Brooks Saddles

[massbikebabe]

Hi All:

I just finally broke down and bought myself a new Brooks Saddle. I got the B-17 standard. My question for all of you who use Brooks is did you adjust the seat bolt at all before you first used the saddle?? Some say you should give it a half turn. Also,
how often do you proofhide your saddles? For years I have been
using a Brooks and did virtually nothing to it and it is still in great shape. I changed because my form on the bike has changed because of a back injury. I really love these saddles. I also think the breaking in period horror stories are exagarrated!

karen

[Veronica]

We have 4 Brooks saddles (2 each) Never turned the seat bolts at all. Thom thinks maybe he put proofhide on his once. We don't live in a very wet environment. What breaking in period? Ours have been wonderful from day 1.

Veronica

[massbikebabe]

Veronica:

Thanks for the reply! I have to agree with you when you say there is NO breaking in period. For my butt and this saddle it was love at first sitting!! I called the dealer this a.m. and he recommended I proofhide every six months. I never ride in the rain but often ride along the New England coast and the night air is often misty...matter of fact I am leaving on Thursday to ride the Maine coast with my hubby and son. I will be tapping into you and Thom's brains this fall as we are saving up for a tandem. We have such different idea's about riding I am not sure this will work:D

Anywho, thanks again...I really appreciate the information!

karen

ps- Anybody seen Annie???

[jobob]

Karen -

I'm really glad your Brooks is working out well for you.

I had originally purchased a 'womens' version (it was a Champion Flyer S, which is basically a women's B17 but with springs). The women's version (denoted by the "S") is shorter and wider, but I found it to be very uncomfortable. The B17 (and the Champion Flyer, which is the B17 with springs) is much more comfortable for me.

I think a lot of the break-in woes are because people might have the wrong style of Brooks saddle for their particular body type. Although Brooks makes "womens" saddles, some women are better off with the longer, narrower "mens" saddles (like the B17), and vice versa.

That's the great thing about buying a Brooks from Wallingford (www.wallbike.com), they have a very good return policy so if one style of Brooks doesn't work out for you, you can easily return it and try another.

I recently purchased a new B17 (up til then I was riding on a Champion Flyer I had borrowed from my husband). I found the new saddle very slippery, but proofhiding made the surface a bit less so. I found it very comfy right out of the box, and I didn't need to adjust the seatbolt.

I'll probably proofhide mine once a year or so, if I remember to do it.

- Jo.

[massbikebabe]

JO:


So far so good with my new saddle. I did proofhide it because I was going on a coastal ride and was afraid of what the salt mist air may do to my new saddle. After proofhiding I did have my most favorite and simply gorgeous mechanic, (hubby) turn the nose of the saddle up just a mm because I felt like I was going to go flying off :eek: I am very impressed with the quality of the saddle for the price I paid...I have spent a lot more money to have a sore a$$, on saddles that don't fit well or are poorly made.
Since my back injury I am much more tuned into the importance of fit in all aspects of life and not just on my bike(s). I also am thinking of buying the new pink Terry saddle for the ole Terry. I have used the same style before and I think it will be ok...if not I won't return it because of the cause it is trying to help...I'll just have it hang around my workshop until I find someone who may like it, and use it.
Thanks to you and Veronica for all the help with my new Brooks...I'll keep ya posted on our journey!!

karen

[adictpunkgrl]

I've recently been on the search for a new saddle for my bike. I've read a lot of reviews and have come to the conclusion that I'd like a Brooks saddle. The durablility, style, elegance and comfort all attract me. My biggest question though is how do I find out which model to get. I have never bought a saddle before and money for my is very tight so I'm researching everything a lot.....probably too much. Does anyone have a suggestion on how I could find out which model will be the "best fit" for my body. I noticed that Brooks makes a women's saddle, but is that necessarily a better fit? I've also ready that women have a wider apart sit bone than men do so a wider seat in the back is better for female anatomy and all that. As you probably can tell I'm completely clueless and lost on this topic so absolutely any help on this will be very much appreciated! Thanks!

April :D

[Veronica]

Wallingford Bicycle (http://www.wallbike.com/) has a six month return policy so if you don't like it, you can return it. I have the Finesse on my single and tandem and love it.

Thom has a B17 on his single, which is the bike in the trainer. The B17 hits my sit bones okay, but the nose is a bit longer and that bothers me a bit.

Good luck,

Veronica

[sydney_b]

I know it sounds funny, but just last Friday I was riding along and all the sudden my Brooks B17 was just so comfortable -- not that it was uncomfortable before, it was just like some teeny little adjustment took place and I found the sweet spot.

I'm going to buy another for my hubby. If he doesn't like it, then I'll put it on a different bike.

;)

edit: Oh, and as far as treatment, I just followed the directions that came with the seat.

[nuthatch]

I'm FINALLY loving my B-17 too. I'd like to have one on my road bike but I don't know if I can face the long (for me) break-in. When my seatpost broke last week, my greatest grief was the scuff marks on the nose of my Brooks because it went tumbling down the road! Poor old Wallingford - I wonder if they got flooded during Katrina?

[Veronica]

Nope. Wallingford did not get flooded. They are not taking orders right now. But they will be up and running again in a few weeks.

V.

[wabisabi]

I also l-urve my B-17. I had a slight break-in period, and it is nicely conformed to my butt now, and even during a century it doesn't bother me, and I seldom have to 'grease up' for a ride. I do live in a rainy and coastals salt climate, and yesterday I ended up riding about 12 miles in the rain with no rain gear (my socks were squishing each time I stood up to pedal by the end), and today the saddle looks fine. I Proofhide it just a little every few months and it has held up fine. Some of my riding group members never proofhide theirs and they hold up fine also.

[Trekhawk]

I also l-urve my B-17. I had a slight break-in period, and it is nicely conformed to my butt now, and even during a century it doesn't bother me, and I seldom have to 'grease up' for a ride. I do live in a rainy and coastals salt climate, and yesterday I ended up riding about 12 miles in the rain with no rain gear (my socks were squishing each time I stood up to pedal by the end), and today the saddle looks fine. I Proofhide it just a little every few months and it has held up fine. Some of my riding group members never proofhide theirs and they hold up fine also.

Did you try any of the other models before the B-17? Im pretty happy with my selle san marco but dont do that many kms yet so its hard to tell how it will feel on longer rides. I though this might be my next option if my current saddle is no good.

[nuthatch]

I tried the B-17S (women's shorter version) and didn't like it - not enough real estate in the seat area to move fore and aft for my sized hiney!

[jobob]

Nope. Wallingford did not get flooded. They are not taking orders right now. But they will be up and running again in a few weeks.

I'm very happy to report that Wallingford is BACK :D

at least on a small scale. At the moment they're carrying Brooks saddles and Ortlieb bags.

http://www.wallbike.com/index.php

Life is good.

[fixedgeargirl]

One day long ago I took the opportunity of the last hour of the last day of Interbike to ride my MTB around inside the exhibition hall (last day, what are they gonna do, throw me out? ;) ). I stopped by the Brooks booth, since I was riding on a Finesse. The chaps at the booth asked if I used Proofhide. The bike was only 2 months old, so no I hadn't. They recommended an annual treatment. They then asked if I was tensioning the saddle with the spanner. Erm, no. They were careful to caution me to tension very infrequently, and then only 1/8 to 1/4 turn at a time. Stressing the fibres and all that rot. They then gave me large tin of Proofhide (about 2 lifetimes' supply) and a spanner. Such nice chaps, those Brooks reps.

It's been six years, and I think I've tensioned the saddle twice, Proofhided twice, both usually needing to be done after a good bit of dry riding followed by getting caught in a thunderstorm and spending an hour or more in the saddle on the way home.

[Barb]

I got a brooks countess. It has springs. Yesterday was my longest ride in it. I rode 30 miles with no ill effects. I have only had it for 2 weeks. It did at first seem like the adjustment nut underneath was in EXACTLT the wrong spot. I thought, it would never break in right, with so much metal under the nose. It seems fine though. Now that I know I am for sure keeping it. I plan to oil the underside with hydrophane. That's the oil I always used to break in my horse saddles. Warning, if you oil the top side, the dye will come off on your clothes.

[doc]

To anyone/everyone on this thread. My problem is never sit bones, it's girly bits. I was wondering if anyone had similar problems and found the brooks to be the solution?

[mimitabby]

To anyone/everyone on this thread. My problem is never sit bones, it's girly bits. I was wondering if anyone had similar problems and found the brooks to be the solution?

I definitely have the girly bits problem too. Since the brooks (b66, b67) supports a bigger/wider part of your rear end, it actually holds the other stuff up higher too.
What I noticed about my great old wonderful brooks that i don't like, is on a long long ride, when i try to flex my back and rotate my pelvis, the pointy
part of the seat bangs my girly bits. BUT while riding, it does a fairly good job of supporting the rest so i only know about the girly bits when I stop abruptly
and slip forward.
I wish i could share that article that I posted about in my other post, but it's copyrighted and it's not legal to do that. But the article and the book (that someone has lent me ) talk a lot about these problems.

[Lauren]

Hi I'm Lauren a newby from Australia, MTB and Old Ladies BSA with chain and skirt guard still fitted :o) I love it to bits.

I have been reading all the posts regarding saddles and I guess that they just prove one thing; no matter how we feel or what we think, it all boils down to personal preference! I have a man's saddle on my MTB and it works for me just fine, of course, the BSA has a British Lion leather saddle with springs and stays, thank goodness it's not on my MTB :o(

Good Cheers, Lauren

[stella]

i am a new brooks user. any of you ever use neatsfoot oil to "soften" the leather? I am thinking about it, but am not sure. I don't want to ruin it, I have the team pro S.

thanks!

[massbikebabe]

The only thing I've ever put on my Brooks is the stuff they sell with it, I think it's called Proofhide. I'd check with them before adding anything different.


karen

[Quillfred]

Uh-oh, now you have me busy pecking away at the keyboard researching the Brooks and the Selle SMP models. I wonder if larger thighs (like mine) would rub on the wider-nosed women's saddles.

It is a funny thing, too, given that they represent two extremes in saddle design. I just realized that on 30+ mile rides, I have to limit riding in the drops due to bits-squish on my stock Bontrager.

[stella]

Quillfred, I first ordered the men's B17 Champion because I was concerned about my thigh rubbing. The B17 hurt my soft tissue. I ended up with the Team Pro S, same width as the B17 men's but wider in the soft tissue area. I set the saddle up the way that Brooks recommends and I have minimal soft tissue pain (compared to all the other saddles I tried!).

The team pro was recommended for riders that spend time in the drops. My handlebar is about 2 inches below my saddle height.

I ended up ordering from Bill at wallingford bicycles. I don't know the web address. They have a 6 mos return policy. I returned the B17 and was refunded pretty quickly. Plus, Bill answered every question I had. excellant customer service, clearly he has a passion for cycling and wants you to ride whatever saddle works for you.

I hope this helps!

massbike--thanks for the advice, I think I will just stick with the proofhide and be safe and sure.

[bikerchick68]

I ordered one... wish me luck and thanks for the links! The 6 month return policy is awesome... makes it really safe for me to try this and not worry that I'm gonna be stuck with a $100 saddle that I can't ride! :)

[farrellcollie]

I am trying to decide between the B17 and B17S - The B17 seems very long - but the B17S seems way too short. DId the length take anyone time to get used to? I am concerned about my soft bits - not sit bones. ALso Team PRo S and B17S have the same dimensions - I can't figure out the difference in the two. I have my handlebars a little above my seat (getting used to roadbike slowly). I plan on ordering from Wallingford so I can return it if it doesn't work.

[nuthatch]

I started with the B17S and it was too short for me. There didn't seem to be enough variety in where I could perch because of that quicker narrowing of the saddle. I traded (good old Wallingford!) to the B17 after about three weeks and the nose doesn't seem too long at all.

The Team Pro (I have the B17 on my commuter and the Team Pro on my weekend bike now) is the same size as the B17S but it's made of thicker leather. It works fine for a more horizontal position on drop handlebars. But I've got to say, I wish it had a longer sitting area because I like to move around. The girly bits are still a bit of a problem on very long rides. Your sit bones can force the leather to shape to them but you have to get just the right position to protect those softer parts.

Be prepared to work at making this type of saddle personalize itself to your shape. Some folks love them immediately and others, like me, have had to work for miles and miles to get the leather to shape into a more comfortable form. Once, they are at that point, you don't think about the saddle anymore, no matter how long the ride is!

[stella]

I am trying to decide between the B17 and B17S - The B17 seems very long - but the B17S seems way too short. DId the length take anyone time to get used to? I am concerned about my soft bits - not sit bones. ALso Team PRo S and B17S have the same dimensions - I can't figure out the difference in the two. I have my handlebars a little above my seat (getting used to roadbike slowly). I plan on ordering from Wallingford so I can return it if it doesn't work.

I am a new brooks user, here's my experience (for what it is worth):
interestingly enough, I discovered that the mens B17 and the Team Pro S have the same width (170). I returned the B17 b/c of soft tissue pain. I am currently riding the Team Pro S and have not found the shorter length to be an issue for me. I set the saddle up according to the instructions. Monday I rode 25 miles and had no soft tissue problems.

My handlebars are about 2 inches below the saddle. From what I understand the B17 is for more upright, less time in the drops and the team pro is for folks that spend time in the drops.

[bikerchick68]

I'll keep you posted on my experience too... mine came in yesterday... will ride it this weekend for the first time...

nuthatch... I'm hoping my weight will help break it in faster! LOL... hey, it's gotta be good for SOMETHING! :D

as to the length, I'm already on the Butterfly and it's not real long either so... here's hoping for less soft bits pain!!! My butt is fine... but oh... those soft bits :eek:

[farrellcollie]

I rode my new b17 for 6 miles today - great except for the soft parts which are sore. The saddle was comfortable - I am going to try it for another week or so and see - if no improvement in the soft tissue I will try the S model. I thought it was very comfortable while riding -albeit slippery.

[jobob]

Just remember that a very slight adjustment of the tilt of the saddle can make a huge difference.

So if your "bits" are feeling squashed, you might want to try to tilt the nose of the saddle downward just a smidge. (Or would that be a skosh?)

[snapdragen]

just a smidge. (Or would that be a skosh?)

Or perhaps it's nooge.

