled, and the whole nose part of the leather just snapped off, leaving him to ride home standing up at 2 a.m. Kind of the wrong sort of Saturday night excitement!

[mimitabby]

have you greased that poor saddle? imho, i would do that and leave it on the bike. I don't know if you're actually planning on riding the bike, if you are, and
this saddle is too uncomfortable, i guess you had better replace it.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I'm not joining the cult, but here are some pics of an old Brooks from a 1954 Raleigh three-speed that's sitting in my basement to be refurbished someday. ....Any thought on whether I should keep this with the refurbished bike or send it to the Brooks home in the sky?

The leather is shot. It's cracked all over the place, it's 52 years old, and besides- you can see the sitbone dents, meaning it formed decades ago to somebody ELSE'S butt shape! That would be like trying to wear someone else's decades-old dried up cracked leather shoes. I would keep it for "posteriority", and selling the old bike with its old saddle would be good to do, but if you plan on actually riding the bike after refurbishing it, I wouldn't want to ride on THAT saddle.

[KnottedYet]

I might have to give up...

I am seriously lopsided on the bike and there are some noises my B67 makes that just aren't going away. I'm guessing that I'm putting a big twist into the saddle frame with every pedal stroke. (even the sit-bone dents are uneven)

Wrote to Bill at Wallingford, and he sent me an email back right away. Sounds like I've done all the right things, but with my riding style I might just need a different kind of seat frame. One that won't give as much under my lopsided butt.

So I'm looking at B17S and B72. Anyone able to compare either of those to a B67?

My measurements put me just able to maybe fit on a B17S (outside edges of the dents I put on the B67 is 145mm, paper trick puts me at 170-180mm, turtle trick is 155mm). That one doesn't need a seat sandwich and doesn't have any springs. It's 177mm wide, but only 245mm long.

The B72 has the same dimensions as the B67, but has double rails and less-flexible springs. I dunno if I wanna mess with any springs at all. Dunno if I wanna mess with a seat sandwich, either.

[mimitabby]

my B66 on my raleigh has a seat sandwich. It's no big deal really.. just doesn't fit the modern stuff I guess.


do you want to try my saddle saturday to see if mine is noisy for you too?

[KnottedYet]

Thanks for the offer, I might do that!

My B67 is sooooo comfortable! I'd hate to give it up, but I might just need a sturdier frame.

[xeney]

Did Bill tell you that the B66/72 are sturdier than the B67? Because I have never heard that before ... the difference is really only how they fit on the seat post. We have all three. I ride a B67, although I use a different kind of seat sandwich on it because I am using it on an old-school seat post (Rivendell had it really cheap when I was looking for a new Brooks and I wanted the option of upgrading my seat post). My husband has a new B72for his Schwinn, and I think the B72 is an excellent saddle and if our streets were better I'd have bought one, but I am not sure if it is really any stronger than the B67. Less bouncy, yes, but it doesn't sound like that is your problem.

The saddle my husband broke was an older B72, and obviously we did not know it's history and it had been over-oiled, but it really looked fine and then, bam, the whole nose broke right off ... the leather and part of the metal frame.

What if instead of a B17S you got a Champion Flyer S? If too much of you is hanging off the frame of the saddle, that sounds like you need a narrower saddle? If you got that one you could still have the benefit of the springs. I am looking at the Champion Flyer/Champion Flyer S (not sure which one is right for my narrow butt) for my second commuter.

[KnottedYet]

I need the width, cuz I've got fairly wide sit bones. I'm not in love with springs. My problem seems to be that I twist the frame when I pedal. (I have a goofy pelvis) Springs allow the frame to twist. Twisting is fine and comfy, but makes the frame ping and snap. Ping and snap make me crazy.

Bill's thinking was that the B17S might be too narrow, but wouldn't torque like the B67 because there aren't any springs.

The B72 has the stiffer "springs" so might not torque as badly as the B67 does, and would be the same width as the B67 I have now. Just wouldn't twist as much because the springs wouldn't give as much and allow the frame to twist under me. Bill thought there was a chance the B72 might work better.

Bill did NOT recommend the B66.

I'm leaning toward the B17S, because I just don't want to deal with springs of any sort or with a seat sandwich.

[Bikingmomof3]

KnottedYet,
I have the B17S and really love it. I did not want a spring, I had no reason why, I just did not. I was worried I made the wrong decision, but I went with my gut. It feels wonderful. I hope you are able to find one that you do not feel under you. :-)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

KnottedYet,
I'm not sure what kind of bike you have your B62 Brooks on, but my bike savvy DH told me something interesting the other day. He said you really only need springs if you are riding an upright position bike a lot, because your weight goes all straight down your spine onto your butt as you ride and bump along.
With a road bike, he said that your weight is distributed over your seat, feet, your flexing back, and your hands, therefore springs are not really needed on road bikes. Made a lot of sense to me.
He put the Brooks with springs on his hybrid with albatross handlebars. I have the B17S (spring-less) on my Rambouillet road bike, and he's putting a spring-less Brooks on his Rambouillet (when he gets it around Thanksgiving).

[Quillfred]

Hey KY

If its not raining I will have Ms Golighly with the Finesse and you're welcome to try it. I will bring Fred if it is wet with his, sigh, Fly.

Q

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

If its not raining I will have Ms Golighly with the Finesse and you're welcome to try it. I will bring Fred if it is wet with his, sigh, Fly.

Q

This message would sound pretty funny if it was not on a biking forum. :D

[KnottedYet]

This message would sound pretty funny if it was not on a biking forum. :D


hee hee! That's for sure!

[xeney]

Knotted, I think this is your saddle (http://www.wallbike.com/b68.html). The new B68: same top as the B67 et al, but NO SPRINGS. That sounds like exactly what you need!

[mimitabby]

b68? hmm, that's new isn't it!

[xeney]

Yeah, and it sounds like they won't have it until the spring. But it might be exactly what Knotted needs to solve her problem.

[khgulledge]

well, it was waiting on the porch for me when i got home today from work!

that is one beautiful, sexy saddle! i'm in love!

i put it on the bike and took it for a very short spin. can anyone say "comfortable right out of the box"???????????????????????????????????

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

anyways, it's great! i had no mashing of girly bits, no pressure on girly bits, no pain, just sitting on my sit bones! damn, it's so nice to be able to ride and not think about the saddle and how uncomfortable it is!

i'll upload some photos to photobucket, as i tried to attach images to my message and it went poof! message gone.

i'm one happy camper. i didn't think that a leather saddle would look nice on my all carbon trek pilot, but damn, it looks good now that it's on there!!!!

karen.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Karen,
You got the B17S, right? That's my saddle too! :)

[KnottedYet]

Knotted, I think this is your saddle (http://www.wallbike.com/b68.html). The new B68: same top as the B67 et al, but NO SPRINGS. That sounds like exactly what you need!


AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

THAT'S IT! THAT'S WHAT I WANT! OH MY GAWD! IT'S PERFECT!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAHHH! why didn't Bill tell me about this?

AAAAAAAAAAH!!!! YES! YES! YESSSSSSSSS!

[khgulledge]

yes, i now have a b17s and i love it!

trying pics again:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/BrooksSaddle001.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/BrooksSaddle002.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/BrooksSaddle003.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/BrooksSaddle007.jpg

[xeney]

Hey, you posted those photos on another forum yesterday, didn't you? I was showing them to my husband to convince him that a Brooks would not look stupid on his carbon fiber bike, because it looks so pretty on yours! But then he sat on the Team Pro I was trying to give him, and he said something to the effect of, "Hey, this Kool-Aid tastes funny," and he is not putting a Brooks on a road bike any time soon. Heh.

In happier news, I adjusted the Team Pro on my bike yesterday, getting it more cleanly level, and then rode for an hour on the trainer. It is a very hard saddle but when it's level I am not riding the rivets, so to speak. I had no pain at all, and I wasn't wearing bike shorts. No pain this morning, either. Can't say that for my Butterfly after an hour on the trainer.

I'm going to try it on the road this weekend. If it doesn't work out I will give up then while I can still sell it on eBay as a nearly-new saddle, because then I can use the money to buy a women's version. Is honey going to look dumb on Celeste? I saw a picture of one over on bikeforums.net and I thought it looked great, but my husband thinks it is going to look dumb on a black seat post. He may be right.

My next Brooks is going to be this one (http://www.wallbike.com/B66champ.html), though, because I just bought a new/old beater mixte for a second around-town bike. I need springs for pot holes but I will have a less upright position on the new bike than I do on my grocery-getter.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Great! Now start Proofhiding it a few times while you break it in. (No goopy oils!)
I hope it works for you- remember to give it a little time.

[khgulledge]

yeah, i posted them also on bikeforums.net on their "show us your brooks photos".

i totally forgot to order some proofide when i ordered the saddle :( i was thinking of going to a saddle shop/western store and seeing what they had as far as something with similar ingredients.

anyway, i just love it! i thought it wouldn't look good on my bike, but, hey, i think it looks really sweet!

thanks for all the advice/help and suggestions!

karen.

[xeney]

Okay, I have lost my mind, because I just bought my third Brooks. I bought one of Wallingford's used models off of ebay, a B17S. (Sorry if one of you was the person I outbid in the final seconds!) I just bought a new old road bike for around-town use (going to convert it to single-speed with moustache bars), and I wanted either a B17 or a Champion Flyer for it, and now if the Team Pro doesn't work out on my Bianchi I have a backup.

[esther231]

Sit bones are killing me recently.

Brook saddles the one that helps the most with that?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

People don't understand why a plain "hard" leather saddle might be more comfortable to sit for hours on than a cushy foam saddle.
Here's the only way I can try to describe why:
If you were to take a couple of balls of dense foam rubber about the size of large eggs, and place them exactly under each sit bone, and then sit on those foam eggs on a chair for an hour, you would be in agony. If you removed those foam eggs and just sat on a smooth wooden chair whose seat was carved to the same shape as your butt, you would be perfectly comfortable sitting for an hour.

[mimitabby]

well put, Lisa

But if you are expecting that wooden chair to feel good after riding on it for 8 hours, you're fooling yourself.
You'll feel better on the brooks than the other saddle, but the wear and tear of 8 hours of riding, you WILL feel that.

and then again, when it's broken in, it will be EVEN BETTER...

i do love my brooks (plural)

[Bad JuJu]

i do love my brooks (plural)
Brookses? :D

[Bad JuJu]

Question for those of you who chose the B17S over the Team Pro S: why?

I have a friend who got a Team Pro S several years ago when I guess it looked as if Brooks was going out of business. But she never put it on her bike and now has offered it to me, at a severely reduced price, of course. So I said I'd give it a spin. Put it on my touring/everything else bike (get my Bianchi tomorrow!!!:eek:!!!), and then it started raining, so haven't had a chance to really try it out yet. But it seems that I can't jam it back far enough. So I checked out dimensions on the Wallingford site, looking for maybe a longer women's saddle, but they all look the same, lengthwise.

So, again, does the B17S offer any advantages over the Team Pro S, like, for example, maybe, length? Thanks!

[xeney]

I think the B17s is just wider and less expensive, not longer. Wallingford has them listed as the same length.

You might try a men's version, but I reached the conclusion that I just could not possibly get a Brooks saddle mounted far enough back on my bike, even with a seatpost with lots of offset. I did some googling and found that this is a pretty common problem. This is actually what prompted me to realize how badly my bike fits -- we put a men's Team Pro on my road bike, and I loved everything about the saddle except that I was literally climbing off the back of it trying to get into proper position. I am going to be able to make the bike fit okay, but not with a Brooks saddle. Major bummer.

