Brooks B68 and B68S

[mimitabby]

Emily! that saddle is off the website! My DH's saddle is actually red.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily! that saddle is off the website! My DH's saddle is actually red.

Oh, that's funny! They have a dimpled saddle in their ad! I wonder if they come that way, for your sitbones to just fit right into (and if they don't fit....hmmmmm???)

Thanks for the clarification!

Emily

[KnottedYet]

I read somewhere on their site that the saddles come pre-dimpled.

I'll stick with the orginal: Brooks. Though Selle An-Atomica did do a nice job of duplicating a Brooks, gotta give them credit for that. Do they last 30 years like Mimi's B67? Does the S A-A give out where the leather is unsupported because of the cut-out?

I don't remember who said it, or where on the board it was, (maybe it was LisaSH?) but someone said if a saddle really fits you, you won't need a cut-out because the right saddle will keep you from weightbearing on the soft tissues anyway.

[mimitabby]

I think it was triskelion. Yeah, there's no cut outs on my car seat, my office chair, etc...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I ordered a B68 today, to replace my B17S.
Though I have been comfortable on my B17S for 10 months now, I have found it to be a little on the narrow side for my sitbones. My sitbone dents are sort of half within and half on the underframe on the sides of the saddle. I know the slightly wider B68 will give me about another 1" in width at the sitbone area and is bound to be even MORE comfortable, so I am going for it.
The only difference between the B68 and the B68S is that the S has a shorter nose for women riders supposedly. Can't imagine why I would need a shorter nosed saddle, unless I was wearing a dress maybe? Interestingly, they are both equally wide in the back. The main reason I went with the non-S B68 though is because along with the longer nose, the straight section of the rails underneath will be 1/2" or so longer, giving me the added rail length I need for clamping on the Bagman saddlbag support I ordered to hold up my Little Joe and my Nelson saddlebags.
Cant wait to try out the new saddle!

[KnottedYet]

Let us know how it is!

I've been eyeing the B68, cuz it doesn't have springs. My finances have taken a huge nose-dive so I won't be buying one. (I was gonna get a B68 for Flossie and put the B67 back on the commuter.)

I still love my Brooks! And someday (when I get a new job or a 2nd job or win the lottery) I'll get another one.

[divingbiker]

I just tried out my new B68 on my commuting bike, and I can't believe it feels as good as it does! When I took it out of the box, I thought "no fricking way this piece of particle board is going to be comfortable." But I took it out for a quick spin around the neighborhood in street clothes (no padding) and it felt great. The pebbled top surface seemed to really keep me from sliding around.

This B68 is replacing a Brooks B17S (too narrow and slick) which replaced a Selle Anatomica (too narrow and long-nosed). I hope when I take it for a longer ride I like it as much.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

OK, so I've ridden two 20 mile rides so far on my new B68. I LOVE IT!!!!!

First- I got the non-S model B68 because I wanted the longer rails underneath so I could attach a Bagman rack for my largish saddle bags:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/saddlebag_support.asp
The B68S has shorter rails and shorter nose and not enough room on the rails to attach the Bagman.
The B68 and the B68S both have the same width in back for my sitbones, so that was not an issue. They are about an inch wider there than the B17S I had before.
The width is PERFECT- I can feel how nice my butt fits on the saddle now, instead of being sort of "perched" half on the back and side edge frame of the B17S.
Yes my sitbones are a little bit sore right now because the saddle has not yet formed to them- but I'm proof-hiding like mad and riding a lot. It's not nearly as bad as when i first got my new B17. Guess I have a "Brooks Butt" all broken in already.
The longer nose is not proving to be significant at all. The old B17S nose stuck out about 1" in front while riding, and the new nose sticks out about 1 1/2" and doesn't seem to affect anything differently.

But the very BEST thing I have discovered, even better than the width issue, is that the new long rails allow me to shove the new saddle way further back- about 1 1/2" further back than my B17S with its short nose and short rails did. It's Heaven! Now I have more leg power and I feel like I can get "behind" my pedals as I ride- it is SO much more comfortable! Now I know how men get to feel comfy all the time on their bikes automatically.
It's sort of like the difference between riding a unicyle and pedaling a paddle boat- exaggerated comparison but that's the feeling, getting way more power from my legs and feeling nicely stretched out and "behind" my crank. This back-shoved saddle made me bend in half just a bit more- but being on a Rivendell (where bars and seat are about the same height anyway) this did not feel bad at all- in fact it feels BETTER. I can just hunker down comfortably in the drops, scoot all the way back and spin up those hills now without burning out my legs.
I made better time on my ride today- faster in the high gears on the flats, faster up the hills and less tired, and just way more comfortable in general.

I absolutely LOVE this saddle!!!!! My Bagman saddlebag support fits perfectly on it too, with room to spare.

Mimi- when you wonder how the saddles are without springs: My DH says springs are good for bikes that have you sitting more upright- like hybrids or comfort bikes. Upright posture puts most of your weight concentrated straight down your spine onto your butt, and you bounce along with most of your weight jarring down on your spine and butt. That's one reason hybrids are not so comfortable for long distance riding. Springs certainly help in that case.
On road bikes, your more horizontal posture is such that it distributes your weight more evenly and horizontally along your hands, back, legs, and seat- so you don't need springs as much.

[stella]

I ordered a B68 today, to replace my B17S.

LisaSH, are you selling the B17s?
I'm interested...need a new one for my beater bike...
pm me

[KnottedYet]

Oooooh, I want a B68! I love my B67 on my road bike, though, so don't know if I even need to bother to switch to an un-sprung saddle. (if it ain't broke, don't fix it)

But no-springs is kinda sexy...

Just picture lovely golden Flossie with a honey B68 and shellacked Cinelli cork bar tape with hemp twine. Sigh...