[farrellcollie]

I will keep playing with it - I had it too pointed down at first and slid forward. If the soft bits get worked out - it is great. I shall move it down a tittle.

[stella]

farrellcollie,

had to set my team pro s the same as you have set up the b17 (with the nose slightly tilted down).

do you spend time in the drops?

[farrellcollie]

I don't really spend time in the drops - I am new to roadbikes in general and am still getting used to bike - I am waiting for a stem riser to come in because I want handebars up just a bit and lbs was out of them. I haven't figured out how to ride in the drops and still see ahead. I am going to fiddle with tilt before today's ride - for last night - after I adjusted it from being too tilted down - it was pretty level for the majority of ride. This may sound odd - but it was amazing at how I didn't really feel saddle beneath me with the brooks - only when I got off I noticed soft tissue was sore. Today - some soreness still. It may also be some of my adjustment to road bike from very upright hybrid commuter bike and my little downtube folding bike

[stella]

This may sound odd - but it was amazing at how I didn't really feel saddle beneath me with the brooks - only when I got off I noticed soft tissue was sore. Today - some soreness still. It may also be some of my adjustment to road bike from very upright hybrid commuter bike and my little downtube folding bike

not odd at all...I have the same experience with the brooks. It disappears when I am riding. I've never experienced that before on any type of bike. some soft tissue pain--that is disappearing, now, too. I rode 30 miles today and was pretty comfortable. (exams are done--I can just relax, now).

[mimitabby]

After trying the MTB women's saddle and then the butterfly
I finally went and got a B67.
I had already tried a more "sporty" looking brooks, maybe it was the b17, but after 35 miles, there was pain.
With the butterfly, bit and butt pains became the defining moments of the ride at about 12 miles in, so I knew I was NOT making progress.

I rode 16 miles on TUesday on my new (not broken in) brooks b67 and it was SO GREAT. there is still a little of the bits stuff from bumping so i am trying to adjust the seat so that this is minimized (and I'm going to slather on that stuff
that my husband uses to cut back on friction) and I wil be ready to go.
Bigger rides this weekend and next.
Will let you all know. What a relief!

[farrellcollie]

Today I received my team pro s - I put it on road bike and moved b17 over to hybrid commuter where I sit more upright. the team pro s felt better on soft tissue - I think for me the shorter saddle will be better on that bike. I rode b17 last night for 6 or so miles and soft tissue was not as sore when I got off so I am thinking it will be good - particularly on hybrid. I put proof hide on b17 - and it seemed to make it less slippery. hmmm-now for the downtube folder...


First longer ride of the season coming up this weekend - will post after that about saddle progress (at this point I am a lot more worried about clipless pedals than brooks saddle)

[mimitabby]

Farrell
I have the slippery problem too. I fantasize about having chamois on the outside of the bike shorts so i won't be so slippery!

[stella]

mimi and farrell:

a friend of mine has been riding brooks saddles for many years and told me the slippery feeling goes away. For him, he said it took anywhere in between 100-200 miles.

I am at about 100 w/my team pro s--it is less slippery.

[farrellcollie]

I rode scott contessa roadster and brooks team pro s (pre-softened - I realized that today - it is stamped on saddle - I could not tell pre-softened or not from comparing it with b17) today for the first real ride - 20 miles (I know not much compared to most riders on this forum - but I like to slowly build up - middle age is hell) it took (according to bike computer) 1 hour and 40 minutes - some rolling hills in southern illinois - no major hills but not flat as a pancake either. During the ride the saddle felt great ( mostly not noticed at all - slippery still - thanks Stella for the hope of less slipperiness soon) - The shorter saddle is definitely better for me. A little soreness - but not bad and I mostly attribute it to not biking for more than 5 miles at a time commute to work or coupled of 9 or so mile rides on new bike just to get used to feel of it- just being on bike for that long is going to cause me some soreness at this point. I am tempted to try the champion flyer s sprung saddle - the only discomfort on saddle today was going over a few potholes - then I felt the hardness pretty strongly on backside.

[mimitabby]

congrats Farrell! On my two rides this weekend I was so happy that my butt was not the focus of ALL of my thoughts for a change.
I had a little soreness too, but like you said, that is to be expected because i haven't been riding much.

[farrellcollie]

I rode 16 miles on TUesday on my new (not broken in) brooks b67 and it was SO GREAT. !

Mimi - Is the b67 very springy? what kind of bike do you have it on? I am very tempted to try springs - I now know I really like the brooks and the size that works for me - now on to sprung or unsprung. Poor Wallingford - but yea their exchange policy - and I don't feel too bad about trying another saddle because I know I am going to keep at least two of them as soon as I determine the right model.

Stella - did you ever try a sprung? any disadvantages that you know of (other than total lack of coolness) to riding road bike with sprung saddle?

Thanks

[mimitabby]

the saddle is not springy. You can't feel those springs. It is stable as it can be. Now the cons to this are that the springs add weight. if you are way freaked out about how many ounces your seat post weighs, don't get this saddle.
Because my husband is a little nutzo about that very thing, i tried 4 other saddles first. (that cost some $!) but i still came back to the b67 saddle..

[mimitabby]

okay, so what's it mean if you feel like you need to hold yourself back with your arms, like you are sliding forward.. but when you push yourself to the back of the seat, it feels like you should bend your torso down (like in a racing position)
but then if i tilt the seat up more, then the girl bits get smushed too much..
one thing about it, i am not going to get any hot spots because I am moving around so much trying to find the right place on the saddle!

[stella]

Stella - did you ever try a sprung? any disadvantages that you know of (other than total lack of coolness) to riding road bike with sprung saddle?

Thanks

The only disadvantages is the pressure on the soft tissue because of the riding position on a road bike with the handlebars set below the saddle. I believe, based mostly on my experience, that this is because I ride differently on my road versus my commuter versus my (recently sold ) 3 speed comfort bike.

On my road bike (w/the team pro s): there are times I am slightly off my saddle to absorb the road bumps. (In this position, my pedals are in the 9am and 3pm position, my arms are slightly bent and I am barely on the saddle). Also, because the handlebars are lower, my soft tissue tends to make more contact with the saddle, esp those times I am in the drops. I think this is why the b17 did not work for me on this bike.

On my commuter (which has dropped handlebars and the B17): the saddle and handlebars are just about even. I tend to be more upright and on my saddle a lot more. More pressure is on my rear bones due to my riding position, but some still on the soft tissue. I still get off the saddle when hitting bumps or the unavoidable pot hole.

My experience with sprung saddles has been limited to 3 speed bikes. (the type was ridden by the Wicked witch of the West in "Wizard of Oz"). The sprung saddle was very comfy. more of my weight was on the rear bones than the soft tissue. Sort of like sitting at my desk.

Another recent discovery: if the shorts have more padding (my nalani brand shorts), I have more soft tissue pain on my road bike. Niethre my sugoi's shorts nor my adidas bibs give me that problem, regardless which bike/saddle. I concluded that is because of the padding.

However, with Bill's return policy, I say try the sprung model.

how goes the assessment between the b17 and the team pro s?

[farrellcollie]

okay, so what's it mean if you feel like you need to hold yourself back with your arms, like you are sliding forward.. but when you push yourself to the back of the seat, it feels like you should bend your torso down (like in a racing position)
but then if i tilt the seat up more, then the girl bits get smushed too much..


Can you move the saddle forward or back a little on the rails? I don't know if this will mess up pedal position - but I have played with mine in terms of forwards or backwards on the rails for the same thing you are describing- I do not mean move saddle position up or down. Doing it has not appeared to hurt my knees - and I am very sensitive to joint pain and its avoidance - I want to keep my jointed parts.

[farrellcollie]

how goes the assessment between the b17 and the team pro s?


Thanks for all the info - I will watch and see what effect shorts have on soft tissue issues- I have put the team pro s on road bike - seems like a good fit for me - only asking about sprung due to pothole/bumpy road conditions around here (for example- my folder - used to commute along with hybrid- rides harsh anyway and the idea of bumping down on unsprung brooks riding my folding bike is not a pleasant thought)- only time I felt sit bone pain on sunday's ride was on a patch of really rough road - I resorted to standing up. Team Pro s definitely better for my soft tissue - and at this point I have my handlebars either at or a smidgen higher than seat (I don't have a level - this is just from eyeballing it) to relieve elbow and wrist pain and to get used to new bike. I am going to try b17 on my upright hybrid commuter for awhile - but the bad roads/potholes on my commute are something. Despite rough road yesterday - I am not really sore today - had some soreness yesterday but I attribute that to not being on bike for more than about 30 minutes at a time since december - and not very consistently at that.

[stella]

farrellcollie: I understand. we have some real rough patches out this way, too. I definately see why you want to try the sprung saddle. After I responded to your question, I went out to the store to get fresh veggies and noticed that I automatically stand up when I hit the rough patch of road. I never noticed that I did that before. (I was riding my commuter).

If you do try the sprung saddle, let me know how it goes. My curiosity is peaked.

mimi: I am glad to hear you got the saddle that works for you.

[farrellcollie]

The b17 is working well on the hybrid despite lack of springs because I have a suspension seatpost. I (apparently when school lets out - I go wild) have ordered a champion flyer s just to try the springs- I will make and update.

[nuthatch]

The b17 is working well on the hybrid despite lack of springs because I have a suspension seatpost. I (apparently when school lets out - I go wild) have ordered a champion flyer s just to try the springs- I will make and update.

What sort of bike are you going to put the champion on, farrell?

[farrellcollie]

I am going to try it on road bike or downtube folder that I use to commute along with my hybrid.

[Quillfred]

The Brooks Team Pro that I ordered from Wallingford arrived today.

First impressions are

1) Bliss (who doesn't like opening something new!)

2) It is sleek and beautiful but my it is heavy (as I remove my light Bontrager)

3)installed and to be continued.....

Le Q

[mimitabby]

Farrellcollie,
sorry i didn't answer your question. I have the b67 on my raleigh cross
bike and on the back of a tandem.
I JUST bought a new bike. a bianchi roadbike. When I get it, i willhave the same problem all over again; What saddle to put on my racy little bianchi?
sigh..



Mimi - Is the b67 very springy? what kind of bike do you have it on? I am very tempted to try springs - I now know I really like the brooks and the size that works for me - now on to sprung or unsprung. Poor Wallingford - but yea their exchange policy - and I don't feel too bad about trying another saddle because I know I am going to keep at least two of them as soon as I determine the right model.

Stella - did you ever try a sprung? any disadvantages that you know of (other than total lack of coolness) to riding road bike with sprung saddle?

Thanks


\

[stella]

The Brooks Team Pro that I ordered from Wallingford arrived today.

First impressions are

1) Bliss (who doesn't like opening something new!)

2) It is sleek and beautiful but my it is heavy (as I remove my light Bontrager)

3)installed and to be continued.....

Le Q

congrats on the purchase! look foward to the next chapter.

farrellcollie: how's the clipless adventure going?

[wabisabi]

Has anyone else noticed that Brooks makes leather handlebar tape to match the saddles? Expensive, but what a nice look!

[Veronica]

Fluffy is sporting it in black. You can kind of see it in that picture I posted of me looking dead on DMD in the Amici Veloci on Diablo thread.

I really need to take some pictures that show the lugged stem I got for Christmas and that leather bar tape. I really like it and it does fine in the rain.

V.

[farrellcollie]

I JUST bought a new bike. a bianchi roadbike. When I get it, i willhave the same problem all over again; What saddle to put on my racy little bianchi?
sigh..\


What a happy problem to have. which bianchi?

I just got my champion flyer s (sprung) and have put it on my downtube folder - I will be trying it on my scott road bike tomorrow. I was a little worried about the weight of the b67 and the champion was a little narrower I think. I will report back.

[farrellcollie]

Well, I have not yet tried champion flyer s on road bike because I am getting so I love the team pro s - still harsh on rough road - but if I remember to lift up a bit - it is fine - I forget about saddle all together. Sprung is working well on downtube folder - helps with bumps - it feels a little wider than team pro s and I am still fiddling with tilt (that is the biggest problem I have - probably why I don't want to change saddle off my road bike - I finally seem to have gotten it right and the thought of having to go through the little fiddly bits is not a happy prospect)

[nuthatch]

Well, I have not yet tried champion flyer s on road bike because I am getting so I love the team pro s -

That's great to hear! I seem to be changing my fore/aft tilt all the time, depending on what kind of mood my seat region is in. For some reason, the Pro hasn't taken as long to start shaping itself to me.

[mimitabby]

What a happy problem to have. which bianchi?

I just got my champion flyer s (sprung) and have put it on my downtube folder - I will be trying it on my scott road bike tomorrow. I was a little worried about the weight of the b67 and the champion was a little narrower I think. I will report back.

Hi the bike is a 2002 Bianchi Veloce 49cm. It has a bontrager saddle and I have heard nothing good about them.

I won't get it until sometime this coming week. am going nuts waiting.

[stella]

mimitabby; beautiful bike! I see why it is tough to wait! will you put the brooks saddle on it?

farrellcollie: re: the team pro s, I feel the same way--the more I ride it the more I can't imagine giving up this saddle. You know, I gave the riding over rough pavement more thought, I think that there is no saddle that would be comfortable in such conditions, rather: which is the least uncomfortable.

[farrellcollie]

My team pro s was the pre softened model (the regular was out of stock and I was in to immediate gratification) I don't know if that has helped or not- but I now have it fitted so that the saddle just doesn't enter into my mind unless I conciously think about it - and thanks Stella for the reminder to stand up a bit out of the saddle when going over rough ground - it works.

I rode the champion flyer s for six miles today - I like the sprung saddle on my downtube folder - it makes the ride much less harsh. The saddle is wider - so that is causing some rubbing - still adjusting the fit. I don't think an unsprung saddle would work as well on the folder - the sprung part has improved the quality of the ride on the bike.

[mimitabby]

mimitabby; beautiful bike! I see why it is tough to wait! will you put the brooks saddle on it?

farrellcollie: re: the team pro s, I feel the same way--the more I ride it the more I can't imagine giving up this saddle. You know, I gave the riding over rough pavement more thought, I think that there is no saddle that would be comfortable in such conditions, rather: which is the least uncomfortable.
Stella, yes, i will put a Brooks saddle on it; just not sure which one.