[Veronica]

well put, Lisa

But if you are expecting that wooden chair to feel good after riding on it for 8 hours, you're fooling yourself.
You'll feel better on the brooks than the other saddle, but the wear and tear of 8 hours of riding, you WILL feel that.


Not true - my butt starts hurting at 15 hours in the saddle. ;)

V.

[Bad JuJu]

I think the B17s is just wider and less expensive, not longer. Wallingford has them listed as the same length.

You might try a men's version, but I reached the conclusion that I just could not possibly get a Brooks saddle mounted far enough back on my bike, even with a seatpost with lots of offset. I did some googling and found that this is a pretty common problem. This is actually what prompted me to realize how badly my bike fits -- we put a men's Team Pro on my road bike, and I loved everything about the saddle except that I was literally climbing off the back of it trying to get into proper position. I am going to be able to make the bike fit okay, but not with a Brooks saddle. Major bummer.
That's really too bad, Xeney--for you and me both. I had a sneaking suspicion that this was going to be the case--that I couldn't get the Brooks far enough back for my legs to be in the right position. But as usual, I thought, "Oh, it's just me--surely there's some way to make this work." And I may try looking for a seatpost with more offset. But I have my doubts. Oh well, back to saddle-shopping.:mad:

[Triskeliongirl]

I had this same problem, but found the Alpha Q Pro Carbon seatpost has a lot of setback and works well with my Brooks Finesse. BTW, my selcolf seatpost has even more setback, but I couldn't get the saddle angle correct on it so I don't recommend it. I am going to evaluate a kalloy uno aluminum post on my commuter soon, and I'll let you know how it looks.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

well put, Lisa

But if you are expecting that wooden chair to feel good after riding on it for 8 hours, you're fooling yourself.
You'll feel better on the brooks than the other saddle, but the wear and tear of 8 hours of riding, you WILL feel that.


True, but riding on a leather Brooks is probably closer to riding on horseback on a good leather saddle than to riding on a wooden chair! (picturing a wooden chair tied on top of a horse now....)
Yes, I'm sure most people would feel some discomfort after sitting on ANYTHING for 8 hours! :eek:

[KnottedYet]

I went 52 miles on my Brooks B67 this weekend. Even though the noise bugged me, my butt didn't.

If I wasn't so worried that my torquing the frame so hard when I pedal was gonna bust it, I'd just put up with the noise. The comfort is amazing. The thought of breaking in a B68 (no springs) is less than stellar, but worth it to have this comfort without the torquing frame.

I bought some real grease, we'll see if that works better than the T-9 at controlling the noise. I'm giving it another month before I give up.

Man, this is such a comfy saddle!

[Bad JuJu]

I had this same problem, but found the Alpha Q Pro Carbon seatpost has a lot of setback and works well with my Brooks Finesse. BTW, my selcolf seatpost has even more setback, but I couldn't get the saddle angle correct on it so I don't recommend it. I am going to evaluate a kalloy uno aluminum post on my commuter soon, and I'll let you know how it looks.

Thanks for the tip, TG--I'll check it out. I really wanna love the Brooks.

[KnottedYet]

My Waterford has a seatpost on it with an "RT" or "TR" (in a shield shape)logo, and my Brooks ends up way forward on it compared to my Kona's seatpost. Lots of wiggle room. I also like that the tilt is managed by where on a curve you place the seat. Very elegant.

I admire simple engineering.

[Rebeccah]

Very happy with my 2 new Brooks saddles. :-D

Saddle #1: B.67S for my Trek 7100 Hybrid. I got the bike (used) a couple of months ago after my first ride in 6 years on my old Viscount road bike was so uncomfortable. The saddle it came with was comfortable for around the block, but was too narrow and I didn't like the rotational play in the suspension seatpost. The Brooks was comfortable from the outset. I've had to adjust the seat height a couple of times as it's broken in, and I think I may need to tighten the saddle screw a hair. My poor butt had been sore for two weeks following that initial 10-11 mile ride on the Viscount, but I was able to ride 14 miles (and later 15 miles, and 22 miles) on the Trek with the Brooks with no pain at all to speak of.

I've got one spot on the left where the edge of my underwear rides up and makes a lump (it does that annoyingly even off the bike, if I just wear snug-ish jeans), but as soon as I get off the bike, that discomfort disappears.

Saddle #2: B.17S to replace the 29-year-old Avocet Racing W-II on my 29-year-old Viscount Gran Sport. Wow, what a difference. I don't know if it's really just the saddle, or if it's also partly the fact that now I've done some riding with the other bike so I'm a little bit stronger, plus my first ride was significantly slower - hence less weight on the pedals and more on the butt for that first ride. The b.17S is a good bit harder out of the box than the b.67S, and slipperier (the b.67S has a texture to it), but one dose of Proofide solved the slipperiness, and either the Proofide or the previous two 2-mile rides or my slightly improved condition or simply the length of the ride meant that on my real test ride yesterday (12 miles), it wasn't too hard at all. It felt great!

Rebeccah

[mimitabby]

Very happy with my 2 new Brooks saddles. :-D

Saddle #1: B.67S for my Trek 7100 Hybrid.

I've got one spot on the left where the edge of my underwear rides up and makes a lump (it does that annoyingly even off the bike, if I just wear snug-ish jeans), but as soon as I get off the bike, that discomfort disappears.


Rebeccah

Hey Rebeccah, ditch the underwear! get some good bike shorts and no underwear. those seams are harder than your skin.
glad you like your brooks!

[KnottedYet]

Decided to stick with my B67, even though it still snaps and pings. It's perfectly breaking in. The noise is just the price I have to pay for supreme comfort.

And I suppose if the springs and frame didn't torque under my lopsided hip, it wouldn't be so comfy. A solid frame might be quieter, but less compliant.

Plus the B67 looks so cool on Flossie! (it looked cool on the Kona, too)

[mimitabby]

ha, i thought my b67 was all broke in ... then I got on my Raleigh Hybrid
yesterday with the old b66 on it for a little 10 mile ride omigod!!!! you would NOT believe what
a 30 year old saddle feels like. Ever have a really good leather jacket??
kind of like THAT!!!
I am reconsidering whether or not to move some saddles around here!!

[Kitsune06]

Knot, what *exactly* is making the noise? When torquing the frame, are coils of one or both of the springs overlapping, causing that weird pinging sound, or is it a metal-on-metal thing?

I'm wondering if my mechanical inclinations might be able to help in *some* way because the thought of you on a noisy saddle if it's in any reparable is enough to drive me nuts.

Without seeing it, I'm thinking an actual metal-on-metal squeak problem could be solved with copper or lithium grease (just a dab'll do ya) something thick with staying ability...but if we have overlapping coils, that might be a much more serious thing... Maybe Wallbike would have suggestions beyond a replacement (though I think you went through that already...)

Erring on the side of conservatism, I think trading up to a B68 might be a better idea, as you'll be putting lots of miles on Flossie anyway, and I think it's best to do so with a saddle that will last the test of time without lots of noisy complaints. The honeymoon period w/ flossie will ease the saddle-breakin period, so you and she can grow together as time goes on... My $.02

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I've been so distracted by trying out my newly purchased fall/winter clothing layers over the past three weeks of suddenly cool weather, that I completely forgot about my Brooks B17S saddle. I realized yesterday that the reason I've forgotten all about it is because it now feels so good that it's like it isn't even there!
Now THAT'S how a saddle should feel, right girls? :) :) :)

[mimitabby]

exactly!! instead you feel your quads, etc..

congrats!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Right, Mimi-
Instead of feeling sore sit bones, I feel my thigh muscles burning! I much prefer the latter. :D

[ridgefieldrooky]

I've been so distracted by trying out my newly purchased fall/winter clothing layers over the past three weeks of suddenly cool weather, that I completely forgot about my Brooks B17S saddle. I realized yesterday that the reason I've forgotten all about it is because it now feels so good that it's like it isn't even there!
Now THAT'S how a saddle should feel, right girls? :) :) :)

Hello, I am just about ready to buy a b17S as well. What made you select the S instead of the standard B17? Bill from Wallbike also suggested the S. Can't wait for butt to stop hurting!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hello, I am just about ready to buy a b17S as well. What made you select the S instead of the standard B17? Bill from Wallbike also suggested the S. Can't wait for butt to stop hurting!

Because I am a pear shaped woman. I'm not heavy, but I definitely have a "womanly" pelvis, not narrow "boy" type hips like some petite women I know. (not that there's anything WRONG with that!)
The S model is actually only a tiny bit wider- I can use the extra width. My sit bones are a little further apart than many women.

[xeney]

I got a B17S for my new (yet-to-be-built) townie, and it is MUCH shorter and wider than I expected. I'm going to give it a try but I am not sure the relationship is going to work out -- I don't really understand the point of making the nose shorter on women's saddles ...?

[KnottedYet]

My B67 has the long nose (not an "S"). I use the long nose to help control the bike. (one of the reasons I'm really hesitant to return this seat)

About the only way I'd change seats at this point is to get the B68 when it comes out.

The noise is bugging me less now. Talked to a LBS guy who said the noise is the price you pay for supreme comfort. It's the metal on metal in the shackle, Kit. The springs allow the frame to torque and the shackle at the front is the torque limiter, so it makes noise. I've put more grease in there, and have accepted that it will make noise.

It is really amazing seeing the leather soften and realizing how incredibly lopsided I am.

It is the most comfortable saddle I've ever had. I'll stop whining now. It's worth it.

[mimitabby]

I got a B17S for my new (yet-to-be-built) townie, and it is MUCH shorter and wider than I expected. I'm going to give it a try but I am not sure the relationship is going to work out -- I don't really understand the point of making the nose shorter on women's saddles ...?

Xeney, I don't understand it either. None of my saddles are the "S" kind.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My B17S doesnt seem wide to me at ALL! In fact, I wouldn't mind it being a bit wider! You see, I TOLD you I have a wide pelvis... :cool:

[KnottedYet]

Lisa, you could be a good candidate for the B68. 210mm wide, lots of support and room to shift around during a long ride.

It's supposed to be coming out in the spring/early summer.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

And how many mm wide is the B17S? Do you have it handy?

[Triskeliongirl]

Lisa- why do you want your saddle wider? Does it not suport your sit bones? In my experience I like the narrowest saddle that STILL supports my sit bones, cuz otherwise I find that it is too narrow in the middle region and rubs my thighs, since it has to gradually move from being wide in back to narrow in front, and if its too wide in the middle I get thigh chafing. Obviously a saddle that is too narrow to support your sitbones is even more problematic, cuz then your pubic bone is supporting your weight (like on my butterfly, been there done that, not good). I am still really happy with my Brooks Finesse. In fact, I already bought a second one for my commuter and the second one was comfy right out of the box once I had already figured out how I like her set up (nose just a tad down, right fore-aft position). If you want more support in the rear you could try playing with moving it forward. I noticed on my brooks that regardless of where I put it fore-aft, my KOPS was the same, that is I would sit on it to center my knee over the axis of the pedal rotation, its just I would be sitting on a different part of the saddle depending on the fore-aft I had set up, so I experimented until it felt the best. I think that's less true of cushy saddles that you can't really slide around on. -e

[KnottedYet]

Lisa - the B17S is 177mm wide.

My sit bones are about 180mm outer edge to outer edge, so I doubt a B17S would be as comfy for me as the B67. (I've got the wide version of sit bones)

The B66-67-68 have a very abrupt change from wide part to nose. I'm one of those folks whose hip angle makes their thighs chafe like mad on a "pear" shaped seat, so the "T" shape of the B67 is heavenly. No chafing.

