help with brooks saddle choice please!

Hello gals,

My womens WTB saddle was stolen last week, and I have decided to invest in a Brooks after all the raves about it here. I'm riding a Kona Dew hybrid for commuting and just getting about town. I've read so much about the b17 and the b17s, and the b68, and with all these choices, I have no idea what would be good for me. I measured my sit bones from all the info I've found on TE, and it appears I measure about 140mm.

I'm just wondering from others who have tried out many brooks what they found the difference is between a b17, b17s, or b68... should i be getting a brooks based on sit bones? I like the look of b17 because it's shaped like my old saddle...

I don't want to get the wrong one because my LBS will not let me return the saddle once I use it. Any help please... thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bikebooty

Hello gals,
I measured my sit bones from all the info I've found on TE, and it appears I measure about 140mm.

I'm just wondering from others who have tried out many brooks what they found the difference is between a b17, b17s, or b68... should i be getting a brooks based on sit bones? I like the look of b17 because it's shaped like my old saddle...

I don't want to get the wrong one because my LBS will not let me return the saddle once I use it. Any help please... thanks!

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I wouldn't put up with that- If you order it from Wallingford online then you can return it (or exchange it) after trying it out for a good long while:
http://www.wallbike.com

If you read more in the saddle threads on the forums here, you will see lots of posts comparing the B17 and B68. What I do not recommend is their shorter "S" styles, such as the B17S. The rails are so short they limit how far you can move your saddle front to back, thus severely limiting you ability to adjust your bike fit. Women don't really 'need' shorter saddles in general anyway.
The B17 is narrower at the sitbone area than the B68.

Order a B17 from Wallingford, ride it for a month, and if it's not wide enough you can exchange it for the B68. :)

Yep yep and yep.

Measure your sit bones-or rather, the space between them, make your best guess and order from walbike. They're helpful and nice, and have a liberal exchange policy.

Although I never got around to exchanging, I just bought more saddles, and eventually they all seem to find homes.

One more thing... the S short is really nice for me as a tandem stoker, because the longer nosed saddles often seemed to grab and pull down my pants in back (!). Apart from that, I agree, the S isn't really necessary.

I like the shorter versions (I ride a Finesse on my commuter) because I ride in a lot of skorts and skirts, and they don't get caught as easily on the shorter nose of those saddles. I also don't have long femurs, so I don't need the extra room on the rails to push my saddle back to get everything in the right position.

I went to their shop on Oak Street here in the Big Easy. Bought a B-17S, and then got sick. So the test ride is still pending. Hopefully this weekend, if TS Fay doesn't spoil things (I have to mow the lawn this evening :rolleyes:).

I took y'all's advice on the S, and bought it anyway since I tend to be on the short side. Like I said, the test ride is pending. ;)