[stella]

Hey all...a silly but exciting thing happened today--my brooks saddle now has dimples from my sit bones! they are small--but I feel like I hit some brooks saddle milestone, to coin a phrase.

[mimitabby]

Hey all...a silly but exciting thing happened today--my brooks saddle now has dimples from my sit bones! they are small--but I feel like I hit some brooks saddle milestone, to coin a phrase.

sounds like you coined the saddle... so to speak :D

[Quillfred]

That's great to hear! I seem to be changing my fore/aft tilt all the time, depending on what kind of mood my seat region is in. For some reason, the Pro hasn't taken as long to start shaping itself to me.

Nuthatch, let me get this straight--do you have a Team Pro (not a S) and another Brooks?

I'm still fidgety with my Team Pro. My sits felt odd, not really sore but wondering if I had a touch of sciatica. I'm not sure if I should proof it or wait to see what my decision will be.

Stella, do you think the seat dimples make it more comfortable?

Oh questions, questions, questions....

[stella]

Quillfred: the seat dimples indicate that the saddle is breaking into my sit bone shape and will become more comfortable as time goes on b/c the saddle is my shape. So far, I find the Team Pro S to be pretty comfortable.

It did take some time to dial in the saddle to the correct position on my bike--but that has always been the case regardless of the saddle. I have the nose very slightly pointed down (looks pretty level to the naked eye).

[KnottedYet]

Is there a difference other than length of the nose?

I'm leaning toward the long-nosed one. My main reason for the b67 over the others is for the width. I've got the wide version of sitz bones.

And will my skort get caught in the springs?

(and can I really justify buying a Brooks? For my $400 bike?)

Edit: fickle me, I've gone back to my first choice. The B72. I like those goofy looking springs, and with free shipping over $100 the seat sandwich will push my order over into the free shipping zone. Just called Wallingford but he was closed for the weekend. I have 2 days to talk myself out of this! (but do I want to?)

[massbikebabe]

Hi Knotted,

It is definitely worth buying a brooks for any price bike because you can always change them from one bike to another, and once you find the comfort zone you will never want to change saddles again!


Also, to you ladies who are finding saddles slippery. What I did was apply the proofhide and then hand buffed it into the saddle...worked like a dream!!



karen

[farrellcollie]

(and can I really justify buying a Brooks? For my $400 bike?)




Yes you can - have two bikes that were each under 400 and I bought brooks for both as well as $$$roadbike. I commute on the other bikes, don't use cycling clothes and the brooks are great. I just lent my folder to a coworker for next week (she is trying to decide whether to commute on bike before buying one) and offered to change saddles if she didn't like the brooks - she tried bike and both saddles and chose to use the brooks champion flyer s rather than squishier saddle.

[stella]

(and can I really justify buying a Brooks? For my $400 bike?)

You sure can! I have a brooks b17 on my beater/commuter bike (this bike cost me $7.00 at a yard sale, well, actually it cost me nothing b/c some friends of mine purchased this bike for me as a "changing careers/going back to school" gift).

A comfortable saddle is worth the bikes weight in gold! The more comfy I am, the more I ride!

[mimitabby]

we still had a good 20 miles of the ride to go, but couldn't resist the photo op.
please note the stoker saddle. it's a brooks b67

[KnottedYet]

Is that a Soft Ride beam in the stoker position?

yeah, a B67 is on my list for Santa. (or S.O.)

[mimitabby]

yes, it is a soft ride beam but don't ask me how good it is, it's the only tandem
i've ever rode (and i still went through 4 saddles in 1 year!)

[KnottedYet]

I have joined the Brooks cult....

Just ordered my black/black frame/black springs B67 from Wallingford. Should get here on Tuesday!

Ooooh! Finally a seat that spans my entire sit bones, not just one that goes barely from one to the other!

And springs to dampen the jolts from my aluminum frame!

I can hardly wait.....

(PS, I chatted with Bill about Wallingford and his first shop, and his shop used to be about 10 blocks from where I lived in Wallingford.)

[donnambr]

Please keep us up to date on the B-67. I'm seriously considering it for my Breezer. What kind of seatpost do you use?

[KnottedYet]

I have a plain ol' Kona post that came with my bike. The B67 doesn't require an adapter or "seat sandwich", but the B72 does. The B67 should fit my post just fine. Quillfred was having some trouble with her Brooks racing saddle and the smaller post her cyclocross bike came with. Might want to check with her and see how that turned out.

[KnottedYet]

I just got my Brooks B67! Got here very quickly.

Oh, wow! This is the coolest thing! I am in awe!

First, it was very easy to put on my bike. It fit my micro-adjust seat post just fine, and adjusting the tilt and fore-aft was simple. The new leather is hard, like thick cardboard, and slippery. I'll proofhide it later today. The black seat, frame, and springs match my bike and it doesn't look at all funny or dorky.

Riding on it was amazing. I've never sat on a seat that instantly felt so great! And it's not even broken in yet. The leather doesn't feel hard when you're on it. Yes, it's slippery, but it's a minor issue that will fade and it didn't really effect the ride. My sit bones were happy, there was no discomfort in the "soft" tissues, and it was just so COMFORTABLE.

The nose is nice and narrow and doesn't interfere with pedalling at all. The change from sit area to nose is very abrupt, so I had none of the pinchy-rubbing of the insides of my thighs against a gradual change in width that I usually get when I pedal. I didn't notice the springs at all. No bounce. I think they did make the ride smoother, though.

The really wild thing is the difference I felt in my shoulders and neck! My arms and shoulders were so relaxed, and the little headache/neckache I usually get just never showed up.

I had no idea how uncomfortable my "comfortable" saddle was until I put the Brooks on my bike. It's like having a whole new bike, that fits me a bazillion times better and is a whole lot smoother.

[jobob]

Ah, another convert. :cool:

[KnottedYet]

Just for fun (for you Brooks Believers) go to the Surly Long Haul Trucker owners' group site, and see how many of those folks put Brooks on their bikes!

http://surlyville.net/surlylht/

this is one of the bikes I'm considering for my "Dream Tourer". Along with Jamis Aurora, Soma Double Cross, and Burley Vagabond.

[WrensMom]

My new Brooks saddle is due to arrive today via FedEx Ground. After the last go-round with that awful Selle San Marco Nelson Lady, I decided to just go ahead and try the Brooks, even though they were out of the one I originally planned on getting (B17S, regular black). So I ordered the Team Pro S, in the presoftened black. I am *really* hoping that this is the ticket <fingers crossed>

[mimitabby]

good luck, WrensMom.
I look forward to hearing about how this saddle works out for you!

[KnottedYet]

me too! My B67 (for the wide-of-sit-bones) salutes your Team Pro S!

[dachshund]

I've decided to take the plunge and buy a B17. I have no idea what saddle is on my Bianchi, it's some no-name brand. (I'm sure it has a name, but it's something like "ABC" or "XYZ"..) I've been somewhat in denial about the soreness from it, because, well, I didn't get sore on my old Bianchi, and it had one of those darned tough leather seats! Gosh darn it.

So it occured to me to research leather saddles. (well Duh) After reading this thread 3 or 4 times, I bought a B17 today. I'll report on it as soon as it gets here.

I sent an email to the company to ask a question. In the reply, the fellow mentioned I might look up a site called Team Estrogen, because their forum has informative discussions about saddles! From half-way around the world... what did we ever do without the internet, I ask ya.

-Amy

[mimitabby]

I sent an email to the company to ask a question. In the reply, the fellow mentioned I might look up a site called Team Estrogen, because their forum has informative discussions about saddles! From half-way around the world... what did we ever do without the internet, I ask ya.

-Amy

Didja buy from Wallbike?
:)

[dachshund]

Yes, ma'am. :)

[WrensMom]

KnottedYet--So how wide are your sit bones? I am really hoping that the 177mm of the Team Pro S will work for me, as my bones are at 159mm. My DH said that he would ridicule me if I got a saddle with springs!:rolleyes:

[mimitabby]

the springs mockers in my club quit mocking my springs when they saw me sit for 100 miles in one day on a new saddle without any discernable discomfort. Further dampening their case against my saddle was when another couple got brooks front and back on their tandem.

Now (get this!) my husband wants a B67 too!! he is going to sell his b17 so he can "move up" to the real thing.

[WrensMom]

Well, actually, I don't know what the verdict is yet. I can feel that I am on my sit bones, so that's a good thing, but it still seems like I am smashing the girly-bits also to a degree. Since the saddle is convex, I think the bones are sitting lower than the bits, hence the smashing:( Even tho the stated width of the saddle is 177, and my bones are at 159, the "usable" sit bone distance on it appears to be quite a bit less than 177--so frustrating--I wish these saddle makers would say what the maximum usable sit bone distance is on these things; that would make choosing one a lot easier. Anyway, I only rode it a short way (had to get back to my toddler), and since Wallingford has the 6 month return policy, I plan on giving it a serious try before I really decide. I will fiddle around with the adjustments and see if I can get it in a position that works. So, Mimi, I may have to face the spring-mockers after all:rolleyes:

[WrensMom]

Hey Mimi, another question--do you have a B67 on your Bianchi, or only on your tandem? There is this part of me that just really wants my Veloce to stay "cool", if you know what I mean:o But of course comfort is paramount to coolness, in the real world--wish I could have it both ways!:cool:

[mimitabby]

Hey Mimi, another question--do you have a B67 on your Bianchi, or only on your tandem? There is this part of me that just really wants my Veloce to stay "cool", if you know what I mean:o But of course comfort is paramount to coolness, in the real world--wish I could have it both ways!:cool:
I have a brown b67 on the tandem and a black b67 on the Bianchi.

how is This not cool??:cool:

[KnottedYet]

I have the same saddle on my Kona that Mimi has, except mine has black springs. Unless you're really looking, the black springs are pretty unnoticable.

My sit bones are nearly 180 mm outside edge to outside edge. If the goal is to get the sitz in the center of the "cheek" of each side of the seat, there is no way I could do that on any of the smaller saddles, I would just be perched on the very edges of the saddle.

Lemme tell ya, it is SO comfy to have the bones supported completely! I can't believe it! And as the hard leather is starting to soften, it just gets better. From what I've gathered, the leather never softens to the point you get the "gel seat syndrome".

My next bike (steel tourer) will also have a Brooks. Probably another B67 or a B72.

[mimitabby]

Lemme tell ya, it is SO comfy to have the bones supported completely! I can't believe it! And as the hard leather is starting to soften, it just gets better. From what I've gathered, the leather never softens to the point you get the "gel seat syndrome".


warning! My husband rode his b17 on a 24 hour bike ride. it rained for many hours that day. the seat is no longer shaped like a shovel, it is now shaped like
a tent. it fits exactly to the crack of his butt!

so, if it's raining and you are on a 24 hour bike ride, you CAN ruin your brooks leather saddle.

but of course, he bought a new one!

[WrensMom]

My sit bones are nearly 180 mm outside edge to outside edge. If the goal is to get the sitz in the center of the "cheek" of each side of the seat, there is no way I could do that on any of the smaller saddles, I would just be perched on the very edges of the saddle.

Hmmm...I measured mine center to center at 159mm. If I went outside edge to outside edge, they would approach what yours are. Maybe this explains part of my problem. I have a feeling that the B67 is in my future, and spring-mockers be damned:p I wonder if there is any correlation between the wide sit bones and the fact that the pushing stage of labor with my daughter only lasted 15 minutes--it would be comforting to know that the wide bones are good for something, since they are obviously a PITA in regards to finding a bike saddle!:rolleyes:

[WrensMom]

Mimi--Your bike is definitely cool:cool: ! Thanks for posting the pic so I can see how mine would look with a B67 on it. So how did you attach your seat wedge bag--to the springs?

[mimitabby]

Mimi--Your bike is definitely cool:cool: ! Thanks for posting the pic so I can see how mine would look with a B67 on it. So how did you attach your seat wedge bag--to the springs?
wedge bag attachs to seat post and to two little dealys on the back of the saddle. i don't know what they are called. Slots?

[WrensMom]

Cool. I just got a wedge bag I really like from the Bianchi website to match the bike. It even has a built-in light. My DH thinks it is goofy, but he is a man, what does he know:rolleyes:

[mimitabby]

Cool. I just got a wedge bag I really like from the Bianchi website to match the bike. It even has a built-in light. My DH thinks it is goofy, but he is a man, what does he know:rolleyes:

oh, please show me the link! I can't get one, but i'd like to get it.
oh nevermind, i found it. You're right it is REALLY nice!!

[WrensMom]

Glad you found it:) We are just going to have to meet up one of these days and ride our bikes together:D Esp if we have matching saddles and wedge bags LOL. I got the celeste color bottle racks and bottles (like yours also!) from that site too. The shipping was really reasonable and it came quickly.

[Quillfred]

warning! My husband rode his b17 on a 24 hour bike ride. it rained for many hours that day. the seat is no longer shaped like a shovel, it is now shaped like
a tent. it fits exactly to the crack of his butt!

so, if it's raining and you are on a 24 hour bike ride, you CAN ruin your brooks leather saddle.

but of course, he bought a new one!

Mimitabby

Did he use the seat cover? Inquiring minds need to know. :confused:

Quill

[mimitabby]

Mimitabby

Did he use the seat cover? Inquiring minds need to know. :confused:

Quill

you mean while he was riding?? NO.
but he didn't even own the seat cover back then.

He had no idea that the leather saddle could get completely wet in 24 hours at body temperature and bathing conditions.

I'm thinking that even with a cover, this would have happened.

A sane person would have stayed home. lol

[melissam]

I have ordered a B17S from Bill at www.wallbike.com. It should ship on Monday and I'll get it by the end of next week.

I'm curious to see how this will work for me -- my sit bones are fine on my other saddles, but I notice slight discomfort in the front.

I think I'm going to try the saddle on my mountain bike (which I ride on weekdays for about an hour a day on the trails after work) and on my road bike (weekend warrior).

If all goes well, I'll probably get another one.

I can't wait to check it out!

-- Melissa

PS Here are my "burning questions":
1. Will it be comfortable? I realize that some break in time may be necessary.
2. Will it look out of place on my road bike (Trek 5200 WSD)? (If it's comfortable, who really cares?)
3. Will I like it better on one bike than the other?
4. How hard will it be to find the seat post settings with the new saddle?
5. Is the uniquely conforming leather saddle thing all it's cracked up to be?
6. How does this work if your seat bones are kind of narrow?

