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.
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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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
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 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..
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!
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by farrellcollie
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?
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
Quote:
Originally Posted by stella
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.
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.
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?Quote:
Originally Posted by farrellcollie
I am going to try it on road bike or downtube folder that I use to commute along with my hybrid.
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
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..
Quote:
Originally Posted by farrellcollie
\
congrats on the purchase! look foward to the next chapter.Quote:
Originally Posted by Quillfred
farrellcollie: how's the clipless adventure going?
Has anyone else noticed that Brooks makes leather handlebar tape to match the saddles? Expensive, but what a nice look!
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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 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.
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)
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by farrellcollie
Hi the bike is a 2002 Bianchi Veloce 49cm. It has a bontrager saddle and I have heard nothing good about them.Quote:
Originally Posted by farrellcollie
I won't get it until sometime this coming week. am going nuts waiting.
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.
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.
Stella, yes, i will put a Brooks saddle on it; just not sure which one.Quote:
Originally Posted by 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.
sounds like you coined the saddle... so to speak :DQuote:
Originally Posted by stella
Nuthatch, let me get this straight--do you have a Team Pro (not a S) and another Brooks?Quote:
Originally Posted by nuthatch
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....
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).
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?)
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
Quote:
Originally Posted by KnottedYet
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.
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).Quote:
Originally Posted by KnottedYet
A comfortable saddle is worth the bikes weight in gold! The more comfy I am, the more I ride!
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
Is that a Soft Ride beam in the stoker position?
yeah, a B67 is on my list for Santa. (or S.O.)
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!)
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.)
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?
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.
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.
Ah, another convert. :cool:
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.