The nose of the B67 is the same width as the nose of the B17 and it's relatives. Very narrow.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa- why do you want your saddle wider? Does it not suport your sit bones? In my experience I like the narrowest saddle that STILL supports my sit bones, cuz otherwise I find that it is too narrow in the middle region and rubs my thighs, since it has to gradually move from being wide in back to narrow in front, and if its too wide in the middle I get thigh chafing. Obviously a saddle that is too narrow to support your sitbones is even more problematic, cuz then your pubic bone is supporting your weight (like on my butterfly, been there done that, not good). I am still really happy with my Brooks Finesse. In fact, I already bought a second one for my commuter and the second one was comfy right out of the box once I had already figured out how I like her set up (nose just a tad down, right fore-aft position). If you want more support in the rear you could try playing with moving it forward. I noticed on my brooks that regardless of where I put it fore-aft, my KOPS was the same, that is I would sit on it to center my knee over the axis of the pedal rotation, its just I would be sitting on a different part of the saddle depending on the fore-aft I had set up, so I experimented until it felt the best. I think that's less true of cushy saddles that you can't really slide around on. -e

Trisket,
Thanks, that is some good information!
I am fine with my B17S as of now- it's pretty comfy for me. It's already got my sit bone dents in it and is broken in after 3 months of riding it. I do notice however that those dents are on the VERY EDGES of the seat area- they almost overlap the edges where the under frame runs, and I often feel as though my bones are on the very edges of the saddle from side to side. I wouldn't mind the saddle being just a tad wider so my weight wouldn't be partly on the saddle frame, but I'll stick with this one for now- it's pretty comfortable. Like Knotted, I have quite wide-apart sit bones. ;)

[xeney]

I use the long nose to help control the bike.

That was exactly what prompted my husband's comment when he saw the B17S: "Women don't need to steer?"

It will probably be okay for me on a townie, but if not I'll list it here in the For Sale section. (It was one of Wallingford's returned items, I bought it from them on eBay.)

[pooks]

Rode 10.4 miles today, and I never thought about the saddle at all. I haven't ridden that much since I got my Brooks so it isn't broken in, but it feels great, anyway. Other than sometimes shifting myself back to the very back of the seat occasionally to get more power or feel more comfortable, I just rode.

I went by the post office to pick up my mail -- I always take my bike in with me. When I was putting my mail in my bar bag, a guy walked by and said, "Nice bike -- great saddle!"

I thanked him. (I'd seen him mailing something in a bike box and he'd said it was a bike frame insured for thirteen-fifty. "Thirteen dollars and fifty cents," the clerk asked?" "Thirteen hundred and fifty dollars," he answered.)

I wondered if he worked for a LBS; shoulda asked.

[nuthatch]

Trisket,
Thanks, that is some good information!
I am fine with my B17S as of now- it's pretty comfy for me. It's already got my sit bone dents in it and is broken in after 3 months of riding it. I do notice however that those dents are on the VERY EDGES of the seat area- they almost overlap the edges where the under frame runs, and I often feel as though my bones are on the very edges of the saddle from side to side. I wouldn't mind the saddle being just a tad wider so my weight wouldn't be partly on the saddle frame, but I'll stick with this one for now- it's pretty comfortable. Like Knotted, I have quite wide-apart sit bones. ;)

That's exactly my experience with the Pro (I think it has the same measurements that the B17S does). I'm wearing away at the rivets. I wish they would make the B17 regular or the Pro just a tiny bit wider.

[brbeard]

Hi. So I'm looking to buy a B-17 saddle for a new (old) bike for my girlfriend's birthday. I'm trying to decide between the standard and women's versions. I've read quite a few pages of entries here, but I was hoping for a little more guidance. My girlfriend's small with fairly narrow hips...is the B-17 preferable to avoid chafing...or, and I feel slightly awkward writing this :), but is the B-17S still preferable because it will ensure that even less pressure will be put on the...soft...bits (as I've seen them called here). I guess my question is: for a girl with narrow hips, will the B-17 provide sufficient width to avoid rubbing the...bits... :)
Thanks,
Brian

[KnottedYet]

Width of hips has absolutely nothing to do with width of sit-bones.

Length of nose has more to do with how she likes to steer and control the bike, and nothing to do with soft tissues.

Basically, you are toast trying to buy her a saddle just as you would be toast trying to buy her a pair of shoes.

Tell her what you want to buy her, show her the threads about sit-bone measurement, ask her how she likes to control the bike, THEN buy her the saddle that meets her needs.

If you really want this to be a surprise, buy her a B68 (not the B68S, which is the "short" women's version) from www.wallbike.com with the 6 month return policy. Show her the birthday present, shriek "TA-DA!", collect the thanks, and THEN go through the whole measurement process. Send back the B68 if it's uncomfortable, and order what sounds best to HER.

[Catrin]

Lots of information here on the B17 vs the B17S. Just checking my understanding that the only real difference between the two is that the B17 has less of a nose - so less "T" shape. I am currently debating which one will be my entry into the non-stock saddlery world.

So far I seem to like the WSD saddle on my Trek 7.6, but I am hesitant to base a purchase on that as the longest ride I've had on that bike to date is 12 miles... I am thinking however that might be a good reason to start with the B17. I will be calling Wallingford early next week :)

[KnottedYet]

The B17 is a wide pear.

The B17S is the same pear shaped saddle with a shorter nose. The transition area (the one that chafes if you need a T shape or feels too abrupt if you need a pear) is the same.

There's a nice picture on the wallbike site that shows the saddles in comparison from a top view.

T or Pear refers to the transition from sit to nose, not length of nose.

If your measuring guy was accurate with 110mm for your center-to-center, then you will probably be happy with a B17. If you don't like it, you have 6 months to send it back to wallbike.com

[Catrin]

The B17 is a wide pear.

The B17S is the same pear shaped saddle with a shorter nose. The transition area (the one that chafes if you need a T shape or feels too abrupt if you need a pear) is the same.

There's a nice picture on the wallbike site that shows the saddles in comparison from a top view.

T or Pear refers to the transition from sit to nose, not length of nose.

If your measuring guy was accurate with 110mm for your center-to-center, then you will probably be happy with a B17. If you don't like it, you have 6 months to send it back to wallbike.com

Thanks - I am going to get re-measured at this other LBS just to be safe.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The B17S is basically shorter in length than the regular B17 If I remember correctly, the seat part is the same width.
I didnt find the two styles to be much different in terms of pressure on the 'girl parts', but I found the B17S to be annoying in that the shorter rails underneath didn't allow me to push the saddle back as far as I wanted to get feeling centered on my bike, weight wise.
I started with the B17S, then switched to the longer B17 which i could set back better. Then my hips were just too wide for it and I switched to the B68, which is perfect for me.
I'd suggest if she has narrow hips to get a regular (men's) B17. The nose is not any weird thing as to cause 'girl pressure'- it was no problem for me at all even on 60 mile rides.

[brbeard]

hey guys. thanks for the replies! I guess I'm gonna have to go the "pick out a saddle, it's on me" route. Won't have quite the effect I wanted, but you're right that I don't, and can't know what the ideal saddle for her will be. So.... now I just have to concentrate on making her an awesome card to slightly mask the fact that I'm not actually giving her...anything...yet :) Ay yi yi.

[KnottedYet]

We didn't mean to scare you!

Buy her either a B17 (not the "s") if she is really on the tiny side, or a B68 (not the "s") if she is more average-wide or if she likes to sit more upright. Get it from wallbike, and you can return it no questions asked. You just can't lose with www.wallbike.com Bill is awesome, I've spoken to him several times about saddle issues, and he really stands behind the 6 month trial period.

If she doesn't like the saddle you chose, exchange it for the other one. These two -B17 and B68- are the basic ends of the spectrum, with a gajillion variations she can explore as she gets a feel for what she likes. The B17 and B68 are great places to start.

(the reason for wanting a wider saddle if you tend to sit upright is that the ischial tuberosities get wider towards the posterior of the pelvis, especially in women. There tends to be increased posterior pelvic tilt as the torso becomes more upright, so the parts of the ischia contacting the saddle can get farther apart the more upright the rider gets)

[g19]

I'm in the market for a new saddle.

I have a SA saddle and it's now stretched out a lot and a new longer bolt was used in order to keep using the saddle.

I could go on and keep stretching the saddle until ....

A new top incl. shipping would be as much as buying a new one or trying a brooks swallow wich is much less due to having a sales distributor here for brooks and not for SA.

No i can't figure out wich is best as when i ride i never ride shorter than 50 miles and my regular rides are 70 to 80 miles.

I need a saddle that can deliver 'relative' comfort for these rides.

Can anybody confirm that a swallow can deliver that or is the SA saddle the way to go (again).

My problem (a bit) with the SA is that when it started to stretch out more and more that the comfort started to disappear instantly and the rides are not so comfortable anymore.

That's why i now look a bit sideway's to a brooks swallow.

Can anybody throw i some light please regarding this.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

A swallow is one of the narrower Brooks saddles. We don't know what kind of width your sit bones are.
Every one is different, so no one would be able to 'confirm' whether a Brooks Swallow would be comfortable for you or not.
SA's do sometimes seems to have that stretching problem. Brooks don't have that as far as I know...the leather is much thicker for one thing.

If you buy from Wallingford, you can return the Brooks after a couple months test, -as long as you don't apply anything to it but Brooks' HydePruf.
If your average ride is over 50 miles (!) then it sholdn't take you long to figure out if the Brooks will work for you.
Because the Brooks is thicker and stiffer than SA, expect a longer break-in period though, and you might feel sore sit bones for the first few rides.

If your sitbones are not all that narrow, then you might want to consider a Brooks B17 instead of the Swallow. I usually see thin guys with skinny-teeny butts on Swallows. :D

[Slowspoke]

I just got a great deal on a Brooks B67 for my commuter bike. Just $60.00 and still in the box! The down side is that it is green :rolleyes:. My bike is green two, so I think it will sort a clash a bit but I am hoping it will get darker with age and oil!

[Biciclista]

I just got a great deal on a Brooks B67 for my commuter bike. Just $60.00 and still in the box! The down side is that it is green :rolleyes:. My bike is green two, so I think it will sort a clash a bit but I am hoping it will get darker with age and oil!

PICTURES!!! PLEASE! I didn't know B67 came in green!

[g19]

A swallow is one of the narrower Brooks saddles. We don't know what kind of width your sit bones are.

Ouch, they are 4 to 4,5" (10 to 11.5 cm)


If you buy from Wallingford,

I can't as i'm from the EU that's the problem.


If your sitbones are not all that narrow, then you might want to consider a Brooks B17 instead of the Swallow.

Well i am constantly reading posts by others trying to figure out what could be the best choice and the B17 N was recently 'added' to my possibilities of the right one.

Thanks for the reply i appreciate it a lot.

[KnottedYet]

There is a TE'er selling a B17 Narrow right now.
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=36709

And here I was thinking she needed to list it where men might see it, as I know so few women who could ride a narrow... Cosmic synchronicity!

[Slowspoke]

PICTURES!!! PLEASE! I didn't know B67 came in green!

They came in green a couple of years ago and I haven't seen them since. I'll try to post pics tonight. In the mean time, the guy has 3 more! the down side is that he is in Michigan and I don't know if he will ship.

[Biciclista]

gee, he ought to have a St Patrick's day sale!