I know, I probably over think these things. :o

[mimitabby]

I have ordered a B17S from Bill at www.wallbike.com.
"burning questions":
1. Will it be comfortable? I realize that some break in time may be necessary.
2. Will it look out of place on my road bike (Trek 5200 WSD)? (If it's comfortable, who really cares?)
3. Will I like it better on one bike than the other?
4. How hard will it be to find the seat post settings with the new saddle?
5. Is the uniquely conforming leather saddle thing all it's cracked up to be?
6. How does this work if your seat bones are kind of narrow?

I know, I probably over think these things. :o

Do you think it looks out of place on my Bianchi? (see about 8 posts up)

it took me about 3 tries to get the post set up just right.

at first you will be surprised because it is HARD. be sure to treat the saddle with the leather treatment.
then you will notice 10-20 miles down the road that it's still hard but you're not sore.
then you will notice 30-50 miles down the road that this is the best saddle you've ever sat on.
I have one on each of my bikes.

[melissam]

Mimitabby,

Actually, it looks quite good on your Bianchi! Your pic was one of the factors in my deciding to give the Brooks a try, so thanks for posting it!

The thing is, though, that I associate Bianchis with traditional cycling, and I also associate Brooks with traditional cycling. Treks in carbon fiber, not so much. (I know, I'm weird.)

Yep, I'm definitely overthinking all this.

Oh, and thanks for the mileage guideance. I'll reserve my opinion until I've put about 50 or so good miles on her.

-- Melissa

PS I have a very traditional 20+ year old Bianchi: steel framed with friction shifters on the downtube and a double chainring. I love it! I'd probably still be riding it if I could have figured out a way to convert to a triple chainring without spending a gazillion dollars.

[farrellcollie]

I think they are so good that I put a brooks on all three of my bikes. I want a 4th bike so I can try the B67.

[dachshund]

PS I have a very traditional 20+ year old Bianchi: steel framed with friction shifters on the downtube and a double chainring. I love it! I'd probably still be riding it if I could have figured out a way to convert to a triple chainring without spending a gazillion dollars.

Melissa - can you tell me more about your older Bianchi? Do you know what model it is (if the lettering is still there), and does it still have the original saddle? I had an entry-level racing bike in 1980, but I sold it years ago. I was trying to find out what saddle it may have had.

thanks, Amy.

[melissam]

Ahem, slight thread hijack follows, but it would be rude to not answer Amy's question. ;)

Amy,

It's a Bianchi Limited. Mine has an 18" frame, which was one of the few bikes that fit me @ 5' 1" in the mid-80's. I don't remember what saddle it came with from Bianchi, because the bike shop put an Avocet Women's saddle on it when they built it.

I found an ad for a used Bianchi Limited which is spec'd like mine (tubing & components), and he says it has an original Kashimax saddle.
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t132020.html

Edit: Oops, I found another web page with a Bianchi Limited from that era, and it mentions a Selle Italia "Bianchi" saddle. That sounds more correct than the Kashimax saddle.
http://www.geocities.com/tristar350/Bianchi2.html

Thanks for the excuse to walk down memory lane! :)

-- Melissa

And now, back to your regularly scheduled Brooks saddle discussion...

[dachshund]

Thank you!

[KnottedYet]

Here is my Brooks B67 on my Kona. It is the same saddle as Mimi's except I have the black springs instead of the chrome springs.

(cross your fingers. this is the first time I've used my camera and the first time I've tried to post a pic)

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m21/KnottedYet/DSCN0002-1.jpg

[WrensMom]

Ooh, I like the way the black springs are more subtle! On the Wallingford site, the only B67 they have with black springs says it is the "pre aged" leather (as opposed to the pre-softened), and they have a photo of a pre-aged brown one, but not a black. Is yours pre-aged? The brown one they show looks kind of sandblasted, and I was concerned about how it would look on a black one. Probably I am just being petty:o

[KnottedYet]

Nope, mine is unaged black leather just like Mimi's. If you call Bill at Wallingford and tell him you want black springs he might have one with black springs in stock (that's what I got) or you can order black springs seperately to swap out.

I don't know if Bill will swap them before he sends it to you, you'd have to ask.

I was going to order the regular chrome/black B67 and a set of black springs (which only cost $12 and then I would qualify for free shipping... essentially getting the 2nd set of springs for free) but Bill had black/black B67 in stock and so he sent me that instead.

My saddle is definitely starting to break in... wow is it great! I think I've got about 80 miles on it at this point. I did have a creaking issue as it started to break in, but Diane at Wallingford told me how to fix it. No problem.

[melissam]

I got my Brooks saddle yesterday -- a day before it was due to arrive. Wallingford Bikes rocks!

I proofhided it (top & bottom), read all the docs that came with it, and put it on my bike. It looks fabulous on the Trek.

Then I thought I'd try it out. Well, it's dark, and I live on the middle of a steep road, so my test area was the driveway. The test area was even shorter because my roommate's fullsize extra cab beast of a pickup was parked on it. Nevertheless, I gave it a go to try to get the seat height, fore/aft placement, and tilt dialed in. No such luck! By the time I clipped in, I was practically at the end of the driveway, where I had to turn around and get back to the driveway. This involved going up (maybe 10 feet), then turning (steep downhill sure builds speed quickly), and going back up the driveway before hitting the pickup truck. All this in the dark. With no streetlights.

The plan is to bring the road bike to work tomorrow, and dial in the seat settings from the comfort of our well-lit parking lot after work. If all goes well, I hope to get the innaugural break-in ride taken care of.

-- Melissa

[WrensMom]

Cool. Which one did you end up getting?

[mimitabby]

I got my Brooks saddle yesterday -- a day before it was due to arrive. Wallingford Bikes rocks!

I proofhided it (top & bottom), read all the docs that came with it, and put it on my bike. It looks fabulous on the Trek.

Then I thought I'd try it out. Well, it's dark, and I live on the middle of a steep road, so my test area was the driveway. The test area was even shorter because my roommate's fullsize extra cab beast of a pickup was parked on it. Nevertheless, I gave it a go to try to get the seat height, fore/aft placement, and tilt dialed in. No such luck! By the time I clipped in, I was practically at the end of the driveway, where I had to turn around and get back to the driveway. This involved going up (maybe 10 feet), then turning (steep downhill sure builds speed quickly), and going back up the driveway before hitting the pickup truck. All this in the dark. With no streetlights.

The plan is to bring the road bike to work tomorrow, and dial in the seat settings from the comfort of our well-lit parking lot after work. If all goes well, I hope to get the innaugural break-in ride taken care of.

-- Melissa

quite an exciting test ride! I'm glad you didn't crash into the pickup.

[melissam]

quite an exciting test ride! I'm glad you didn't crash into the pickup.

Yup, and so's my roommate! ;)



Cool. Which one did you end up getting?
A B17S. In basic black.

KnottedYet, I've been meaning to tell you that the saddle looks really cool on your Kona. Thanks for posting the pic.

-- Melissa

[dachshund]

Thanks for the pictures - they look lovely! I'm getting a black B17 for my Bianchi.

Slight wrinkle, I ordered mine on July 10, and haven't received it yet. :( I made a strategic mistake in choosing paypal to buy the saddle. Usually paypal is instant, but at Wallbike this delays the process several days. I'm going to contact them and suggest they make this clear on their website.

To make matters worse, FedEx delivered the package to the wrong address on Wednesday. Bummer! But the folks at Wallbike have kept on it, and I should get it this evening.

[melissam]

I have gone on two (count 'em, 2!) test rides with my new Brooks B17S saddle on my Trek 5200 road bike. Somewhere it said to keep the initial rides kind of short, so I've only gone a grand total of 34 miles. This has been enough to answer some of the questions I had in a prevous post.

1. Will it be comfortable? I realize that some break in time may be necessary.
Answer: Oh, it's pretty comfy! I notice a little pressure in the girly bit area, but nothing terrible, and sometimes I even hit saddle nirvana which I hope is a promise of things to come.

2. Will it look out of place on my road bike (Trek 5200 WSD)? (If it's comfortable, who really cares?)
Answer: It looks great. And it's comfortable. I think I'm in love. :)

3. Will I like it better on one bike than the other?
Answer: Dunno, because I've only tried it on my road bike. But I can certainly see getting one of these for the mountain bike, which I use for riding trails rather than hardcore technical adventures.

4. How hard will it be to find the seat post settings with the new saddle?
Answer: It was so easy that I was able to do it after having a beer. Or was it two beers? I had measured my old seat height from the ground to the spot above the seat post. When I put the Brooks on, I made sure the measurements were the same, made the saddle tilt be level, and eye-balled the fore-aft. So far, so good. If I get curious, I can probably have my LBS take a look at the seat settings.

5. Is the uniquely conforming leather saddle thing all it's cracked up to be?
Answer: 34 miles is not long enough to tell, but at this point, it's looking pretty good.

6. How does this work if your seat bones are kind of narrow?
Answer: It's fine. Lots of support in the back, and due to the shape of the saddle, I don't notice any chafing on my inner thighs.

To sum it up, so far, so good! I think I may end up trying different seat height settings to see if it helps with the pressure up front. Or I might try loosening the leather tension. Or I might leave it alone and see if it improves after a couple more rides.

Will I be taking advantage of Wallingford Bikes 6 month return policy? Hmmm, at this point, I don't think so. Las Vegas odds are at 300 to 1. ;)

-- Melissa

[Kitsune06]

oh-kay...

I used to think my saddles were great... but now that I'm doing more than just commuting, my sit bones are arguing the point.

You ladies make a good argument for leather saddles, and I'm a huge fan of leather goods. (Note my old and well-broken in doc martins, work/combat boots, etc etc) ...

I have a couple questions though...

My bike is very mountain-bikeish. She's got the rugged, self-decorated but modern and urban-chic look to her- would the black leather with big copper rivets look funny?

I'm looking for a saddle that would be narrow enough for me to be able to 'get back' for descents, etc- would this do the trick? I have narrow hips and it might be harder to get my little rear out o're the knobbies on a downhill, so I want to be sure.

I've been riding cut-outs since forever, and I'm afraid my hood pierce will argue with suddenly 'not' having a cut-out... do any of you have any thoughts?

I won't have to feel that hot 'n numb feeling in my girlie bits, will I?:eek:

... I guess that's it. I have to be sure of these things, because I don't want H killing me for 'needlessly spending MORE MONEY ON THAT **** BIKE!!!!" unless it really helps. ;)

[mimitabby]

IT's kind of funny that you are asking if the brooks looks good on a Mtn Bike because earlier people were asking if it was racy enough for a road bike.
I always considered Mtn Biking to be a little closer to old fashioned bikes... therefore the retro saddle would look great on one. ON the other hand,
some Mtn bikes don't even look like what i think of as bikes anymore....

You don't have to get one with copper rivets.. The leather look is gorgeous, kind of like Bentley cars with leather interiors..
You will start noticing the little "brooks" insignia on the back of random bikes. THere is no "type" of bike for the Brooks, it's simple a type of person. Someone who takes care of their undercarriage.

As for your other q's I will let someone else answer. My husband is getting a B67 for the front of our tandem so we will soon match!

[melissam]

Kitsune06,

Dang, girl, if you can handle a hood pierce, I'm thinkin' the hot-n-numb feeling in the girlie bits will not be a problem for you! :eek:

OTOH, for mountain biking, you might consider one of the men's saddles. They're narrower (for getting back on those descents) and longer (which can be a good thing).

Wallingford Bikes offers a 6 month, no questions asked refund policy, so the most you'd lose out on would be the return shipping, which is about $8.

-- Melissa

[KnottedYet]

I'd be mighty careful with the hood pierce, especially when the leather is still slippery and your position may change. (good lord, that sounded like a line from BLE 20/01!)

If you really needed the cut-out, your ring would've been catching on the edges of the cut-out every time you shifted back or forward, eh?

Depending on the saddle you choose, it might be black leather with silver rivets. (mine has silver) Black leather is always sexy, whatever rivets you end up with.

There are narrower Brooks saddles you could get back on. I'm thinking "Swift", but I'd have to go back to www.wallbike.com to check. Maybe it was "Swallow". (oh, jeez, another ad for Cleis Press...)

Edit: for the price difference, you might just be happier with a B17-Narrow rather than the other two I mentioned. Same dimensions. http://www.wallbike.com/B17.html

[Kitsune06]

Yeah, I was thinking of the B-17 narrow, just for virtue of the price. Weight really isn't a huge concern of mine, but the black and silver look hot.
I tend to like the 'sporty' look with my mtb... the current saddle looks a lot like a roadie uber-slim, huge-cutout Specialized WSD... which isn't specific to this woman, b/c my sit bones almost touch the edge of the cutout on the inside. oO; Very narrow.

I actually *do* have some problems with my pierce and the cut-out, most notable being when the barbell slides out of the normal, 'even' position and one end sticks out more than the other, it gets caught (chamois or not) and yanked (if I'm lucky, torn if I'm not). :eek: But the cutout relieves a lot of the pressure, so I'm between a rock and a hard place. The jewelry is at 8g, so it's hard to tear, thankfully.

I'm reluctant to remove it, because when it *does* stay in place... well... the punchline "I know... it's the cobblestones!" says it all...:p ..and H wonders why I like biking for hours! ;)

Ordinarily I'd be all shy about the topic, but this is TE, and nothing is sacred here. ;) or should I just chalk it up to "We're all ladies here!"? :D

btw, the pierce was done years ago, now, and not at 8g ;) but believe it or not, the hot'nnumb feeling is worse... think tattoo v. piercing.

[melissam]

Kitsune,

Wow, you're made of stronger stuff than I am. Yanking or tearing ... :eek: Well, hopefully the cobblestones make it all worthwhile. :D

Ahem, anyway, I'd forgotten to mention that mtbr has several reviews of the Brooks saddles, many by mountain bikers, some by roadies on the mtbr site (gasp!).

I have a couple of pics, but unfortunately they're a little too big for the TE site, so I need to do some editing.

-- Melissa

[Kitsune06]

I think you ladies are gonna talk me into it.

If my beautiful bike-fund nazi at home asks, I'll tell her I needed a nice saddle to do the 40mi ride on, and I didn't want to attempt to take my 'expensive' $90 saddle back (it now resides on her bike). She'll never believe it's comfortable.

