Brooks B17 imperial or B17 S imperial?

[LovelyGirl]

Alright. I measured my sit bones, not sure how accurate. I wanted a Brooks B68 Imperial because I want a cutout. it only comes in black and I really wanted it to be "honey" in color. So I went back to the drawing board and discovered the B17 Imperial, which has the cutout. I see there is a women's version, but I have heard you ladies talk about those often being a poor option.

Who has these and what can you tell me? I value your opinions!

[hebe]

I'm not an expert on saddles at all, but I pick up my first Brooks tomorrow (a B67S for my errand bike).

What bike is it for? The Brooks website and the Lovely Bicycle link below both suggest that the B17 is more for racing/touring bikes whereas the B68 is for bikes where the rider has a more upright position. This might need to be a factor in your decision. Also, see if there are any Pashley dealers near you, as I think all Pashleys come with a Brooks saddle of one sort or another and you'd be able to sit on one. There's a very helpful description of Brooks Saddles on LovelyBicycle.

edited to correct.

[jyyanks]

I have a B68 (no cutout) and love it. I suggest buying from Wallingford Bicycle Parts (wallbike.com) as they have a very generous return policy. If you decide within 6 months, that the saddle is not for you, you can return it for a full refund.

[tulip]

It depends on your sit bones. Alternately, if you already have a comfortable saddle, you can start there. For instance, I've ridden on Terry Butterfly saddles for at least a decade and they have been great. One of them is breaking down, however, and needs to be replaced. I thought I'd use the opportunity to try a Brooks. Coincidentally, a fellow TEer was selling a new Brooks B-17, so I jumped at it.

The Terry Butterfly is 155, and it's very comfortable for me. The Brooks B-17 is 170. The B-68 would be too wide for me. I received the saddle yesterday; today will be my first ride on it.

[LovelyGirl]

I'm not an expert on saddles at all, but I pick up my first Brooks tomorrow (a B67S for my errand bike).

What bike is it for? The Brooks website and the Lovely Bicycle link below both suggest that the B17 is more for racing/touring bikes whereas the B68 is for bikes where the rider has a more upright position. This might need to be a factor in your decision. Also, see if there are any Pashley dealers near you, as I think all Pashleys come with a Brooks saddle of one sort or another and you'd be able to sit on one. There's a very helpful description of Brooks Saddles on LovelyBicycle.

edited to correct.

It is a Trek 7.6 FX. It isnt upright but it isnt hunched down, either. The center to center measurement was 135. Didn't measure the outer. So, in light of all that, now what?

[LovelyGirl]

It depends on your sit bones. Alternately, if you already have a comfortable saddle, you can start there. For instance, I've ridden on Terry Butterfly saddles for at least a decade and they have been great. One of them is breaking down, however, and needs to be replaced. I thought I'd use the opportunity to try a Brooks. Coincidentally, a fellow TEer was selling a new Brooks B-17, so I jumped at it.

The Terry Butterfly is 155, and it's very comfortable for me. The Brooks B-17 is 170. The B-68 would be too wide for me. I received the saddle yesterday; today will be my first ride on it.

Let me know how your ride on the B17 goes! What bike did you put it on?

[tulip]

Let me know how your ride on the B17 goes! What bike did you put it on?

I will ride this afternoon, and hopefully get out for a longer ride tomorrow if today's ride goes well. I actually bought two Brooks B-17s. I put one on my Luna Eclipse. The other one will go on my Bike Friday Pocket Rocket Pro. Both are road bikes.

[malkin]

You can check the measurements on brooksengland.com

Usually, there is little or no difference in width between the B-XX and the B-XX S. The S indicates "short" as in a shorter length, and historically had to do with women riding in skirts. More length may give you more control in steering or it may not.

[hebe]

It is a Trek 7.6 FX. It isnt upright but it isnt hunched down, either. The center to center measurement was 135. Didn't measure the outer. So, in light of all that, now what?

From Lovely Bicycle:

For leaned-forward riding: If you are riding in a forward-leaning position so that your saddle is right at or above the level or your handlebars, in my opinion there are only two Brooks saddles to choose from unless you are a very aggressive cyclist: the B17 and the Flyer.

and

The basic rule is: The more upright your riding position (handlebars above saddle level), the wider your saddle needs to be. Brooks saddles come in several width categories.

For upright riding: The B72, B66, B67, B68, and B73 are all pretty much the same, generous width and are all appropriate for a an upright bicycle.

I like the advice above to buy from somewhere with a good return policy. So it would seem to come down to sit bone measurements, and whether or not your handlebars are at or almost at the same level as the saddle. Editing to add, check that the saddle you choose is compatible with your seatpost too.

[LovelyGirl]

That I should get the B68 then? I know we can't be precise when not in person, but it seems like the safe choice would be the B68 and the B17 would be chancey. I guess I thought the 17 was extremely common and thus would work for most people. It is Brooks' flagship model, correct? Well, I'll not pretend, I loved the honey color of the B 17, so I'm sad it likely won't work! But thanks for your help, everyone!