[Desert Tortoise]

I've been looking at the various threads on saddles and am getting a little crossed-eyed. I'm hoping someone can help clear up a few things.

I'm interested in a Brooks saddle but not sure which model to start with.

I measured my sitbones using a few of the methods listed here and consistantly came up with a 14cm center to center/16cm outer edge to outer edge.

I ride a road bike not very upright but not aggressive either (handle bars are about level with the saddle.) Ride anywhere from 15 miles to 40 miles at a time and occasionally longer distances at a time.

On my 4th saddle and from what I have gathered here, it sounds like I need a more T-shaped saddle than pear. I have chaffing and soreness at the leg bend/undie line.

Looking at Brooks saddles, it sounds like maybe the B68. But isn't that for a more upright position?

Also, saw someone noted the B17 is pear shaped, but I thought somewhere else someone said it was more T shaped. But I could mistaken, I've been looking at a lot of posts.

Any ideas of which model to try?
Thanks!

[KnottedYet]

B68, B67, or B66

"Upright" really isn't a good category for saddles, and it bugs me to see it being used because I think it drives women in the wrong directions when choosing saddles. Generally the part of the sit bones contacting the saddle are slightly farther apart the more upright (relatively posteriorly tilted) the pelvis is to the saddle. (so someone with a dramatic pubic rami to ischial tuberosity angle might be fine in an agressive position on a narrow saddle, but as they rotate the pelvis upward and shift posteriorly along the rami into an upright torso position they may need a wider saddle. Me, I have sits in the 180mm realm, and I just need a wider saddle regardless of position. I have B67 and B68 on my agressive bike, my "medium" utility bike, and my pretty darn upright promenade bike.)

It's really all about width of contact points, regardless of position. Position doesn't matter, contact points do.

B68 is T-shaped. B17 is pear. (there's a great topview on wallbike.com that dramatically illustrates the T/pear difference)

With a 160mm outside measurement, you would likely be landing on the cantle plate of a B17.

You sound like a very good candidate for a B68.

[Desert Tortoise]

Thank you for the clarification. That whole thing about "upright" position did confuse me a little and wondered if it really was a big deal in saddle selection.

I just wish they made these saddle in red. My bike is mostly black with a few red accents. Guess I'll have to find other ways to punch up the color. The SA comes in red but it doesn't seem to offer the same wear as the Brooks.

Thanks again for the help.

[moderncyclista]

B17 for me is working great. My butt (right where my sit bones are positioned) are sore -but that is all. The leathers surface is showing signs of tiny creases in the places where my sit bones rest. That seems like it is perfect. Now I need warmer weather to come so my sweaty backside (sorry for the image) works that stubborn leather into shape. :) Keeping fingers crossed. You do have to earn these saddles though. Boy, howdy. They are not for those who are delicate. Got to have a thick ol' bike butt to work these bad boys out. :D

[KnottedYet]

Or, if you are someone like me who had NEVER had a saddle that fit (180mm is wider than most saddles made, and that's just the bone span!) it was love at first sit.

I never felt the need to break the first saddle in, though it did get miraculously comfortable after about 100-150 miles.

I have noticed that the two new Brooks I've bought felt harder than my old faithful B67, but they were never painful and in short order they were just as customized.

Wallbike.com really knows what they are doing with the 6 month free trial period on the Brooks saddles. Sometimes it takes a good bit of riding before the saddle feels like it was made just for you.

[Slowspoke]

I have the B68s on my mtn bike. I just had my first ride on it and it is comfortable already! Now all I have to do is swap out the flat bar for a 3" rise and I will be all set. You can't really tell that it is green from the picture, but it is!!

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w224/1wildchild_2007/bicycle010.jpg

I have a B17 on my road bike and that one is very comfy too. I am sure I like both because I sit differently on each bike.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have the B68s on my mtn bike. I just had my first ride on it and it is comfortable already! Now all I have to do is swap out the flat bar for a 3" rise and I will be all set. You can't really tell that it is green from the picture, but it is!!

That's a B67S....it has springs. The B68 (which I have on both my bikes) has no springs.

[Biciclista]

yeah you can read the b67s right on the saddle stamp.

[Desert Tortoise]

Does anyone know how to read the code on the bottom/inside of the Brooks saddles? It looks like a date code but I cannot find any information on how to read it.

Code stamp: 0D8

Thanks!

[kiwibug]

I ordered a brooks B17 from wallingford and I took a nice long ride on it yesterday - I'm still deciding though! I really like the way it supports my sit bones (of course they're a bit sore now), and I really think it will help with chafing problems I've been having with my previous saddle... The only thing is that previously I was using a cut out, and I did the 'cut out test' and didn't feel like I needed one, but now using the B17 I did feel like my lady bits were getting a bit crushed. I didn't loosen the tension bolt at all like they suggest, could that help? I guess I was really hoping that this saddle would work for me and I'm still hoping that maybe I just need to break it in a bit more.

Hopefully someone can let me know whether I just need more time on it! For some reason I'm hesitant about getting the brooks imperial... Maybe I'm being silly but the cut out looks.. harsh?

[Biciclista]

kiwi... have you had a professional fit? if this saddle really does fit you, it still has to be adjusted properly. My saddle nose actually points UP a little...

[kiwibug]

No I haven't.. I don't really know where to have that done.

I'm a little ashamed to say that I bought the first road bike I tried, (I do feel really comfortable on it) and the LBS guys said it 'looked right'. Now I'm in another town.. Does any LBS do a bike fit?

EDIT:

Nevermind! For some reason I thought the town I live in wouldn't have anyone but I found a guy through google - he's a physiotherapist associated with the school of rehabilitation science at my university so it sounds perfect.. I even phoned just to check it out and he was home! He's doing some renovations right now but I'll be able to get an appointment in a couple of weeks. I'm actually pretty excited. I hope he won't say I have the wrong sized bike. I haven't felt uncomfortable with the reach, nor have I had any pain issues other than chafing, which I thought was due to the saddle...

[Biciclista]

when my saddle was too far forward, I got chafing too.

[Tri Girl]

I just ordered a B18. I'm soooo excited to get it (hopefully Wednesday). I can't return it, but it was half off, so I couldn't resist. If it doesn't work, I'll sell it on eBay for what I bought it for. http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=354_605&products_id=6675

I bought a very well used Brooks at a bike swap meet for $5 a few months ago, and it's on my commuter (a B72 that's probably 30 years old by the old man's estimate). I LOVE that worn in saddle. I'm hoping the new B18 will get broken in to fit my sit bones, and then I'll be much more comfortable.

[Melissa71]

1st time poster. :) I've been scouring the internet for info on Brooks saddles, and stumbled upon this thread. I read the whole thing, and decided to order the B67s for my Trek 4300. I mostly ride on the gravel paved trails. The seat that it came with leaves a lot to be desired. This is the first "real" bike I've ever purchased. The bikes I've had in the past were from the big box stores, and typically fell apart in a year or so. I'm really looking forward to trying out the new saddle, I can't wait for it to arrive. :D Thank you all for posting your experiences, it really helped me to make an informed choice.

[Biciclista]

hope you and your Brooks are very happy together, and welcome to TE, Melissa!

[Melissa71]

Thank you, Mimi. :) I can't wait to get my hands on it.

[Tri Girl]

I got my saddle today- it's soooo beautiful. Have to get a new seatpost, but I'll do that on my ride home from work tomorrow.
I can't wait to ride my new saddle!

[ummbnb]

I have a B17s on my commuter and it's been comfortable since day one. I have a B66 on my mixte and it's OK, but not as comfy as the B17. I think I need to play with the positioning a bit and hopefully that will fix it.

[Melissa71]

Mine came yesterday, too. :) It even came with some freebies. A tiny tin of Proofide, a little review mirror for glasses, and a chain watcher. I'm going to put it on today. I can't wait to try it out, the Bontrager is killing my backside.

edit: Took it out for the first time, and I LOVE it. Took a little bit of tweaking the position, but it's soooo much better than the saddle I had been using. And it looks terrific, too!

[jezbael]

I've been scouring the Internet, particularly this thread, to help me decide which Brooks saddle to get. I don't have a lot of experience with bikes in general, and certainly not with different kinds of saddles.

I currently have a Kona Dew hybrid, handlebars are a little higher than the Specialized women specific gel seat that is currently on it. So I'm not exactly upright, but not as leaned forward as some people I see on hybrids. (Though I also understand that there is some debate that position is irrelavent, and that sit bone width is what's important).

I would call myself a beginner/casual cyclist, generally biking a short commute to work in the summer and working my way up to longer rides and touring. Last summer I did my first bike/camp self supported tour of 120 km round trip. I feel like such a neophyte among all you amazing women. But now I turn to you for advice!

After much reading, I find myself torn between the Champion Flyer and the B67. I feel a little discouraged from the calls to Wall Bike and my LBS. Wall Bike seemed to point me more in the direction of the B17 (unsprung Flyer) because of its versatility. When I asked what the disadvantage was over the B67 the response was "it's probably not as comfortable"... really? Isn't that the point of a Brooks saddle? Why wouldn't I want the more comfortable one? Answer: well, you might want to ride more leaned over and the B67 isn't as comfortable for that.

When I called my LBS, they actually sounded appalled that I was considering a Brooks saddle (they do not stock, but will order), and asked why I wouldn't look at other fabulous saddles, such as Fizik? Granted, when I get fixated on something, I usually put blinders on to other great possibilities, but I had just called asking a specific question about Brooks.

Anyway...

I did my best to measure my sit bones, and they're about 130 mm.

Any advice?

Edit: Oh, and while Wall Bike has a great return policy, the shipping to and from Canada doesn't make it quite as feasible as it first seems. So I'm not quite as reliant on that, though it's still a decent option.

[sarahspins]

At 130mm I think you could use any Brooks and be fine.. it's those of us in the 160mm+ club that have limited choices :)

But that said, your sit bone measurement does leave a lot of nice options open.. if you are set on a brooks, think about which model will suit your needs best, not just which might or might not be more comfortable.. I have a b.68s (like the b67, but no springs) on my road bike and I don't even feel it under me.. it disappears, which is what a good saddle should do, and I'm not riding it upright :)

[jezbael]

At 130mm I think you could use any Brooks and be fine.. it's those of us in the 160mm+ club that have limited choices :)

But that said, your sit bone measurement does leave a lot of nice options open.. if you are set on a brooks, think about which model will suit your needs best, not just which might or might not be more comfortable.. I have a b.68s (like the b67, but no springs) on my road bike and I don't even feel it under me.. it disappears, which is what a good saddle should do, and I'm not riding it upright :)

So, if I understand correctly, the bike shop guy would roll his eyes at you and tell you that you are using the wrong seat for your bike :)

Well, my first need right now IS comfort. If I'm not comfortable on my seat, I won't ride as much because I'm miserable.

When it comes to the other needs, I guess I just don't know enough about them to understand what saddle suits which needs. So, if my needs are casual riding, working up to touring, and getting some exercise. So, I know I don't need a racing saddle. Is there more to know?

Edit: Is it wrong that a part of me leans toward the B67 because it comes in the darker aged brown and the Flyer doesn't? :)

[Desert Tortoise]

Sarahspins, I was considering a B68 for my road bike but Bill at Wallbikes said it was too wide for the leaning forward of my road bike. He suggested a B17S or Team Pro S (my sitbones are 140 center to center, 160 end to end).

I have gotten mixed messages about saddle width and lean position. I'd really like to think it's not a big deal. Do you lean forward a lot or are you more upright?

Thanks!