After getting bored enough (and curious enough) I plunked my butt down on some light notebook paper in one of my squishy office chairs (I'm at work) and took the measurement. 155mm. So the b17 should fit well, where the 'n' would be a little too 'n'.

I'm going to figure this in with my hammer gel and hammer flask out of this paycheck and I'll have met (and exceeded... ugh) my allowance this paycheck, but from what I hear of Brooks, it'll be the last time I ever have to really do business with them! ;)

I think what really sealed the deal was the plethora of reviews from MTBR. I use them religiously to justify and research bike buys, (yes, yes, I'm a sheep with the masses) but if they say it's a go, it's at least worth a try.

Dunno if I want to buy proofhide, since I have my own boot/saddle/leather conditioner that's really never lead me wrong... I guess I'll see.

[melissam]

Just for fun, here are some more pics of the B17S Brooks Saddle on a Trek 5200 WSD road bike. For the detail oriented folks, the bike is 47cm with 650 wheels.

Black leather with silver hardware looks HOT!
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1094&d=1153619874

Brooks saddle on a carbon bike with carbon seatpost -- an instant classic!
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1093&d=1153619843

[Kitsune06]

with an outer sit-bone measurement of 155, should I go with the standard or the narrow for my mtb? I suppose I guessed my hips to be quite narrow because I'm pretty thin, but my sitbones must be another matter entirely.

Are the Brooks measurements from the outer edges of the saddle?

...and faced with the prospect of telling H about buying yet another bikey thing, I'm wondering if I should just tinker awhile longer with my current saddle, just trying to tip the nose down a little more or something...

[melissam]

Kitsune,

The measurements on wallbikes.com are taken from the outer edges of the saddles.

Honestly, I think you can get away with the narrow saddle. How wide is your current saddle?

-- Melissa

[Kitsune06]

I'm willing to bet it's 150, actually... but maybe I'm confused. It's the Men's planetbike ARS (though I've since 'given' that one to H and taken an unnamed '03 model WSD Specialized saddle of quite similar width, maybe a hair narrower, and with much less padding.) How could I possibly be comfortable if the 'outsides' of my sitbones are at 155-159, but my seat is so much narrower? I only have sit-bone bruising after about 10 mi, but chafing is forever, unfortunately. =( (and if it matters, it's thighpit/underwear line chafing)

Could my measurements be way inaccurate given that I measured through my thin albeit still existant pants?

[Veronica]

My sit bones measure just under 13 cm and I ride my husband's standard B17 on the trainer. I have a Finesse on my bike. I don't know that I would go narrow. Of course narrow may not actually be about sit bones, but more about thighs. Anyway... talk to them at Wallingford and see what they suggest.

V.

[KnottedYet]

You want your sitbones to be completely ON the saddle, not on the edges over the metal. I would seriously consider the B17 over the B17N. Ask Bill or Diane at wallingford what they recommend. If the bones are just barely perched on the saddle edges you could get some bruising.

The chafing is likely due to the shape of the saddle viewed from above. Pear vs. "T". Sounds like you may be one of the folks who's femur-to-hip-socket angle might require a "T" shape to keep you from chafing at the crease/pantyline/pit.

(compare the top views of the B17N and the B67 for an extreme example of the difference. don't look at width, look at the overall shape)

[Kitsune06]

Given that, then, Knotted, would you suggest the b17S instead?

[dachshund]

Has anyone done this: immerse the saddle in oil over night in order to soften the leather? The guy who manages the LBS is kind of a character, so I take what he says with a grain of salt. But he said to use a product called "neatsfoot", which you get at stores that sell the other type of saddle, the one that goes on a horse...

I'm inclined to just get the proofhide and be done with it.

[KnottedYet]

The magic number: 1-888-731-3537. Bill (or Diane, but most likely Bill) will answer the phone.

When you talk to Bill, tell him what you currently ride and tell him how it looks compared to the B17 and B17S. Tell him your sit bone measurement. Tell him what bugs you about your current saddle. Tell him how you like to ride. He is a huge resource. He (or Diane) would be the best one to help you decide between the B17 and the B17S.

Also be sure to tell him if you like long-nose or short-nose saddles. And don't be afraid to tell him your budget. I told him my budget straight away, and he made absolutely no attempt to sell me something beyond my reach.

With a 6 month trial period, you really can't go wrong!

(for all I know, the B17 has a more abrupt transition than your current saddle, and would solve your chafing problem. Best compare the 3 saddles and discuss it with Bill or Diane. For example: I ride a B67, not a B67S)

[KnottedYet]

Doxie -

I wouldn't do that. On a horse saddle the leather is over a frame and padding. So if you "over" soften the leather it's not a big deal.

On a Brooks the leather is the ONLY thing holding you up. If you oversoften it, it will collapse under you like Mimitabby's husband's did.

Just use the proofhide. Brooks knows what they're doing.

[Kitsune06]

Yep... well... I need to wait until DP okays it... (per the other forum thread! ;)

[mimitabby]

Has anyone done this: immerse the saddle in oil over night in order to soften the leather? The guy who manages the LBS is kind of a character, so I take what he says with a grain of salt. But he said to use a product called "neatsfoot", which you get at stores that sell the other type of saddle, the one that goes on a horse...

I'm inclined to just get the proofhide and be done with it.

a slight coat of proofhide might not hurt, but remember, you don't want this to be soft like a glove. My 30 year old brooks is not soft like that.

[dachshund]

KnottedYet & mimitabby - Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I'm thinking "I need to buy WHAT and do WHAT??" He's also big on the Specialized Jet saddle, with the cutout in the middle. "They've done scientific studies on how it relieves pressure on the nerves... blah blah". I'm thinking "science is great, but everyone's different, dude."

Too bad it's so hot out, it'll be a few days before I can ride again and try out the saddle.

[mimitabby]

KnottedYet & mimitabby - Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I'm thinking "I need to buy WHAT and do WHAT??" He's also big on the Specialized Jet saddle, with the cutout in the middle. "They've done scientific studies on how it relieves pressure on the nerves... blah blah". I'm thinking "science is great, but everyone's different, dude."

Too bad it's so hot out, it'll be a few days before I can ride again and try out the saddle.

don't forget the scientific study that is in that article referenced in this forum!


http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=6246

[dachshund]

Yes! I did read that, which led to the Brooks saddles, and here....
Thanks.

[dachshund]

Well I'm back. I got up early and got my butt out the door on a ride, to beat the heat. While I'm still working on tweaking the position, boy, I'm finally sitting on my sit-bones on this saddle! I did a 12 mile ride. I would normally start feeling some irritation in the soft bits after a few miles. Not today! What a difference.

It's still kind of slippery, so I'll try the proofhide. Now I have to go read up on the correct position - I think I have the tilt correct, but I'm not sure about the front-to-back position where the rails attach to the seat clamp. I tried to match the other one, but along with the slipping, it probably needs tweeking.

I'm grateful to everyone's contributions to this post. There's a lot of good information here!

[stella]

dachshund,

re: the slipperiness of the saddle: I don't know if anyone else experienced this, but, even with the proofhide--my saddle was slippery for about the first 100 miles. Now, it's perfect!

when you get pics--post 'em!

[Bikingmomof3]

My Books B 17S literally just arrived. as soon as I get the boys off to their various events, I plan to brave the heat and take my saddle for a test run. :)

[Kitsune06]

I wonder if it would be feasible to take a very, very fine steel wool (the type used by jewelers) to scuff the surface? This is just a guess, because the only leatherworking I've done has been with boots, but after oiling, the 'blackness' would still be there, it'd just be a hair rougher. Any thoughts?

I'm gonna propose to my DPITA that I get the Brooks as a gift to myself after managing the LIVESTRONG ride Sunday. My parts will be begging for any kind of relief, anyway:eek:

[Bikingmomof3]

Kitsune,
I have no idea how that would work, I know very little about leather. All I can tell you is my new saddle is very, very slippery. I found myself "clenching" a lot to compesate for the slipperiness of the saddle.

Keep us posted on your race!

[Kitsune06]

I'm still sort of concerned about being able to get back on this saddle for descents. It's quite wide... but do I really have to make the choice between sitbone comfort and being able to make descents? I guess I'll talk to Bill unless you ladies have any input...

[KnottedYet]

After I used proofhide about 3 or 4 times and rode about 50-80 miles, the slipperiness really improved.

I've got about 150 miles on it now, and no slip problems at all. (and it's starting to form to my butt, so comfy!)

[dachshund]

Here she is.
1114

[Bikingmomof3]

she is gorgeous! What sort of saddlepack are you using?

[stella]

beautiful bike! The saddle looks great on it, too!
Way to go dachshund!

[KnottedYet]

Oh, beauuuuuutiful!

[dachshund]

Thanks!

The bag is a Jandd Mini Mountain Wedge. I like it because the quick-release strap doesn't interfere with the zipper, and it has a second flat pocket on the bottom for folded-up paper items. Very easy to remove and put back, which I've done several times for the saddle adjustments.

Let's see if the link to their website works:
http://www.jandd.com/search_results.asp?txtsearchParamTxt=&txtsearchParamCat=3&txtsearchParamType=ALL&txtsearchParamMan=ALL&txtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSearch&iLevel=2&subcat=4

[Bikingmomof3]

You are welcome. I went to look at the bags. Oh my, so many to choose from. I was planing on getting one for my husband, since he is always sticking stuff in my saddle bag. I think I will let him choose. :)

[mimitabby]

dachsund,
THAT is BEAUTIFUL! I am starting to wish my bianchi was celeste.
the black saddle looks great on there.
About the slipperiness, once the saddle is in the best position, it
will not bother you as much.
You sit on polished wood chairs at home and the slipperiness doesn't bother you does it?
I do know what you mean though, and i'm not meaning to discount it.

proofhide..
I do know that until i got my seat setup correctly, i used to fantasize on my bike rides about velcro to hold me into my seat.

[FreshNewbie]

Question to Brooks saddle users.... I like saddles with cut outs, however I am still searching for a saddle that doesn't give me problems. Have anyone made a switch from a regular saddle with cut out to brooks? How did you find riding without cutout?
I am getting so frastrated and annoyed with having to buy saddles all the time, putting them on taking them off, selling them, buying them Arggggg. Sorry just needed to vant. :(

[Veronica]

I switched from a Terry Butterfly to a Brooks Finesse. I LOVED the butterfly on my old mountain bike. But I couldn't get it to work for me on our tandem. Thom finally just bought the Finesse on the theory that if I hated it, it could go back. I didn't hate it. :D

When I bought a single, I put a Finesse on it. I tried putting the Butterfly on the single this winter. Brooks are heavy saddles and I was trying to lighten up my bike for a hard ride with a lot of climbing. It didn't work and the Finesse went back on.

I do still have the Butterfly on my mountain bike. It always feels a little weird to me at the start of a ride. But 30 minutes into it, I don't notice it. I don't know why it works on the mountain bike, but not the others... more upright I guess.

V.

[mimitabby]

Question to Brooks saddle users.... I like saddles with cut outs, however I am still searching for a saddle that doesn't give me problems. Have anyone made a switch from a regular saddle with cut out to brooks? How did you find riding without cutout?
I am getting so frastrated and annoyed with having to buy saddles all the time, putting them on taking them off, selling them, buying them Arggggg. Sorry just needed to vant. :(

Freshnewbie,
I tried 3 saddles with cutouts (including a terry butterfly) before going to the brooks. DO you sit on a chair with cut outs? does your car seat have cut outs? why on earth would you want your crotch stuck in a cut out? If you are on your sitting bones, your crotch will be somewhat above the seat.

[Quillfred]

Has anyone used a honey or tan colored Brooks? It seems that they can be had for less sometimes.

I'm wondering how the color weathers over time. Does it get a nice burgandy or maroon color? Or does it get a black-shorts black on tan :eek: stain?

Thanks
Quill

[KnottedYet]

I switched from a Serfas with cutout to a Brooks B67. Much prefer the Brooks, don't miss the cutout one bit.

[Bad JuJu]

Glad I came back to read this thread again--I've been used to saddles with cutouts, too, but thinking of making the move to a Brooks since I can't seem to find ANY saddle that doesn't hurt after 20-25 miles.

Also, I put a Bianchi Veloce on layaway a couple of weeks ago and it's that same gorgeous celeste color as yours, Dachshund. Nice to see how the Brooks looks on it--lovely! Wondering how the honey color might look with the celeste, with maybe handlebar tape in a color similar to the saddle. Hmmmm, so many accessories to check out. :D

[Quillfred]

Finally took the plunge and ordered a new green Brooks Finesse for my 2005 Trek 1500 WSD today. While black would have been the "sensible" choice, I already have the Team Pro on my Cyclo and just had to try a new color :D I am looking forward to having more room on a saddle.

I was sorely tempted to go with maroon but that would be too different.

Quill

[KnottedYet]

Rode 39 miles on my B67 today. that critter is definitely breaking in. Didn't even notice my butt the whole ride. Got some nice dimples in the seat now that just fit my sitz bones.

Still having creaking/cracking/snapping/death-throes issues from the frame of the seat. I just keep tightening the adjustment thingy. It doesn't seem to throw the leather off. If it keeps recurring, I'll trade it in for a B72. Could be my riding style, but on the ride today the ride leader said I looked good.

But if I do that I'll have to break it in all over again!

Love Brooks! happy happy joy joy! (even with the sloppy frame)

[xeney]

Also, I put a Bianchi Veloce on layaway a couple of weeks ago and it's that same gorgeous celeste color as yours, Dachshund. Nice to see how the Brooks looks on it--lovely! Wondering how the honey color might look with the celeste, with maybe handlebar tape in a color similar to the saddle.

I am wondering the same thing. I have a celeste Veloce, and right now it has a navy blue Butterfly on it that is perfectly fine. But my neighbor sold me a brand new honey Team Pro (http://www.wallbike.com/TeamPro.html) for $40, and now I'm thinking I might try it on the Bianchi. (I had planned to put it on an old Allez that I'm having painted.)

Someone asked about the honey color ... I have a honey colored B67 on my commute bike, and it's just kind of darkening in some places. It's a very subtle aging and as long as I don't think, "Ew, that's butt sweat," I like it. It took me about six months to develop the butt dimples, but it was comfortable right out of the box.

[Quillfred]

That's a steal on the Team Pro. :eek: I like mine alot except that it is a little less wide than my preference.

The Finesse I ordered is essentially a women's Team Pro with a ti rail. I thought the green would look alot better than the other options except black.

The honey or even maroon would look great with celeste IMHO. Matching leather wraps would be rather sporting--but not here in soggy Seattle.

[khgulledge]

OK - I posted somewhere else (maybe the meaurement post) about some issues I was having with my stock saddle.

I have a Trek Pilot 5.0wsd and have been having problems with pressure and some pain on/in the soft tissue of the crotch area. I bought a Terry Butterfly and this weekend, rode it 53 miles. I really don't know if the seat is set up correctly; I need to check the KOPS to make sure it's correct fore/aft and also check seat height. But, that still may not help.

I found that while riding, I don't feel as if I'm actually sitting on my sit bones. If you are sitting correctly, you should not feel any pressure anywhere else, right? So, if the Butterfly is postioned correctly on the bike, am I not sitting correctly? How do you figure out this? Gosh, I just want a saddle that feels good so I can do longer rides.

I've got either a metric or english century coming up this Saturday and I would really like to ride without pressure/discomfort on girly parts!

I did measure and I think my sit bones are 5-5.25", which is around 130mm. That's kind of narrow isn't it? From the Brooks web site, it seems that the narrowest seats are in the 152mm range (6"). Wouldn't this be too wide?

I'm just so confused on this sitting issue....

Karen.

[KnottedYet]

The saddle you choose needs to be WIDER than your sit bone measurement. In an ideal world, your sit bones would each land in the center of the "cheek" of each side of the saddle.

If you call Wallingford Bicycle Parts 1-888-731-3537 Bill or Diane will answer the phone (unless they are crazy busy)

Tell them what your measurements are, what bike you ride, and how you feel on your current saddle. They will be able to steer you toward a couple Brooks saddles that might work for you.

They are full of knowlege, and don't be afraid to "girl talk" with Bill. He is VERY cool, and understands women's saddle issues. He also won't mind a bit if you ask that Diane call you to discuss girl issues.

They are both great. Call them.

(and no, you shouldn't be weightbearing on anything but your sit bones. Is your seat to high or your handlebars too low, or your posture goofy? Or is it the saddle?)

[Kitsune06]

Just confirming what Knotted said. My sitbones are 155-160ish and I'm going for the B17S, just because it's closer to 170 and should be more accomodating to my wider base. ;) What was hard for me was learning that though I have a skinny butt, my bone measurements could be a little wider than expected- AND that I was sitting on my seat ALL WRONG. I had all my pressure on that little bridge inside one's thighs and very little on my actual sitbones. No wonder I was getting chafing issues, etc...

So... I hear ya. =) I'm sure the more seasoned Brooks pros will be able to confirm/deny my assumptions.

Also... I'm getting my 1st brooks this weekend!!! YEE!

[khgulledge]

Thanks...I'm still not sure whether I'm actually sitting correctly on the saddle. I did the paper towel measurement last night and my bones are narrower! I put the paper towel on the carpet, sat on it and wiggled just a little to make sure I made an impression - then measured and got 4.5"! That's close to 115mm! Can this be wrong??

Anyway, I adjusted the Butterfly so that it's ever so slightly tilted UP and went for a test ride. I also, tried to hold my abs in a little more and concentrated on making sure I sat more on the bones (I think). Riding like that, I didn't have much discomfort in the girly parts area, but I don't think I could ride for a long time like that (abs held in). Could be that my posture on the bike is not correct...

Guess I will try the Butterfly out at Bikefest and go from there.

How do you get your SO/husband to understand the issues you have and that you may need to try SEVERAL saddles before you find the one that's right??

Karen.

[xeney]

Can't help you on the husband issue; mine got terrible saddle sores on his first ride when he got his Giant, and he has a collection of about a dozen discarded saddles (not including the ones he's given away), so he understands. Although he hates Brooks saddles and doesn't believe that I really like them.

But my sit bones are also about 4.5 inches apart. I should probably try some men's saddles. (The B-67 works great for me, but I use it on a very upright bike -- I don't think it would work on a road bike.)

[dachshund]

Also, I put a Bianchi Veloce on layaway a couple of weeks ago and it's that same gorgeous celeste color as yours, Dachshund. Nice to see how the Brooks looks on it--lovely! Wondering how the honey color might look with the celeste, with maybe handlebar tape in a color similar to the saddle. Hmmmm, so many accessories to check out. :D

Congratulations on the bike purchase! I thought about the other Brooks colors, too. The matching handlebar tape might work. The brown honey and brown colors are classic. It was almost a coin-toss for me, but I decided to stick with the black & celeste color combo.

[Kitsune06]

W00t! DGF (not DPITA for now!) just bought me the B17S! *paces staring at the mailbox and repeatedly checks her watch*

[Veronica]

Congratulations on the bike purchase! I thought about the other Brooks colors, too. The matching handlebar tape might work. The brown honey and brown colors are classic. It was almost a coin-toss for me, but I decided to stick with the black & celeste color combo.


You know Brooks does leather bar tape. I have the black. It's very comfortable and holds up well in the rain.

V.

[donnambr]

W00t! DGF (not DPITA for now!) just bought me the B17S! *paces staring at the mailbox and repeatedly checks her watch*

If that's not love, I don't know what is...

[Kitsune06]

well... I haven't been able to thank her properly yet, but hey, the weekend's coming up! :D

[FreshNewbie]

Wait wait Kitsune I am confused, the husband you mentioned is DGF or they are two different people :D ;)

[Kitsune06]

:D um... DGF=Dear Girlfriend. DPITA=Dear Pain In The A$$.

They're both names for the same girl I'm lucky to have supporting me. :D

...my husband and his girlfriend are another matter entirely, and no, I won't go into it.

[FreshNewbie]

sorry I tend to be very very noise sometimes :D

[Bikingmomof3]

W00t! DGF (not DPITA for now!) just bought me the B17S! *paces staring at the mailbox and repeatedly checks her watch*

Let us know how you like it. I have that one and love it. It was nice to begin with, now it is absolutely wonderful. It feels as though nothing is under me. :)

[farrellcollie]

I just ordered a B67 and am sending my B17 back to Wallingford - I can't wait to try the wider saddle on my hybrid.

[Kitsune06]

It's too warm out and I'm a little sickish, so I won't be able to take a trial ride, but my impressions of my B17S are thus:
"Thank god I got the shorter nose! This feels just right!"
"... Is it SUPPOSED to sound like wood when I knock on it?"
"Geez, this thing's slippery on jeans. Gonna be WORSE on lycra!"
"This kinda hurts!" (I lowered the seat half an inch as is suggested on lots of sites and it actually made all the difference, oddly enough!)
"Oh, it didn't come with proofhide?" (I thought they did... hmm. I have boot dressing made of only pine tar and beeswax, the main ingredients in proofhide, so I'll be using that... It worked quite well on my doc martins, which didn't break down until I accidently got actual patroleum on them.. =P)
*knocks on it* "woah. yeah, still sounds like wood." ... (I'll probably do that for awhile... just for the novelty of it.
It didn't seem a whole lot heavier than the old saddle... actually 'bout the same. Seeing the little tabbies on the back, though, made me want to get one of the little leather seat bags.

After adjusting as much as I could without a real trial ride (and in jeans no less, but I usu. ride in cargos unless riding long/hard or with a group) it did feel really comfortable. Not sure how it's going to work with my pierce... might end up taking it out unless something changes or I tip the nose down to put all the weight on my sit bones, but that'd put more weight on my hands (so I don't slide off!) and legs. so... not sure yet.
It looks hot, though. :D

[Quillfred]

Kitsune

I would resist the urge to put anything but Proofhide on the saddle as it could either over soften it, or otherwise make it difficult to exchange should you decide to later.

I had my Team Pro for 3 months and after getting another saddle (Finesse), I realized I want to exchange the old one for the women's version.

I think this is covered earlier in this Brooks Saga.

Quill

[Kitsune06]

I know... and I will be getting the proofhide, but in the meantime, since the saddle itself is black and there's no darkening in the forseeable future, I think I'll just occasionally (i.e. only after getting wet, etc) use this until I can get some.

It's not viscuous like neatsfoot oil or other oils that even Sheldon Brown recommended 'soaking' saddles in... There are very few things from Sheldon's site that I'll disregard, and the 'oil soak' for leather saddles is one. still, lightly dressing the saddle so the summer dryness/dampness doesn't harm it can't hurt too much. Trust me, if the dressing contained tallows or patroleum products, they wouldn't touch it. I know my leathers. :D

[Bikingmomof3]

Yep, sounds about right. The first few times I kept thinking I would slip off :eek: , but I never did. :) I have had mine for maybe 3 weeks and it already has formed to my body and I love it. Very, very comfortable and soft (compared to when I first got it and thought it was quite hard). I have used proofhide twice. I bought the cover for it should I get caught out in the rain. All in all, I am thrilled with my B17S and hope you find a similar fondness for your saddle. Enjoy!

[melissam]

In fact, I love it so much that I finally decided that I needed a Brooks saddle for my mountain bike, which I use for riding on a very flat, non-technical trail after work.

I tried the B17S on my mountain bike, and after I got it positioned correctly, except...it's pretty wide. If I ever do any more technical trails, I'm not sure I could get behind the B17S.

I called Wallbike, and talked to Diana. I ordered the B17 (standard, guys model.) Since my seat bones aren't that far apart, we figured I could use the B17. The longer nose could be an advantage as well for mountain biking. I got the B17 yesterday, and applied the proofhide.

Today was the maiden voyage. I think it's a keeper! I can tell it's not as broken in as the B17S, but time will take of that. It's more slippery than I ever remember the B17S being, but time should take care of that too. The longer nose didn't bother me, but I'm still not sure if I could get behind the seat for those tricky descents.

Good luck with the break-in period, Kitsune! According to the Brooks pamphlet, some people back off the tension 1/2 turn during the initial break in period. I wonder if that would help with the pierce?

-- Melissa

[Kitsune06]

I don't have the 'accessory' kit with my saddle (knowing my propensity to fidget with things and my light weight, I decided against actually getting the tensioning tool) but I'm not sure that backing down the tension would help much as it's all in the 'soft' tissue. I'll see how things work out tomorrow...
Thanks for the idea, though... I'll ruminate on it. =D

[mimitabby]

Hey Kitsune,
don't worry about the tensioner yet you need to break in the saddle first.
I've never touched that adjustment and i'm on my 3rd brooks (for 3 bikes!)
have fun

[KnottedYet]

I've tensioned my B67 8 or 9 times already. Diane at Wallbike said that was the only way to get it to stop creaking and groaning and snapping and twanging. My B67 might be the 5% that just won't stop being noisy.

Pretty sure that after the tri I'll be sending it back. Most comfortable saddle i've EVER used, but I can't stand the noise and feeling like it's gonna fall apart under me.

I'll talk to Bill and Diane, but I think I'll skip the springs which allow the frame to torque and replace it with a B72. I don't want another noisy beastie.

I'm sticking with Brooks.

[Quillfred]

Have you ever noticed how many people want to pet your Brooks? Friends, bike mechanics....might make for a good candid camera episode.

Do other saddles get their share of attention as well? :cool:

[Kitsune06]

I'm just all giddy waiting for my buttdents to form! After I've taken my 6 months, and have it all broken in, I'm so curious to see if I'll still be interested in doing what the guys have done under the "Butchered and Tied" section... I think it'd look nice with the skirts trimmed, but maybe that's just me. My bike sorta goes for the 'rough and minimalist' look... so I'd be interested in doing that so one could see all the naked, empty air under the thick hide.

[mimitabby]

I'm just all giddy waiting for my buttdents to form! After I've taken my 6 months, and have it all broken in, I'm so curious to see if I'll still be interested in doing what the guys have done under the "Butchered and Tied" section... I think it'd look nice with the skirts trimmed, but maybe that's just me. My bike sorta goes for the 'rough and minimalist' look... so I'd be interested in doing that so one could see all the naked, empty air under the thick hide.
Yes, some of those saddles looked really cool like that!
Shouldn't take long for something to change on your saddle that sounds like wood (I have to go check that today!)

[mimitabby]

Have you ever noticed how many people want to pet your Brooks? Friends, bike mechanics....might make for a good candid camera episode.

Do other saddles get their share of attention as well? :cool:

Several years ago people made fun of my saddle when they noticed it. Very few people think it's funny looking now; instead I get a sort of reverence. it's a kick.
:)

[Kitsune06]

1st ride- about 10 miles before an asthma attack and nausea caused me to call it a day... (really gotta look into getting prilosec or something again.. :( )

Observations: You really DO notice it a lot more on the sitbones than anywhere else. Didn't do a whole lot of adjustment, but one thing I've noticed that's irritating me... The seat part is just wide enough, but the skirts seem to flare out a little and it's rubbing on the back of my left thigh. Not the right. I adjusted the l-r swing of the saddle to the left. No dice. Any ideas what this might be?

To spare myself unnecessary agony, I took the pierce out, but after realizing I'm feeling no chafing/rubbing/grinding on anything, I actually don't think it'll be a problem- and I rode with just regular undies and my cargos... no chamois to smooth things over. I like this saddle. I was getting pretty tired of the chafing on the bits. Also, probably related to the slipperiness of the saddle, I had no problems with sliding around on the saddle, even though what I did was all hilly... I just found that sweet spot where my butt 'fit' and there was no sliding from there. Schweet.

... one question, though. If one's weight *shouldn't* be on the nose of the saddle, why do so many mtb'ers prefer long-nosed saddles?

[Bikingmomof3]

Kitsune,
Sorry about the asthma/nausea. I went out earlier to ride and hit a wall of humidity and promprty turned around and went back into my A/C.

Saddle-no clue about the preferenced of MTBs.

My saddle has the sitbone indentations-not really visable, but when my bum is properly on the seat it is as if they become one-weird, but sweet for riding and never a soft tissue issue. As for the flare rubbing your leg-I do not recall that ever being an issue-but when I first rode I wore my capris. Now when I look at my saddle it has formed to my body shape (which is sweet since it has been less than a month), so the sides no longer "flare", but look more contoured to my leg/bum shape, if that makes any sense?

As for your tummy-ask your doc about prevacid-I take it once daily and it works wonders. I did Prilosec and all the others until we stumbled unto this one and no side effects.