[Thorn]

I ride a B68 on all of my road bikes. Yes, jezbael's bike shop guy, that is a B68 on a road bike. Like sarahspins, I have wide sit bones and not only are the other Brooks saddles too narrow so are most "modern" saddles....well, except for the tractor saddles that have 3" of padding and become uncomfortable in the first three miles. You think a B68 looks odd on a road bike, try seeing one of those tractor saddles!

The B68 (and it cousin, the B67) are targeted for upright riding. As such, they have a rather abrupt transition from the saddle top over the edge (whereas the B17 is more rounded as it transitions over the edge). But, you know, the beauty of leather is that after you ride it a while, it forms your style and the sharper transition of the B68 goes away. Yes, initially, I had some abrasions at the edge transition, but after the leather relaxed, the saddle works just fine for a road bike.

That said, the B67 is much wider than you will probably need (dark brown, eh?). In the end, though, saddles are second only to chamois choice in getting quite up close and personal. And anyone's recommendation except your own butt is probably wrong.

[sarahspins]

I am not an expert but I doubt I could be comfy on a B17. My sit bones are 164mm center to center... but I'd bet you'd be okay on the B17 or the team pro. I haven't TRIED either one though, so it's hard to say (love the copper rivets on the team pro though).

I am pretty sure that there are several others here on TE who ride either the b67 or b68 on road bikes.. becuase no other saddle is WIDE enough. Is it meant for road use? Perhaps not, but when you're not given a whole lot of other options... it works great :)

[jezbael]

And it doesn't matter how wide my butt is, right? Just my sit bones? Cuz... ya know... well we won't go there. ;)

[Thorn]

And it doesn't matter how wide my butt is, right? Just my sit bones? Cuz... ya know... well we won't go there. ;)

:D Yep.

Yeah, but on the internet, we can be as thin as fit as our inner selves believe us to be!

[Thorn]

I am not an expert but I doubt I could be comfy on a B17. My sit bones are 164mm center to center... but I'd bet you'd be okay on the B17 or the team pro. I haven't TRIED either one though, so it's hard to say (love the copper rivets on the team pro though).

I tried (another 165mm'r here). I was stubborn about the B68 and having problems (needed a cutout) so I put DH's B17 on my bike. I was sitting on the saddle, but right on the edge. In the end I was sitting over the hard frame, not the soft leather. Nope. Wasn't going to work. But, it looks so much prettier.....

In the end, my B68 may not be a sleek beauty on my road bike, but, heck, since it is a saddle that fits me and doesn't cause my pain, she's a lovely saddle to me.

[sarahspins]

Well that's good to know Thorn..guess I can save myself the trouble of trying it then!

And yeah, someone could be on the heavy side and have narrow sit bones and be totally fine on a narrow saddle - likewise they could be 90lbs and still "need" something super wide... because it's all about your bones, not the rest of you :)

[jezbael]

So, because I'm somewhat obsessive about these sorts of things, I tried measuring my sit bones again using a different method. First method was sitting on two markers and measuring the distance between them. Second method was the tin foil on a yoga mat routine, which gave me a measurement of 150 mm (previous 130 mm). I'm not particularly convinced either are right, so perhaps I'm somewhere in between?

What I know is that when I currently sit on my bike, it feels like I'm sitting inside my sit bone. I don't really know how to explain it, but my soreness isn't at the tip of the sit bone where a typical yoga sit would be. Rather it is up and in a bit. I don't know if that's because I'm leaning forward or because the seat is too narrow (160 mm) and my sit bone is straddling a bit. Does that make sense?

This is why I keep waffling between a Flyer and a B67. I can't believe that a Flyer S (177 mm at best) is going to give me that much more realty than what I currently have. Are there disadvantages to having a seat that is "too wide" for the average sit bone?

[Thorn]

Are there disadvantages to having a seat that is "too wide" for the average sit bone?

I was wondering this one last night, but given my particular body shape, I haven't a clue. I'll be interested in your replies.

If the nose of the saddle is too wide, that will obviously cause problems. Also, if the transition from the seat to the nose is too gradual for you (pear-shaped saddles), that could also be an issue.

But, the B67 has a narrow nose and it has a very quick transition from the seat area to the nose (it is very t-shaped).

I never really mastered any of the sit bone measuring techniques, but after a month on my B-68 I have a very clear set of dimples and an accurate measurement in my riding position :rolleyes:

[Biciclista]

Boy you sound like you ought to get that B67. I tried a B17 for a full month of riding. I finally gave up after a 50 mile ride where it just kept getting worse. i have used a B67 (and before that a B66) on every bike i've ridden for 10 years.
I tried to go 'conventional' and tried a terry saddle, some MTB saddles, i sat on a bontrager for about 10 minutes, I tried probably 1/2 dozen of the saddles that you can find in most bike shops and gave up and got back onto my B67. I'd get a B68 if i didn't already have the b67.
Jezbel, since you are considering longer rides, i don't think you could go wrong with the Brooks. and remember, once you get it, you have to have it positioned in the right way. come back and talk to us, we'll help you, as it 's clear to me your bike shop will not.
Good luck!

[Catrin]

The fitter at my LBS measured my sit-bones again at my request, and came up with the same basic measurement - it just changed from 11 to 11.5cm - so that would be 115mm. That seems narrow to me - but it was the same basic measurement two times in a row.

So the B17 is on my LHT, and I got it from my LBS since I could pick it up for a much lower price than Wallbikes - though I will regret that if I have to switch. In my short 2 mile ride when I brought my LHT home it seemed fine - indeed I didn't even notice the saddle at all. But that was only two miles - if that far. Seated on the trainer it seemed to me that perhaps my sit-bones were a little close to the edge, but that may not have been correct.

Stella still has the stock saddle she came with, and so far that is comfy - we will see once I start building my mileage base. 15 miles is one thing, if the B17 works out then I will probably just go ahead and switch Stella's saddle out as well just to be safe.

[Biciclista]

Catrin, sounds like the B17 is working for you.

[jezbael]

Thanks everyone for your help. I called Wallbikes this morning to order my fully-decided-upon Flyer... and then Bill asked, "Did you have any questions about it?" Ha! A 15-minute conversation later, and he put me through to Brent from whom I ordered the B67. :D

I still don't know if it's the "right" choice, and I probably really won't until I have it for a while. Meanwhile, it's in the mail!

Biciclista, thanks tons for encouraging me to come back to talk about positioning. If I need to, should I do that here, or in a new thread?

[Biciclista]

heh, put Brooks saddle in the title, and we will find it :cool::cool:

[oz rider]

Hope the Brooks experts can help. :) I'm thinking about one for a new touring bike but understand you're not supposed to ride them wet. So what happens if it rains on tour? Plastic bag?

I'm small and think the sit bone measurement is 120-130mm - bit hard to be sure. But I use a pretty firm saddle on the roadie and I prefer a narrow nose. Would I be on the right track with a B17s or Finesse? No trial system here, so I'd like to be pretty sure.

[Biciclista]

A lot of people ride them wet. My husband did a 24 hour ride in the rain that ruined his saddle. there's a big difference between 2 hours and 24 hours if you catch my drift.
A lot of people here in the NW USA (where it rains) have Brooks saddles. I have ridden mine in the rain with no problems at all; many many times.
If you ride extremely long distances and are in a rainy climate, you probably would be better off with an An-atomica

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Just take a couple of heavy plastic bags with you and tie them over your Brooks if it's really raining hard. Always handy to have a couple of good plastic bags packed on a tour anyway! (and a good bungee cord...and bandages...and a bandana....and...and.....) :D

[kmehrzad]

Also, Wallingford Bicycle Parts sells Brooks saddle covers:
http://www.wallbike.com/brooks/veloxseatcover.html

[Biciclista]

sadly, they are not waterproof.

[oz rider]

Thanks everyone. :)


Always handy to have a couple of good plastic bags packed on a tour anyway! (and a good bungee cord...and bandages...and a bandana....and...and.....) :D
Yeah, my packing list is starting to look like that. lol

[Melissa71]

Does anyone have a "trick" for making the B67s stop pinging? I remember reading that KnottedYet had the same thing happen with her sprung saddle. It makes a creaking and pinging noise, sometimes. I love the saddle so much, that even if I can't silence it I'm keeping it. I was just curious if this is something that will fade away with use, or if I can do something to make it stop.

[Catrin]

Today was my first real ride on my new LHT with the new Brooks saddle (B-17). I was in the saddle for something like 90 minutes, and frankly I didn't notice the saddle existed during my ride.

Shortly after my ride, however, I noticed a little pain in a very particular place - and just on one side. I am going to assume that it was my sit-bone complaining a little - but is it usual for only one side to complain? Just curious, thanks! It passed pretty quickly, so I certainly am not worried about it, just wondering if this was common or a sign that perhaps something isn't adjusted properly.

Oh yes, I did notice that I was slipping a bit on the leather and seem to remember adjusting my position pretty frequently. It didn't feel like my saddle was tipped down or anything, but that my knickers were slipping on the smooth leather.

[jdubble]

sadly, they are not waterproof.

But the ones made by Randi Jo Fabrications (formerly Rainy Peak) are - https://www.randijofab.com/products-page/saddle-covers/saddle-cover

She'll make custom ones to fit the wider Brooks saddles too. She made me one for my B68s that's been on my bike since the rainy season started and it's great. It has a flap underneath to keep the underside dry, and stays snugly in place so you can leave it on while riding. Can't recommend it highly enough!

she makes great cycling caps too. Every member of our household, including the 4 and 6 year old, have 'em now.

[Melissa71]

Shortly after my ride, however, I noticed a little pain in a very particular place - and just on one side. I am going to assume that it was my sit-bone complaining a little - but is it usual for only one side to complain?

Catrin, the same thing happened to me. It was just the right side sit bone area. It went away on it's own. I'd ride it a little more, and then if it still hurts after a few more rides, maybe adjust it a tiny bit?

[Catrin]

I just did one of the Spinervals with my LHT on the trainer (fish would enjoy cycling outdoors right now) - both for the exercise and to practice shifting. Granted, I have only put about 25 miles on my new bike - couldn't ride this week at all - but I noted something with my B17.

Last weekend I took my new bike to the park and put on about 13 miles getting used to it and getting comfy moving my hands on the bars. I noted nothing going on with the saddle - indeed didn't even notice it was there.

This time - on the trainer - I was quite aware of my girly bits and though I got off the bike about 10 minutes ago I still note a little numbness down there. However, when actually riding it last weekend I noted none of this.

Could this somehow be related to the trainer? Could this be a possibility? Obviously more testing off the trainer is required :D However it is supposed to rain for the next 4 days.... sigh

Using a very unscientific method to check, I THINK that my sit bones are close to the rails on the saddle, though I could be wrong... the fitter at my LBS was sure the B17 was the right size but I wonder....

[sundial]

sadly, they are not waterproof.

I've got a cover and I've been thinking about using the spray that makes clothing waterproof. I wonder if that will help.

[blackhillsbiker]

Just put a B17 on my mtb. Now I'm second guessing myself about whether or not it should have been a B17S. I bought it from the LBS, so if it doesn't work, I'll have to sell it. Still, it is loads better for my bum than the WTB I was riding.

Deb

[radicalrye]

Does anyone have a "trick" for making the B67s stop pinging? I remember reading that KnottedYet had the same thing happen with her sprung saddle. It makes a creaking and pinging noise, sometimes. I love the saddle so much, that even if I can't silence it I'm keeping it. I was just curious if this is something that will fade away with use, or if I can do something to make it stop.