[KnottedYet]

the flare on my Brooks skirts also softened and smoothed down. Don't worry. If yours keeps bugging you, call Wallbike. And if after 6 months its still bugging you, send it back.

(I HATE that I'm gonna have to send mine back, when it's really starting to soften up and really form to me! Dang! Next one, B72 probably.)

[Kitsune06]

I'm just going to grin and bear it because all the functionally important parts seem to fit just right. If it's still actually an issue after the 6 mo return date, I might just butcher it... er... 'swallowize' as they call it. Those modded saddles look sooo nice.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I've had my B17S for a few weeks now, and I love it. I rode it without treating it at all for two weeks, then Proof-Hide'ed it twice. It makes no noises (no springs), no flaring problem, doesn't seem too wide (I have "average" woman's hips, not narrow hips), and doesn't seem too slippery. I wear either very thin chamois or none at all, and am having no discomfort on the Brooks. The first few days my sit bones were a little sore but that went away.

I tried tipping the nose down just a bit from the perfect horizontal because I had read somewhere how women's saddle noses should tip down a bit from the horizontal, but I immediately felt like I was sliding forward way too much all the time. Sliding forward so my girly bits were on the hard saddle nose, and my weight thrown onto my hands. Horrible feeling! Tipped it back so the seat is perfectly level. Problem instantly gone, no more sliding forward, girly parts happy again. :) Love my B17S.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Seeing the little tabbies on the back, though, made me want to get one of the little leather seat bags.

I got this nice waxed canvas bag from Velo-Orange:
http://www.velo-orange.com/saddlebag.html
Fits even better on my Brooks because I have the two rear tab loops right on the saddle to put the straps through. I LOVE this bag. Holds all my tools and tube and my lock-cable and a bit extra room for something else like maybe a sandwich and cell phone (but NOT as much stuff as they imply on the website!) Snugs right up under the saddle, and not wide so that my thighs might rub it. Even better, there was no waiting or back-ordering!

[Kitsune06]

Did you guys wear padded shorts while breaking in your brooks? I'm asking b/c I thought bare sitbones would be quicker to make an impression on the saddle, so to speak, but my little sitbones are crying for mercy and the brooks is still unfazed...

[mimitabby]

I wear padded shorts for long rides and street clothes for short (under 10 miles) rides.
the further i go, the paddeder i am.

[melissam]

Did you guys wear padded shorts while breaking in your brooks? I'm asking b/c I thought bare sitbones would be quicker to make an impression on the saddle, so to speak, but my little sitbones are crying for mercy and the brooks is still unfazed...

I'm using padded shorts for breaking in the Brooks.

My road bike has the B17S, and it's feeling pretty darned good! It has 9 rides and 140 miles on it. I haven't tried using non-padded shorts on it, but I have a feeling that I could.

My mountain bike just got a B17 of its very own. It has 3 rides and 40 miles on it, and is getting there. It's not uncomfortable, but it doesn't feel as broken in as the one on my road bike. If it's still not comfy at the 100 mile mark, I'll consider trading it in for a B17S. Nevertheless, at this point I wouldn't want to ride it without my padded shorts.

-- Melissa

[Kitsune06]

*dumb look* oh. I was under the impression you didn't really *need* or *use* padded shorts with Brooks. *smites forehead* well there ya go. BTW, I found out something strange from the 'skirt' issue. It's actually the back of the saddle, and only rubs on the left side, not the right, so I turned the nose of the saddle 1/4" to the left, and though it's still 'noticeable' it's nowhere near what it was. I guess I'm crooked or something... :rolleyes:

[Bikingmomof3]

Did you guys wear padded shorts while breaking in your brooks? I'm asking b/c I thought bare sitbones would be quicker to make an impression on the saddle, so to speak, but my little sitbones are crying for mercy and the brooks is still unfazed...

Yes, I wore padded shorts, but I always do. :)

[melissam]

Kitsune,

You might be crooked. I know I am! (Hey, no comments from the peanut gallery.) :p

Most people have a slight leg length discrepancy (a mm or two). Some of us have larger leg length discrepancies due to injury -- mine is about an inch in the femur. I compensate with shimming and cleat placement, but I still don't sit squarely in the saddle.

As far as the skirt goes, is your saddle level? I accidentally set the tilt angle incorrectly when I moved the saddle back, and I noticed my right leg brushing against the skirt. Now that the saddle is back to level, I don't have any issues with the skirt.

-- Melissa

[jobob]

Kitsune, do you have a B17S? If you're having probs with the skirt width, you might consider trying the B17. It's narrower but still pretty wide over the sit bones.

I know you measured your sit bones width and you believe the B17s might be better for better for you on account of that measurement, but if you get an opportunity, give the B17 a try.

If it's any help, I tried a B17S and I couldn't stand it, so I tried the B17 and that was fine for me. But I've never measured my sit bone width, I just went by trial and error (which was pretty painless on account of Wallbike's great return policy).

hth, - Jo.

[Kitsune06]

Hmmm....
How would I test where my sit bones are 'sitting' on the brooks? Worse comes to worst, I can always take that hand-strengthening putty and put it in a sandwich baggie, spread out real thin, I guess. It feels like those are all in the right place, and my right leg feels no discomfort at all. I started with the saddle at mostly-level, the back raised just a hair from even... the only thing I've noticed to *really* affect the edge of the saddle (seemingly actually that rivet on the back left 'corner') brushing against my leg is turning the saddle to the left. I could still do that a little ways... I'm not too sure about using a narrower saddle, because my previous saddle had a much longer, slower progression from back to 'nose' and it put a lot of weight on my soft stuff, and felt like it was hitting just the inner edges of the sit bones. I'll keep fidgeting and trying things, and go from there. One curiosity: the saddle is positioned exactly where I had my previous one: as far back as possible. Do you think it would change much more than my knee-angle during the pedal stroke to attempt to move it forward?

[farrellcollie]

I just replaced my B17 with a B67 - what a difference. I never really liked the B17 - it just didn't fit me right - unlike the my team pro s(I probably should have just gotten a B17s for road bike dimensions are apparently the same - I could not figure out what the difference was - except holes in top and copper rivets and difference in cost - oh well - I really like the team pros) Although the B67 seems a lot harder than the others. I have probably just forgotten how hard the others were at first.

[KnottedYet]

FC - if your B67 starts making noise once the leather begins to soften, DON"T PANIC. (i did!) It's easy to fix.

[pooks]

::sigh::

I'm just waiting for my b67 to arrive. Maybe Tuesday!

So -- I have a question.

The saddle I have now feels like it needs to be farther back than it is, but it won't go any farther. Is that related to the saddle, or the post? (I'm wondering if the b67 will possibly extend a little farther back than the current seat, which is a Velo Plush.

[KnottedYet]

I'm betting its an issue of you trying to find a comfortable spot on your existing saddle.

I kept shoving back on my Serfas Niva. But the B67 didn't need to go back nearly as far, and I have plenty of rail-room. And i don't keep trying to move my sit bones farther and farther back, cuz they're comfy where they are.

[pooks]

I'm betting its an issue of you trying to find a comfortable spot on your existing saddle.

I kept shoving back on my Serfas Niva. But the B67 didn't need to go back nearly as far, and I have plenty of rail-room. And i don't keep trying to move my sit bones farther and farther back, cuz they're comfy where they are.

Wow, that makes me feel very hopeful!

(fingers crossed!)

[pooks]

Wow -- oh wow!

I didn't know some of them came in GREEN.

http://www.brooksengland.com/brooksengland.html

[Veronica]

I didn't know some of them came in GREEN.




I have two Finesse saddles in British racing Green.

V.

[pooks]

GORGEOUS. Of course, the honey will look better on my bike. But still, if the b67 doesn't work and I have to try something different, I might ask if there's a green saddle that would work better. (I hope the b67 is perfect.)

[pooks]

It came!

I opened the box and saw the Brooks box inside and ran to get my camera to document this moment.

Couldn't find the camera, so never mind, I can't wait any longer.

Open the box.

See the saddle.

The beautiful honey b67 saddle.

Pick it up.

Heavy!

Feel it.

HARD.

Smell it.

Leather!!!

Only thing left to do is put it on the bike, but I don't have time right now -- already took too much time admiring the saddle and now posting this.

But.

She is here.

:-)

[farrellcollie]

Pooks - don't be alarmed if it takes a few tries to get it adjusted up down fore and aft. I usually carry the right size allen wrench in my pocket or bike bag for the first week or so while I tweak the adjustments.(I have three brooks) after I get the adjustment right - I hope I never have to take the saddle off again.

[pooks]

Thanks! I only rode it about a mile (HOUSE was about to come on!) but it WAS slippery and I WAS sliding forward if I wasn't careful. I assume that means the nose needs to be raised, even though it doesn't look like it?

Also, I'm sitting way on the very back of the saddle, same as the other one. I can't figure out if that's the typical place or if I'm sitting way back behind where people typically sit. But it feels okay when I do that (as long as I don't slide forward).

I put some proofhide on it last night and then polished it. It still feels slick to me. I wonder if I didn't use enough.

Anyway, I'll be riding today! And I need to figure out how to adjust it -- that's a new one for me!

[farrellcollie]

It will feel slick for awhile even after proofhinding -for me I either get used to it or it gets better-don't know which - it takes a couple or so weeks.

[pooks]

I'm FURIOUS. This is the most perfect morning for a ride since I started riding -- it's 64 degrees outside! I'm getting ready to go and --

I have a flat. Damn, I knew that. Or rather, I knew that before I rode last night, it was almost flat. I hadn't ridden in days because of rain so I pumped it up and hoped for the best. This morning? Flat again.

I guess this is the morning I get to learn to patch it or change it. But if it heats up before I get this thing fixed I'll be VERY sad. Dang.

[pooks]

Okay, phone rang and it's a call reminding me I have a doc's appt this morning. So I've rearranged my mental plans. I'm going to take my bike with me, and after the appt. go to the LBS and buy a tube and have them show me how to put it on. (I have tubes already, but it seems the right thing to do, to at least buy a tube from them, right?)

Then I'll ride. Whatever the temp. And surely it won't be in the 90s already!

But it sure does chap me to miss out on riding when it's 64!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Thanks! I only rode it about a mile (HOUSE was about to come on!) but it WAS slippery and I WAS sliding forward if I wasn't careful. I assume that means the nose needs to be raised, even though it doesn't look like it?

Also, I'm sitting way on the very back of the saddle, same as the other one. I can't figure out if that's the typical place or if I'm sitting way back behind where people typically sit. But it feels okay when I do that (as long as I don't slide forward).

I put some proofhide on it last night and then polished it. It still feels slick to me. I wonder if I didn't use enough.

Anyway, I'll be riding today! And I need to figure out how to adjust it -- that's a new one for me!

If you feel you are sliding forward, tilt the nose up a bit more- just a TINY BIT at a time! You'll know if you tilted the nose TOO far up when your girly bits get too much pressure on a several mile ride. When I tried tipping the nose down a bit, I felt I was constantly sliding forward onto my hands- highly annoying! As soon as I tipped the nose up- problem gone.

Expect some sit bone soreness for at least the first week as your butt adjusts to the hard new leather and the new seat shape- my soreness went away after that. Our bodies need to adjust to new things.

Take plenty of Proofhide on your finger and rub it in everywhere you can on the UNDERSIDE of the saddle too. You don't need to do that more than once, I would think.
But proofhiding the top (and edges!) should be done several times. Rub plenty of it into the surface with your fingers, let dry 15 minutes, buff off. A Q-tip will cleanup any stuff that gets in the top holes. I've Proofhided mine twice now in 2 weeks, about to do a third time. (I rode on it for several weeks first without putting anything on it just to check it out) I've ridden for about 5 weeks total on it, and I just noticed for the first time yesterday two subtle indents forming where my sit bones go- wheee! :p
I rode on it 40 miles on Monday and only got a little soreness (along with the entire rest of my body, considering my previous longest ride ever was 23 miles!)

My DH put neatsfoot oil on his new honey colored Brooks, and the color turned to a rich brown instead of honey. Still looks nice, but it's now a lovely brown saddle. I put only Proofhide on mine, and the honey color has only deepened slightly, but did not turn dark. So if you want to keep the honey toned effectas much as possible, I suggest using ONLY Proofhide.

I would think sitting far back on the seat is a good thing as long as it doesn't cause problems...

[xeney]

My Brooks is a year old and I have yet to put anything on it, because we had a series of used Brooks saddles in this house that were completely ruined by being over "conditioned." I never had the sliding issue -- the B-67 is pebbled, isn't it? But I also never ride mine with bike shorts on, and I think street clothes may be less slippy than Lycra.

[mimitabby]

I agree with Lisa, turn up the nose a tiny bit.
and proofhide.. should be less slick after that.
and yes, it is pebbly, but if you are wearing really
slick clothing, you will feel like it is slippery.

[KnottedYet]

the slipperiness really does wear off after a few rides.

Nice thing about it being slippery at first is that you immediately know if your seat isn't level!

[pooks]

Well, I didn't make it to the bike shop, and am now home. I get to decide now whether to figure out how to change/patch a tire on my own or wait for the hubster.

And I have a tube question. I guess I'll poke around and look for the right place to ask that one....

[Bikingmomof3]

I am a little behind, but better late then never. Congratulations on your new Brooks saddle. Enjoy. :)

[pooks]

I finally got my flat fixed and got on my bike yesterday for 7 miles. Feels pretty good -- I still find myself with my sitbones almost hanging off the back edge of the seat, as that is most comfortable..

After the ride I ended up raising the seat higher and pushing it back farther. I'm beginning to think I'm trying to turn my hybrid into a road bike. I'll see how it feels today.

One thing of note -- the very helpful guy at the LBS did his best to convince me that the Brooks wasn't going to be as good as one of their serfas or other softer saddles. A definite bias against Brooks, at least at that store!

[mimitabby]

I finally got my flat fixed and got on my bike yesterday for 7 miles. Feels pretty good -- I still find myself with my sitbones almost hanging off the back edge of the seat, as that is most comfortable..

After the ride I ended up raising the seat higher and pushing it back farther. I'm beginning to think I'm trying to turn my hybrid into a road bike. I'll see how it feels today.