My best guess would to maybe put a little chain lube or something similar at the bottom of the coils where the contact points are. Maybe it will go away with time once the saddle is fully broken in???

[Biciclista]

you can call Wallbikes and ask them what to do. YOu can search here in this forum and probably find directions..

[blackhillsbiker]

My B67s did that until I put a few drops of light machine oil on the nose tensioning bolt. Get an oil bottle with the long straw-like applicator. Be careful not to get it on the leather. The noises almost drove me crazy. After the oiling, it went away and never came back.

Deb

[moonfroggy]

hi i guess this thread has been quiet. seems like a good place for me to ask some questions and i guess if this turns out not to be the right place i can start a new thread.

i think i am going to be getting a brooks soon. i need to make some play dough and measure my sit bones again but right now i am thinking a B.17 but yeah going to measure sit bones one more time before i am certain. going to get it from wallbike so i can exchange it if it is the wrong one

what i am pondering is laces? it seems like they make a seat firmer? i like how they look. anyone here have a saddle that has laces? any thoughts on saddles with laces versus saddles with none?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hi Moonfroggy,
My B68 is so perfect for me that I wouldn't want to try anything different on it like lacing. My 2 Brooks (without laces) couldn't get any firmer I think.
So sorry, i have no experience with laced Brooks. Hopefully someone else here will have some experience with them and some input... I did want to answer though so you at least know folks are reading your question. :)

[g19]

As far as i know it was a cheap solution for a saddle that has become (too) soft and by working with laces the firmness was back.

That is what i know.

[moonfroggy]

so the laced saddles at wallbikes is it just aesthetics now that they sell them? because i like how they look.

[moonfroggy]

so i emailed and asked about the laced saddle and i got a reply! i love how helpful they are :) at wallingford

this is what they said


The leather on the pre-aged saddles has been treated to make it more flexible. The lacing helps this softer saddle keep its shape.

[ivorygorgon]

Ordered a B17 s last week from Wallbike. Came in the mail today. DH tried to install it, but he said it is too short so he can't put it far enough back. BUMMER!!!! I emailed Bill with a few questions. Hope he gets back to me soon. I want to exchange the B17s, probably for the B17. Will wait and see what Bill has to say.

For those of you who have the Team Pro, do you spend much time in the drops? So far, I spend 0 time in the drops. Still trying to find out which saddle would be best for me.

My sit bones measure 150mm center to center. I am a fairly casual rider, but I am training for a century and am riding 60 to 100 miles a weekend. My biggest problem with comfort is width of the saddle and "girly bits," smushness.

Any nudge in the right direction would be helpful.

[blackhillsbiker]

I was only able to use my S saddle (B67S) on my Kona with an extra setback seatpost – the Velo Orange Grand Cru. My next Brooks will probably be a standard (not women-specific) saddle.

Deb

[Desert Tortoise]

I did the wood bench test and there was a slight squish, barely noticable. Thought the Team Pro S would be ok and it ended up being terribly painful with the bits. Exchanged it for the B17 Imperial, what a difference!

Also, started out with the S model, way too short rails. Couldn't go back far enough and it felt like the seat had no nose, felt weird. Made sure the B17 Imperial was regular and it's so much better.

As for drops, didn't even try it with the pro. Too painful to lean down any more.

Got mine from Wallbikes too, awesome customer service!

[Kerry1976]

After doing lots of reading here on TE, I just ordered the B17 Imperial from Wallbikes. Like the return guarantee - how can you go wrong with that? Hope to receive early next week!

[Kerry1976]

Got my saddle today, put it on the bike and did a short bit on the trainer (had already run and done ab work, so wasn't fresh-legged). Out of the box it felt tons better than the stock saddle I had. Hoping it is a good start! Didn't expect the saddle until Monday (per UPS website) so wanted to hug the cute UPS guy when he delivered today. Fortunately (for him), I just smiled and thanked him. ;)

[Kerry1976]

Update: I love my Brooks saddle!!!!! :)

[Biciclista]

Congrats on the new saddle, Kerry!
I am waiting on my new Imperial B68.

[moderncyclista]

You guys, hey you guys!!! *excited up and down jumping*

After staring at my B-17 for a few months, taking it off my 520 and wondering what I should do with it - I came to a revelation!

I swapped my Lithia to my 520 and put my B-17 onto my Surly LHT. You know what? The upright riding position made all the difference! It is infinitely more comfortable on my Surly than it ever was on my Trek. Now I really want to swap out my stem on the 520 and get another one. *rubs hands together* HA!!!
(Note: I feel silly that I didn't think of this before. WooOOO!)

:D Initial results are good. Like riding on air, even in the freezing cold. :D

[Biciclista]

congrats on your good fortune with the B17

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Congrats on the new saddle, Kerry!
I am waiting on my new Imperial B68.

Mimi, how did this saddle turn out for you?

[Biciclista]

2 down, one to go.
I have one on my Davidson and one on my folder. I still need to get one on my Tandem.
I love it!

you can see my B68 Imperial here:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5505912573_7e50722a2c.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

that's a great photo, with all the colors and stripes of you, your bike, and the backgrounds. :)

[Biciclista]

that's actually a labyrinth that I am walking.

[malkin]

I like the pyramid on your head!

[sundial]

I swapped my Lithia to my 520 and put my B-17 onto my Surly LHT. You know what? The upright riding position made all the difference!

Alright!! Musical saddles can be so much fun!

[warneral]

I just ordered the imperial B17. I might need to trade up for a wider saddle but thought I'd start with this. I love the looks of it (lame I know!).

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

oooohh...i have those same socks too! :D

[warneral]

I got my B17 Imperial the other day. Man is this puppy slippery! I put it on my trainer bike to give it a try. As I feared, I'm afraid it isn't wide enough for me. I'm also concerned that I can't push the saddle far enough back b/c it is too narrow in the middle towards the nose.

[Biciclista]

put some Proofhide on your saddle. the slippery-ness will vanish. And once you get used to that saddle, you won't know it's there OR that it's slippery anymore anyway.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The slipperiness goes away after a few rides. Also, some shorts are less slippery on it at first.

[warneral]

Thanks ladies - will do!!

[Susan]

I hope to get my Soma frameset soon and and am thinking about getting a Brooks saddle for it. They just have such an overwhelmingly large range of different saddles...

I use a Specialized Ruby 155 at the Moment on my MTB and like it... my sitbones measure 135 mm from center to center.
I'm just not sure which Brooks would be the right size for me. I will use the new bike for everyday biking and some touring. I'd like to get a "sporty comfortable" position on it, not too upright but not like on a racing bike either - I guess I will end up in a similar position as on my MTB.

I'm wondering if the B17 will be too wide because it says "175mm" width in the description? I guess the "B17 narrow" would be too narrow :rolleyes:
The Team Pro (160mm) could be the right size for me too I guess.
Then there is a "S" version of each of those saddles too.

I'm not so sure if it's even sensible to judge roughly by the width of my Specialized Saddle which Brooks I should get?

[ultraviolet]

I'm about 140mm center-to-center, and ride a Specialized Ruby 155 on my go-fast road bike (where "go fast" is a relative term). When it comes to Brooks for anything except a really upright position (cruiser/city bike) I'm happiest on either the B-17 or the Finesse. I've ridden the Finesse on leisurely century rides with no real issues--on a bike that had the saddle almost level with the bars. (I switched to the Ruby when I bought a "race" bike that had more saddle to bar drop than I'd had previously...because I needed a cut-out at that point.)

I also have a Team Pro (in white) on my singlespeed, but I rarely ride that more than a few miles at a time so I can't speak to its comfort over any length of time.

[Susan]

Thank you very much.

Muirenn, that makes sense, they are designed differently than "modern" saddles. If I only could remember my outside-to-outside measurement, I guess I will have to measure again.
So, the S isn't only shorter but also wider... the description on the Brooks homepage doesn't reflect that, it says 175 or 176 for all the B17 Models. Oh maybe you meant the Team Pro, I see now that its S Models are wider?

Ultraviolet, that sounds promising that those saddles could be the right fit for me too. Now that you own both saddles - what's the striking difference between those two? I can't really tell from the photos, except that the Finesse/TeamPro S is shorter.

Now I will have to go and get some cardboard again :rolleyes:

[Catrin]

Many of us have had problems with the "S" version of the B17. The rails are so short that the hardware can wind up directly under your girly bits :eek: :eek: :eek: I had a large problem with this myself, but it did not become apparent until my rides got longer than 20 miles.

[Susan]

Good to know!
I was wondering why a womens-saddle would have to be shorter? Wider makes sense, but shorter?

[Catrin]

Because a woman had nothing to do with the design...or a fall-back to the time when women were assumed to wear dresses/skirts on the bike.

[Biciclista]

definitely has to do with the fact that it was designed 100 years ago and women had voluminous skirts...

[sundial]

The upside to using a Brooks 'S' saddle is that it forces you to sit on the widest part of the saddle rather than perch on the nose.

[ultraviolet]

I prefer the Finesse for my long-distance bike. (It's on its third bike now.)

With my kind of short femurs (I'm long-torsoed/short-legged), I've never needed a ton of fore/aft adjustment room in my saddles. All of my saddles are placed right around the middle of their rails, so this has never been a big concern for me. I also don't do a ton of steering with my thighs (however, I shift my weight/use body lean a good bit), so having a longer nose to "grip" has never been a priority for me. Also, I ride almost exclusively in skorts, and they're a little less likely to catch on the shorter nose of the Finesse.

So, it's possible that I'm just the perfect confluence of factors for the shorter length Brooks saddles. My dad always did tell me I was perfect. Who knew he was talking about such a niche market for perfection, though? Hah! :rolleyes:

[Susan]

Yes, it really is a bit confusing. But if got everything right, there are not so many choices left for me:

Either the Team Pro S, if I don't have problems because it's too short - or one of the B17s (also depending on how wide the B17 and B17S actually are...). If both of them are too narrow then there is only the B68 left, but I'm not sure if I would like to have this one.

I often ride wearing skirts but didn't consider this as the possible reason behind the shorter womens saddles. But I guess it really could make things easier when wearing shorter skirts.

I'm not so sure if it would be ok for me to get a shorter saddle... I don't have much experience with different saddles or even saddle positions. I just screwed the Ruby onto my bike and tinkered with the position until it felt right and didn't think much about it since...
On my commuter there has always been a horrible squishy uncomfortable saddle and I have always been too lazy to change it (for the last... um 12 years ;)).

[Susan]

That's probably exactly what I will do. I still have some time to think it over :)

[sundial]

I prefer the Finesse for my long-distance bike.

Ultraviolet, have you seen the new pink limited edition B 18 Brooks saddle (http://wallbike.com/brooks/double-and-triple-rail-saddles/b18-lady-limited-edition-pink)? It is definitely a collectors item. :)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The upside to using a Brooks 'S' saddle is that it forces you to sit on the widest part of the saddle rather than perch on the nose.

And the downside of that for me was that I couldn't shove the B17S back enough to stop feeling I was holding myself up with my hands, my weight centered to far forward. So yes, the 'S' Brooks forced me to sit on the widest part of it- but with my sitbones literally perched on the back metal frame edge of the saddle. But this was not because it was a shorter saddle- but rather because the rails were so much shorter that the saddle can't be adjusted back much at all. When i got the B17 instead, I could shove it back a whole 'nother 1.5 inches, and I felt way more weight balanced. I don't perch on the saddle nose whether I'm on an "S" model or a 'regular' model- that would feel way too far forward for my center of gravity. I guess all our bodies are different.

I wouldn't have a problem if they marketed the S model simply as a short saddle. But I do have a problem with it being promoted as 'the woman's version' of Brooks saddles. I suspect that not that many women actually do well with the S model because of the super-short rails and their resultant drastic limitation in fore-aft adjustment, and the flowing skirt factor is not really an issue for the average woman rider.
I didn't find the B17 to be any narrower than the B17S in the sitbone area.
(later I switched to the B68 because I realized my sitbones were even wider than i first thought. Pure bliss ever since. )

I always wondered why they figure men need a longer saddle nose, when in reality they have more 'stuff' up front that might have to 'duke it out' with a longer saddle nose! :confused: :eek: :D

[sundial]

I always wondered why they figure men need a longer saddle nose, when in reality they have more 'stuff' up front that might have to 'duke it out' with a longer saddle nose!

I've thought that as well.

[warneral]

Well I just took my first ride of the year and I did it on my new saddle - Brooks B17 imperial.

Yewouch! It was a bit painful in the perenial region but also sit bones. I rode 20mi. I think I'll be reading through this thread to see how long it took yall to adjust to the new saddle. I love the idea of the classic saddle on my steel bike, and I believe people find theirs to be comfortable. I probably should have started with B68 but figured I'd go with the flagship first and if it didn't work I could trade for the B68.

I'm wondering how much (if any) the cutout helps given my experience today! I have a planet bike ARS gel saddle which has honestly given me no issues but I was seduced by the looks and raves of the brooks!

[warneral]

And the downside of that for me was that I couldn't shove the B17S back enough to stop feeling I was holding myself up with my hands, my weight centered to far forward. So yes, the 'S' Brooks forced me to sit on the widest part of it- but with my sitbones literally perched on the back metal frame edge of the saddle. But this was not because it was a shorter saddle- but rather because the rails were so much shorter that the saddle can't be adjusted back much at all. When i got the B17 instead, I could shove it back a whole 'nother 1.5 inches, and I felt way more weight balanced. I don't perch on the saddle nose whether I'm on an "S" model or a 'regular' model- that would feel way too far forward for my center of gravity. I guess all our bodies are different.

I wouldn't have a problem if they marketed the S model simply as a short saddle. But I do have a problem with it being promoted as 'the woman's version' of Brooks saddles. I suspect that not that many women actually do well with the S model because of the super-short rails and their resultant drastic limitation in fore-aft adjustment, and the flowing skirt factor is not really an issue for the average woman rider.
I didn't find the B17 to be any narrower than the B17S in the sitbone area.
(later I switched to the B68 because I realized my sitbones were even wider than i first thought. Pure bliss ever since. )

I always wondered why they figure men need a longer saddle nose, when in reality they have more 'stuff' up front that might have to 'duke it out' with a longer saddle nose! :confused: :eek: :D

My bike fitter said women have long femurs which explains why we need to set the saddle back - so why we would want shorter rails is beyond me! I KNEW the s versions wouldn't work for me.

[Biciclista]

the shorter saddle for women was so that ample skirts would not get caught on the saddle.
why they are still selling that model is beyond me.
Now as to you and the B17. I never got comfortable on it either - I went right back to my B67 (at the time). If it's hurting your perenial area (I think that's spelled wrong, BTW) the saddle is either not adjusted correctly or it's too small.

[Kitsune06]

I've thought that as well.

I think I read on the Wallingford site that the 'S' is for Skirts, as women who ride in skirts might have a difficult time with the longer nose. It's marketed for women as we're more likely to ride in skirts BUT in theory, if a guy is going to ride wearing a utilikilt on a regular basis, then the saddle might be ideal for him as well.

On a different-ish subject, I'm wondering with the sitbone measurements are (on average) for ladies 100% comfortable with their B-17. I'm at about 140 and I'm not sure if I'm a little bit on the side rails or what? My soft tissues are generally quite happy w/ the B17 unless I slip and do a little 'forward crush' but nobody's ever happy with those, so moot point.

[Kerry1976]

So, I have a B17 Imperial on my roadie that I love. However, thinking of not keeping my roadie. I just have more fun on my Trek Pure Lowstep (http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/bike_path/pure/purelowstep/) and it really works better as a no-brainter-fun-relaxed addition to my running. BUT - I remember that me and the stock Bontrager saddle didn't get along so well.

Would a B17 work at all on the Pure? Or, should I just go for a B67 (or B68) or something?

Just trying to get some ideas.

[KnottedYet]

So, I have a B17 Imperial on my roadie that I love. However, thinking of not keeping my roadie. I just have more fun on my Trek Pure Lowstep (http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/bike_path/pure/purelowstep/) and it really works better as a no-brainter-fun-relaxed addition to my running. BUT - I remember that me and the stock Bontrager saddle didn't get along so well.

Would a B17 work at all on the Pure? Or, should I just go for a B67 (or B68) or something?

Just trying to get some ideas.

Try it. Just switch your B17 to the Pure and give it a try!

[Kerry1976]

Try it. Just switch your B17 to the Pure and give it a try!

Thanks, plan to do it regardless, just didn't know if anyone on here had tried it yet.

[Kitsune06]

Figured this might be the thread to say it on- I've been wondering about my B17 and came to the conclusion that it just wasn't fitting right... I think I was in denial about my sitbones.

For some reason I thought 'the' measurement was center to center, but then I found the formulas further down in this and other threads and went 'huh'.

I'm pretty close to 170-175 measuring the outsides of my ischial tuberosities. :eek: So... I guess I'm in the big pelvis club, which makes it easy to have an hourglass figure and hard to find a saddle? I've already sold my B17. Moving on to either the B67, B68 or B68 imperial.

Not really sure which yet, wondering on others' opinions. I'd had a selle-anatomica and really kind of hated it. It felt like my 'parts' were crammed in the hole rather than suspended over it due to the hammocky nature of the saddle. I see some have had similar experiences with the imperial cutout... I guess I'm wondering if that experience is more with those who don't wear padded cycling shorts (as I don't intend to unless we're going +10-20 mi). The 'cutout test' was a little inconclusive. It didn't hurt, per se but I wouldn't want to sit like that for hours, or moving. I was ok w/o the cutout on my B17 but always had a little friction. (Sorry for the TMI, but this is saddle talk).

I know Wallingford has that 6mo return policy, but I guess I just really want to get it right the first time. Any advice?

[warneral]

I'm in the same boat. In the last few days I've rode 50mi on my new b17. I was hoping ride 2 would be better. Lowering the nose to be level definitely helped the perenial pain but the sitbone pain is still there. I have similar measurements to you as far as I can tell (i've sat on playdough so many times but get confused about the results LOL). I'm this close to going back to the saddle which has honestly never give me problems! But I'm also considering trying b68

[Biciclista]

Warneral, i have to ask, why get a Brooks when you're happy with your saddle?
there's an old tenet, "if it isn't broke, don't fix it" that applies here.
If you have the money to burn, fine, I went down the same road as you (people told me I needed to replace my brooks with a "road bike saddle" and so i tried several before I went back to my beloved Brooks)
and you just end up with extra saddles. At least with these, you will be able to sell them.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think soft tissue pain or numbing on short rides is the kiss of death for any saddle.
On the other hand (cheek?), sitbone pain with a new saddle, especially a hard Brooks, to me is good sign! First, it means your weight is being supported in the right area. Second, sitbone pain 'usually' fades and disappears over about a dozen rides. When I got my first Brooks, my sitbones were in excrutiating pain the first couple rides- I felt like I could hardly sit at all for several days. I was going to give it up, but my DH said that was normal and it would go away. What do you know, he was right! Over about 10 more rides it faded and then my saddle experience was bliss. :p Now my butt is always at least semi- broken in, so every Spring I only need about 3 or 4 'break in rides' to get over any sitbones soreness for the year.
To me, sitbone pain after riding just means the saddle is fitting well and more time on it will make it perfect.
Soft tissue pain and numbness will not fade away on a saddle, but will likely get worse.

[ny biker]

Okay. As mentioned elsewhere, I am having a problem finding a comfortable saddle for my road bike because my weight is more on the rami than on the ischial tuberosities. Every saddle I've tried has been wide enough to support my sit bones (~120 mm center to center, ~135-140mm outside to outside) but still leaves me with the feeling that the rami are bruised.

I don't think my posture is all that aggressive -- I don't ride in the drops and my saddle is about the same height as the handlebars. But still, most of the weight is not on the ITs.

So, will a Brooks solve this problem?

Thanks very much for your input.

[Kitsune06]

It could but it doesn't answer the question as to WHY you're putting your weight on your rami instead of on your ischial tuberosities. I guess an experiment would be to 'tuck tail', consciously tucking your pelvis and sitting on your ITs... seeing what that does to the rest of your posture. If your stem is too long/handlebars too far forward, you could be compensating by rocking your pelvis forward to reach. There should be a gentle kyphoid curve to your back when you're in proper position, and you should (theoretically, anyway) be using your core to keep yourself in that relaxed-elbows, kyphoid-curved, pelvis-tucked position.

Brooks could encourage you to sit on your ITs if only because if you tipped the saddle up and it didn't have a cutout, and you tried to rest your weight forward, you'd be singing soprano in adult language.

The up-on-rami seated position is generally for those who have absolutely no recourse because their handlebars are SO much lower than their saddle, like on this bike:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/3034257898_f8884bf7d6.jpg

I hope that helps.

[ny biker]

The posture you describe is very uncomfortable for me.

I keep my back flat and lean forward from my hips. This is more comfortable for my back, neck and shoulders.

[warneral]

Mimi I'm just coming back to this post but you are totally right and I've been asking myself the same question LOL. I bought it for my b-day present b/c I drool over them when I see them on other bikes in the city. Also b/c so many people seem to love them and they last forever.

I think that Lisa's post is encouraging. I probably would have the same sitbone pain after any saddle in the spring. These ARE my first 50mi of the year outdoors :) I think I'll give it a little more time. Seeing that I got it from wallbike, I thought it was worth a try.

[ny biker]

Keeping your back flat and leaning forward from the hips will put you directly on your pubic rami.

You need to shift your weight to your sits, and keep it there, and lift from your lower back and abdomen and curve forward from the waist. The Adamo saddle website says to do as you describe for extreme aero. But personally, I hate going onto my pubic rami, so I stay on my sits no matter what. It's important to lift from the core to do that. Since the Adamo requires you to stay on the sits, and puts no pressure on the rami, perhaps you might want to look into an Adamo? Though it still sounds like Brooks will be a good idea.

There is a pilates position that could help. I'll try to find a description and post.

Edit: this link looks good.
http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/pilates/h_cspinestretchfwdbeg.htm

If you look under 'purpose,' it says:

Purposes:
Stretches the spine vertebra by vertebra, and stretches the hamstrings
Teaches how to sit tall on the sit bones (so you don't slump at your desk).

If you look at the moving figure, it shows her going from straight spine, then bending at the waist while still lifting from lower back and abs and keeping that straight. I do this continually on the bike, and my back, sits, and pubic rami are all happy. And I had back surgery 10 years ago.

Also, be sure to look at the 'modifications' section if you find this difficult of uncomfortable. They mention it's okay to go forward just 2 inches. You can also bend your knees much more than shown. It will still develope the core strength and position you need to stay on the sits.

I got a new bike so that I would *not* have to do that. And my trainer recommends against it.