One thing of note -- the very helpful guy at the LBS did his best to convince me that the Brooks wasn't going to be as good as one of their serfas or other softer saddles. A definite bias against Brooks, at least at that store!

oh yes, of course, I've seen that too. They want to sell the inventory they have in their stores!

It sounds like you are doing all the right things. keep us posted!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Pooks, remember it is normal for some sitbone soreness the first week or two on the Brooks. Keep Proofhiding and riding, and it will form to your personal shape slowly. My sitbone soreness went away after a week of getting used to the Brooks. Now I'm comfy as can be, even after a 40 mile ride the other day.

[Triskeliongirl]

My finesse just arrived. She is the prettiest thing I have ever seen. Better shaped than I expected, wide in the back but narrow in the nose, just like I need. But I notice she is higher in the back than front, so when I level her, do I put my level all the way across the top from front to back, or just across the nose?

[mimitabby]

Level it all the way across the saddle. When it is horizontal, that is a good place to start. I actually had to tip my saddle up 1/2" in the end.

[Triskeliongirl]

Well, I still haven't figured out my postion with her yet. I started level across the entire top, and felt too much pressure on my girly bits, so leveled just the nose half, which makes the whole saddle tilt down. It felt a tad better (but still pressure on my girly bits) but to test my stablity if I take my hands off the bars I slide foward (they are slippery suckers aren't they). I'd like to see how moving it further back feels, my butt seems to want to scoot further back, but the rails are relatively short. My carbon seatpost is pretty laid back, but I do have an aluminum one that is even more laid back I could try with. The distance from the back of the saddle to the bars is definitely shorter with the brooks than my butterfly. My KOPS looks OK, but it doesn't mean that I am sitting on the saddle correctly so the set back could still be wrong. I am also doing all this on my trainer cuz its raining outside, and getting late. At this point I am going to take a break and pick DH up at the airport. ANy ideas what to try next when I get back. What's weird is while it is hard it doesn't bother my sit bones at all (at least just sitting on it on the trainer) but it does bother my soft tissues, which is a bad sign I think PLEASE HELP!! I SO WANT THIS TO WORK!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS SO BEAUTIFUL, and her shape looks like she should work.

[pooks]

Dumb question: How do I raise the nose?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

You can't tell much from just a few minutes in one position or another. You really have to ride for a couple of hours between adjustments. And EXPECT to be sore the first few days. When I first tilted my nose up, my girly bits felt sort of squashed. After a few hours they were fine and have stayed fine. Odd but true. Having the nose tipped down was much more unpleasant, feeling I was sliding off forward onto my hands.

Set the saddle in the middle of the brackets, forward/back wise. Tilt the saddle somewhere between nose-up/squashed girly bits, and nose-down/sliding forward feeling. Then ride for a day or two and make more tiny adjustments. There IS no magic position to make a hard new Brooks will feel wonderful for the first week. Unless you are just weird and lucky.

In fact, the first few rides will leave your sit bones sore. They will adapt and feel better after a few more rides. Just have faith that every 2 or 3 rides will feel a little more comfortable, and by a month (with weekly HideProofing) it will start to feel like riding on nothing much at all, like sitting in a nice carved Winsor chair, you don't think about it when it doesn't hurt!
Plastic, gel, and foam saddles stay the same as when you buy them. But leather slowly changes shape and forms to you like a good pair of fine leather shoes, or a favorite belt. So you can't tell what it will feel like as it shapes to you. This just won't happen in a couple of hours on a trainer.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Dumb question: How do I raise the nose?
The allan wrench nut in the back of the bracket that holds the saddle on the post. Loosen it with a correct size wrench. This enables you to change TWO settings: the tipping up and down of the nose, and the sliding forward and back of the saddle. (It does not make the saddle taller or lower on the seat post.)

[pooks]

Having the nose tipped down was much more unpleasant, feeling I was sliding off forward onto my hands.


Yep -- and I don't have to ride for two hours that way to know it!

Thanks!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Pooks, this webpage might help visualize adjusting saddles:
http://bikes.jump-gate.com/maintenance/maintenance.shtml

[Triskeliongirl]

Well I kept it on the carbon seatpost and made it level again. I noticed that when I put it as far back as it will go, the distance from the front of the saddle to the bars is the same as on my butterfly, but the back is closer since the saddle is shorter. My KOPs looks good, so the plan was to try this out this morning, but its raining and our group ride was cancelled. I also applied profride overnite. I am worried if I feel pressure on the nose just sitting in the trainer, this is gonna hurt riding, but it seems you guys want me to just try it like this on a ride. Bill Laine enclosed a note with the saddle (very nice personal touch) in which he said if it felt too hard to loosen the tension 1/2 a turn for the first 100-200 miles and then tension it back up. I also read somewhere to not mess with the tension. What do you guys think I should do for my first real ride? Can I learn anything on the trainer, or do I just need to see how I feel on a real ride (i.e. should I see how the more laid back seatpost feels). Maybe pressure will not be as bad as the chafing I got from my butterfly. If the weather clears I'll try a short ride this afternoon.

[KnottedYet]

Don't change anything until after you ride it a bit.

Don't even loosen the tension to soften the leather until after you've ridden outside. (I never did loosen my tension)

Pressure from the nose while riding will most likely be from the angle of the seat, not from the tension of the leather. But you need to go on a decent length ride outside to really feel what the seat is doing. My first couple rides with my B67 I took a wrench with me so i could adjust the obvious fore-aft/tilt/height things I felt right away. The slipperiness of the saddle the first couple weeks really did help me to figure out when the seat was level.

Once I got the seat right, I drew marks on the rails and seat post. The lowest point of the saddle skirt lines up beautifully with my seat tube. When I took the saddle off to oil the nose shackle it was pretty easy to put it back just the way I had it. Had to fuss with tilt a little because my seat-post has a personality of it's own. If I have it tilted even a tiny bit to high or too low I can feel it right away.

It's a lot like breaking in a brand new pair of Levi 501's. You fuss around a lot at first but soon it feels like it was made just for you.

My B67 felt great from day one. It was such a relief to have a seat that actually supported my entire sit bones that I truly didn't feel that the leather was too hard!

[xeney]

Yeah, I agree, mine felt fine from day one, as well. I've never adjusted it or done anything to do it at all. My first ride on it was about 10-15 miles, and I actually forgot I was riding a new saddle. I didn't even have sore sit bones at the end of that. My 'girly bits' (using that term makes me feel like I'm 12) don't come into any contact with the seat at all, though, and I have the seat completely level, not tilted.

I have never conditioned it, either, because it never sits in the rain, and at just about a year old it has the butt dimples and is by far the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden. I'm a little shy of trying a Brooks on one of my road bikes, for some reason, but the B67 is the most painless saddle I own. I wish all my saddles felt like that.

[Triskeliongirl]

:) All I can say is WOW, you guys were right. I just put it back to completely level using a leveler across the top, and made the KOP measurements the same as with my old saddle. In the trainer I still felt pressure on the nose, pressure mind you, not pain, but decided to follow your advice and take her out since it had stopped raining. The plan was to see if I could make it to the gym, only 8 miles away. At first I didn't even take a water bottle, thinking I'll be back inside for an adjustment in no time. She felt like a dream on the road, much better than my butterfly. I liked that I could tell my weight was being supported by my sitbones and not soft tissues. The shape suits me better than the butterfly, wide in back with a sharp transition to a narrow nose, and not too deep either (the finesse). I had no sit bone discomfort at all, and while I still felt some pressure on my soft tissues under the nose, I felt pressure, not pain or abrasions like with the butterfly. I think its just the feeling of support under me, which I am not used to since I have ridden with a cut-out for so long, more of a squishing sensation as Lisa put it, which I think will go away as the leather comforms to my body down there. OK, the ride was only 8 miles, but I was so excited I had to come to my office and write this email, before doing my workout and ride home (I came in to use the gym at work). THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVICE AND HELP THROUGHOUT MY SADDLE CRISIS!!!!!!!!! As I was riding, all I could think about is that there is no way I am getting on that butterfly on my commuter. Now I just have to decide when to order the next one. I should probably wait until I do a longer ride, and I have to decide if I should move her to Athena (my commuter) for the week, or throw a rack on Isis (my go fast bike) for the work week and keep it all as is she feels so perfect. I am inclined to do the latter.:)

[Triskeliongirl]

Well, I get home from the gym, no problems. Again, still pressure but not pain on the soft tissues hitting the nose (and no after ride pain). I took 2 pictures which I am going to try and post. In one see you can see her on the entire bike, and the other is a close up. The only 2 positions I tried was completely level (as in pix) by placing a carpenters level across the entire top of the saddle, and the other was placing the level on the nose. When I leveled it on the nose I was sliding off, so that wasn't good, but do you guys think I should try tilting her down just a tad for my next ride, or leaving her alone until she adjusts to my body? The other thiing I love about her is that I can slide around more easily, back when hunkered down in the drops, instead of meeting resistnance from the gel in the butterfly. I never sent pix before. I put them as attachments so I hope this worked. If not, tell me what to do!

[Kitsune06]

Ok... so I have a new question...
My Brooks is totally comfortable on my sitbones now... but when I accidentally shift down too low and end up spinning or brake too hard or something, I end up really smacking my soft tissue on the hard nose of the saddle, and 2-3 minutes of hugging the top tube with my knees while uttering unpleasant words is starting to wear on my riding partner.

Any suggestions? I have the nose tipped down just a little, and I'm wondering if I need to tip it back up after reading Triskeliongirl's post...

[mimitabby]

Ok... so I have a new question...
My Brooks is totally comfortable on my sitbones now... but when I accidentally shift down too low and end up spinning or brake too hard or something, I end up really smacking my soft tissue on the hard nose of the saddle, and 2-3 minutes of hugging the top tube with my knees while uttering unpleasant words is starting to wear on my riding partner.

Any suggestions? I have the nose tipped down just a little, and I'm wondering if I need to tip it back up after reading Triskeliongirl's post...


Hey girl, take the piercings off on the bike ride? or have your riding partner wear ear plugs while they ride with you? :D

my saddle is tipped a tiny bit up from level, it works for me.

[mimitabby]

Well, I get home from the gym, no problems. Again, still pressure but not pain on the soft tissues hitting the nose (and no after ride pain). I took 2 pictures which I am going to try and post. In one see you can see her on the entire bike, and the other is a close up. The only 2 positions I tried was completely level (as in pix) by placing a carpenters level across the entire top of the saddle, and the other was placing the level on the nose. When I leveled it on the nose I was sliding off, so that wasn't good, but do you guys think I should try tilting her down just a tad for my next ride, or leaving her alone until she adjusts to my body? The other thiing I love about her is that I can slide around more easily, back when hunkered down in the drops, instead of meeting resistnance from the gel in the butterfly. I never sent pix before. I put them as attachments so I hope this worked. If not, tell me what to do!

your bike and saddle look great together, but I honestly don't know what to tell you. Ride longer? see if you get used to it. Also, as you put miles on the saddle, you might try slight different adjustments and you might just dial something in that works?

m

[pooks]

That's a beautiful saddle. The black would have looked better on my bike than the honey, truly, but for some reason I love the honey.

I finally just made my saddle level and back as far as it will go, and rode a short (3 mile) ride. I noticed a little soreness in places I haven't noticed it before -- a different part of my thighs, a little in my knees, and the longer I rode, the more I felt like I was carrying too much weight on my hands.

It wasn't until my husband asked about it that I realized I hadn't felt anything about the saddle to comment on -- just other areas (which are probably adjusting to the new saddle height, angle, etc.).

However, I'm not sure about my hands. I may end up lowering the saddle again, since the guy at the LBS lowered both it and my handlebar. I raised the saddle but that might be putting more stress on my hands.

OR -- maybe I just need new gloves. Mine only have padding on the pad of the hands. I may need to get some that are padded all over the palms.

Anyway, I need to put a lot more miles on the bike with the saddle this way, but it's much better than it was before. Thanks for all the patient advice. I've been reading mine and others' and it's helping bunches!

[Triskeliongirl]

I guess what I am asking is, can I expect the pressure to go away as my body makes an impression in the nose of the saddle (that is what breaking in is) or is it better to experiment with the saddle angle. I have a longer ride planned for tomorrow, so I think I'll go out with it like this, but bring my allen key just in case it starts to bother me too much. Does that make sense? I am surprised you ride with it tipped up. That is *very unusual* for a women.

[mimitabby]

I guess what I am asking is, can I expect the pressure to go away as my body makes an impression in the nose of the saddle (that is what breaking in is) or is it better to experiment with the saddle angle. I have a longer ride planned for tomorrow, so I think I'll go out with it like this, but bring my allen key just in case it starts to bother me too much. Does that make sense? I am surprised you ride with it tipped up. That is *very unusual* for a women.

Trisk

I guess it is unusual for a woman to ride tipped up a bit.. the guy at the shop said "If you can take it..this will take the pressure off your hands"
and i guess i could take it. :)
I sit way back on my sit bones and so far it has not been a problem.
To answer your question, i think that if micro adjustments don't help.. yes
as you imprint that saddle with your very own sit bones, i think it will make a difference with the pressure. Mind you, you ride more aggressively than i do (right?) but your saddle is different too. My guess is that you should just ride it for a week and THEN change it, if you still think you need to!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The nose of the Brooks is not going to change in shape too much- it's the sitbone area that will form to your sit bones.
Like Mimi, I ride with the nose tipped up a TINY bit from perfectly level. That lets me put more weight on my sitbones. Too much tip up on the nose though created too much girly bit mashing. ;) Every teeny adjustment makes a difference. Give every adjustment a day or so to feel the difference.

If you lower your saddle too much your legs will stay too bent while riding and you will have knee pain.

Glad to hear you like the Brooks!

[Veronica]

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

V.

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

[KnottedYet]

I just looked carefully at my Brooks, and it's tipped up a tiny bit, too. I don't have a level, but eyeballing it looks tipped up.

Feels level when I ride.

[xeney]

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 just put my Team Pro on my road bike last night and it was not love at first ride. It wasn't terrible, but I think it is too narrow for me; I am not feeling like I have a good platform for my sit bones so the saddle is pressing on my genitals, and I don't care about break-in periods, that's bad. I am going to give it a couple more trys with the saddle moved slightly forward, tipped up slightly, etc., but I am not going to ride around with numb genitals hoping that eventually the saddle will get better.