Anyway it looks like a Brooks would not help me. Thanks.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

OMG Kit that photo of that bike is too ludicrous! Looks incredibly uncomfortable, not to mention dorky! (hope I'm not insulting anyone) Looks like some should be riding a unicycle and pedaling it with their hands, standing on their head. lol!
As others have described, tuck in your tummy, tip your tailbone down so that your weight shifts onto sitbones instead of pubic bone. Some riders get lazy and let their back sag like a swayback horse and then put all their weight on their hands to hold them up. Get your weight distributed more back on your butt and your feet, it will strengthen your core.
Try to envision that you are 'walking' on your bike instead of rolling along like you are rolling dough with a rolling pin in your hands. That mental shift helps me when i catch myself getting lazy onto my hands.

[warneral]

I went out on a short 12 miler today and didn't feel the saddle - though the riding pants I was wearing were too slippery. I think I have just been having an adjustment period with spring time + new saddle but time will tell!

[Kitsune06]

I got a new bike so that I would *not* have to do that. And my trainer recommends against it.

Anyway it looks like a Brooks would not help me. Thanks.

in that case it really sounds like your new bike may be too big for you? I hope not. :eek:

[ny biker]

No, the new bike is not too big. I am working with my bike fitter. He is adamant that I do not want to curve my back in the way you guys are describing.

So, thanks but no thanks.

[KnottedYet]

I always tell my folks that if we experiment and do something that seems to work, but that later in the real world causes them pain or distress - I want them to come back PDQ! If it hurts, it obviously is the wrong thing and I want to make it right.

Get ahold of your fitter and tell him about your problem. He knows from his training that with the bars even with your saddle and you up on the flats there is no way you should be on the rami, and he can help you figure out what is up.

But you have to let him know that something has gone wrong with your position! Don't be shy! Everyone who has had bike fit training knows pelvic anatomy and the dangers of improper placement, and they don't have any problem talking about pelvic pains and personal bits and other embarrassing stuff. (I get to talk about incontinence and sexual problems from pelvis/saddle interactions with nearly every other fit, it's just another day at the office...)

Trust me, he'd rather know something was wrong, and he won't be upset nor think it's criticism. Often things can look very different during a fit session than they do out in the real world. People shift around, postures change, it can be very different. It's all good data!

[Catrin]

I am very shy about discussing such things with men, but my fitter made it very easy to discuss all of this when I was going through my saddle fit problems last summer. He knew how to refer to various bits of my anatomy in a way that wouldn't embarrass me - he was quite professional about it all. I am just mentioning this as the experience of someone who has had significant issues in this department. He can't help you unless he knows.

[warneral]

ny I can relate - I need to keep the top of my back straight or I get all kinds of neck pain and upper shoulder pain. It isn't natural for me to do that. My fitter said not to suck in my gut but I find if I do suck it in and pull my lower body more perpendicular to the ground I'm getting the sit bones where they need to be and having a straighter upper back. He also said to work on my forward flexibility as that yoga pose appears to help. I need to definitely work on that as my small mileage this spring has me with the stiffness in the neck and shoulders again!

[ny biker]

I went into detail about the location of the pain I'm getting from my current saddle as well as some other saddles I've tried. I bent my finger with my knuckle pointing down and said -- if this is the ischial tuberosity, this part here is where it hurts.

He checked some things, moved the saddle a few times, I commented on how each move felt, and he wound up lowering it. If that doesn't help, I'll go back for more adjustments, and if needed we'll talk about other saddles to try.

Thanks

[moderncyclista]

Butt update: (P.S. I loved typing that.) My B-17 sits happily on my LHT. After a year and a half I'm finally wearing indentions in the leather that tell me I do "fit". I finally got that the B-17 likes to be tilted upwards slightly and not level at all for me. If you look at it on my Surly you might think I get gouged, but I can't even feel it. Sometimes when I ride I check to see if the nose is still there. LOL.

[Kerry1976]

Got a B-17 Imperial from a fellow TE'er:) Put it on my hybrid. It feels: just like my Specialized Ruby and Toupe! But more appropriate for an upright position, I think. Especially when it finally 'breaks in.'

May try the B-68 Imperial someday, just to compare.

One thing is certain: I like T-shaped saddles:)

So glad to hear the saddle works well for you! I'm about to put a new B67 on my Trek Pure. It is right by the bike, but I've been sick and too lazy to actually turn the few bolts it would take to install.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I finally got that the B-17 likes to be tilted upwards slightly and not level at all for me. If you look at it on my Surly you might think I get gouged, but I can't even feel it. Sometimes when I ride I check to see if the nose is still there. LOL.

Yup , i'm the same- my Brooks are just right when the nose is tilted ever so slightly UP, not level. My husband's are the same.

Go figure- everyone says the nose has to be perfectly level....but when we do that we are uncomfortable and keep sliding forward- ick!

DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU! :p

[Kitsune06]

my b68 tips up a little too. I never would have thought that'd be as comfortable as it is.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yeah, it's such a funny thing, isn't it? Go figure!
but ain't it great that we're comfy! :D

[Kitsune06]

Sure is, Lisa. :D

[blackhillsbiker]

Rode the Kona 29er for a really long rails-to-trails ride a couple of weeks ago and decided it has to have a B67! I don't ever want to be in that kind of pain again. I'm going to save the MTB saddle on its own seatpost for times when we decide to do aggressive downhill riding, but this bike is usually used for long trail rides. The Brooks on my commuter is perfect, and my position is similar on the 29er. I rarely wear bike shorts on the Brooks and I never have any pain, no matter how long the ride. I had sitbone pain for the first few rides a couple of years ago when I first got it. Then the pain went away and never came back. I ride year-round so I don't have those "break in" rides at the beginning of the season.

Deb

[sundial]

Rode the Kona 29er for a really long rails-to-trails ride a couple of weeks ago and decided it has to have a B67!

It's amazing how comfie the Brooks saddle is--even on a mtb. Say goodbye to those hot spots and sores from inferior saddles. :)

[blackhillsbiker]

I'd just spend a lot of money looking for the comfort I already have with my Brooks. We did a long ride, and the only thing that was complaining was my bum. Yoga is making my back and arms much stronger and more flexible. I felt like I could have ridden all day if my poor nether regions weren't complaining so loudly!

Deb

[sundial]

I get funny looks from my lbs when I bring in my mtb with a Brooks. But you know, as you get older you care less what others think and you slap a good ol' classic saddle on that weighs a pound and you finish strong and in less pain than the naysayers. :D

Have you seen the Brooks Select organic saddles?

http://www.brooksengland.com/en/Shop_SaddleLineCat.aspx?line=Select

[Biciclista]

This is kind of funny about you MTB riders feeling out of place when you have a Brooks.
When I first started with my Brooks, people told me it wasn't appropriate for road bikes!!

It's appropriate for my butt and that's all that matters.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

It's appropriate for my butt and that's all that matters.

Brooks should adopt this as their new company slogan. :D :D :D

[blackhillsbiker]

Got a new brown B-67 today. It goes nicely with the root-beer brown color of the bike. :) Since my sitbones are already tough, it didn't feel much different from my "broken in" one. I can't wait for a summer of pain-free riding. :)

Deb

[moderncyclista]

Brooks should adopt this as their new company slogan. :D :D :D

I second this motion.

:D

[sundial]

This is kind of funny about you MTB riders feeling out of place when you have a Brooks.


I think the reason mtb'ers are reluctant to use a Brooks is because of 1) cost, 2) it's too purty to get muddy 3) the nose is hard as heck. ;)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Got a new brown B-67 today. It goes nicely with the root-beer brown color of the bike. :) Since my sitbones are already tough, it didn't feel much different from my "broken in" one. I can't wait for a summer of pain-free riding. :)


Congratulations! Happy riding.

Root beer...that must be one of those Jaimison root beer bikes? :)

[blackhillsbiker]

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h35/strummingpete/2K9_BIGKAHUNA.jpg
This is just a generic picture. I'll replace it with one of the bike and saddle later.

Deb

[sgtiger]

Deb, great bike! I can't wait to see yours with your Brooks on it.

[blackhillsbiker]

Reason I love TE:

This was the response I received on another Brooks Saddles messageboard:

"The B 67 is a B66 made with a singlewire chassis. It´s a bit wide for looks on a sporty bike."

Nobody here would ever recommend a Brooks that "looked" more appropriate over one that fits the best. :)

Deb

[sundial]

Deb, your bike begs for a Brooks, no doubt about it :D What a pretty color combo~creme and root beer, like an A&W root beer float.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

"The B 67 is a B66 made with a singlewire chassis. It´s a bit wide for looks on a sporty bike."

The same could be said about my chassis, but ask me if I care.

[Biciclista]

The same could be said about my chassis, but ask me if I care.

yeah me too. Bite me. It's MY bike

[Holland]

Glad I found this site, but too many pages to read through. Sorry if my question has already been answered.

I ordered a B67 for a Surly Cross Check 42". Every worker at bike shops kept telling me it'd take weeks/months to break it in. My 2000 mile trip starts in a week and I don't know if I should cxl my Brooks order and just buy a Terry Liberator or not. Also, what is equivalent to the Liberatoor with no cut-out? Thanks.

[KnottedYet]

Glad I found this site, but too many pages to read through. Sorry if my question has already been answered.

I ordered a B67 for a Surly Cross Check 42". Every worker at bike shops kept telling me it'd take weeks/months to break it in. My 2000 mile trip starts in a week and I don't know if I should cxl my Brooks order and just buy a Terry Liberator or not. Also, what is equivalent to the Liberatoor with no cut-out? Thanks.

You have never ridden either saddle, and don't have either one yet, and you are leaving in a week for a 2,000 mile bike ride?

[Biciclista]

Post # 26, and I'm officially done. :rolleyes:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=38689&page=2

well, tell us about the ride then!

[kitty]

Hi everyone!

I'm new here! and I just read this whole thread.. lol after plunking down 150 for a new Brooks B67 saddle, however the clerk at the bike shop made an error and I realized I had the mens version of the B67 when I got home.

Couple things, I see many of you here are using that saddle, I have it on a Schwinn Gateway cruiser (yes crappy bike I know) I could not handle the junk that came on the bike (find it comical that my saddle is worth more than the bike)

However I notice that the nose does stick out quite a ways when I am sitting on it.. is this ok? I think I'm getting a complex about it.. :rolleyes: I do ride in skirts and dresses very often, is there ANY advantage to keeping this mens saddle? or should I change it for the ladies (since I am within my exchange period)

I think I gathered from reading this whole thread, that there is no difference in dimensions of both saddles aside from nose length correct?


Thanks ladies! :D

[jyyanks]

I originally ordered the S version but read that several people on the forum felt like the "s" was "missing something".

At that point, I started to panic because I already had the S on order. Lo and behold, the place I ordered from didn't have the "s" in stock so they sent me a regular B67 instead. I have yet to use it on my bike but if you do a search on this forum you will see that several members recommend the regular mens B67 version over the "s".

[whateveronfire]

I'm giving Brooks another go. I tried a regular B17 a while ago and the front of the saddle hit me funny. no matter how I adjusted it. So, this time I went with a B17S. I got the "select" model. It will take longer to break in, I know, but I like the look and the organic free range thing for the leather.

First ride just now on the trainer and it's better than any of my other Brooks attempts (B72, regular B17, and Champion Flyer S). The leather is stiff, for sure, but no chafing and my butt isn't killing me. All of which is good, since I've had to be off the box for six months due to a knee injury.

Fingers crossed that I will finally experience the Brooks magic.

Any Southern California folks wanting Brooks, should go to Topanga Creek Bicycles. I got my Karate Money from them and got the Brooks from them last week. They have a huge selection in stock and know the line well.