First ride on my Brooks B17, ouch.

[FreshNewbie]

Hmm, I guess you can say that I have a bit unusual anatomy. My right let is a bit longer than my left. It's not really noticable in everyday stuff I do but I know it's there. I am pretty sure it might contribute to the way I position myself on the bike. I find myself pretty flexible with my yoga and regular stretching classes, probably more flexible than average person. However, not sure if that applies to my bike posture. I notice that on my Selle Italia Max flite gel flow saddle I am able to sit only on my sit bones while contracting my core and I am comfortable. However, this saddle is a bit too narrow in the back and gives me some pains from hitting my thighs since I am trying to sit way back on the edges (widest part). I am honestly thinking that I should try Team pro S (either presoftened or regular model) despite what Diane told me. Whould you give brooks another try if you were me? Let's say if I buy brooks and put it on my bike and get a professional fit with it? Do you think that may workout?

[mimitabby]

If I were you, yes, I'd give Brooks another try, because I've already been down that road and i am a lot less tolerant of pain than you are. (I never let it get that bad. if it hurt, i got off the bike!)

BUT I'm not you. and btw, if your legs are different lengths this might be an issue, Triskelion has that problem too.
(you might send her an IM!)
If Diane said they are basically the same saddle, you'd just be wasting time trying that saddle.


keep trying. it's worth it!

good luck

[FreshNewbie]

On the description that wallbike has on their website for Team Professional saddle it says that it's designed for more agressive riders that preffer spending time in the drops. I assumed that it would be also true for Team Pro S model that's designed for women. Maybe I should try calling them again some other time when they will be more willing to explain the difference.

[mimitabby]

You could call again and say "I heard you were very helpful with saddle issues"

[suzieqtwa]

Hey Fresh newbie,
When I read your post it sounded like I was writing it. I was rubbed raw with my stock WSD pilot saddle to the point where I had a red blood blister. It hurt so bad,and I was in such pain...Well I went to the B17. I just wanted it to work so bad for me...Like you, I can take the sits bones pressure ,but not the soft tissue. I have a high tolerance for pain ,but not cutting pain. Anyway, I've put about 300 miles on the Brooks ,and I'm still dealing with crotch pain on the right side. I also think one leg is longer than the other..that may be my problem. I don't have any chafing ,or cutting,just pain after about 20 miles or so. I can almost deal with it as I really want this one to work. I haven't adjusted it too much. I know the soft tissue pain isn't going to go away,so its a matter of me maybe trying to adjust it again ,or just deal with it. I have it set sorta in the middle closer to the forward position. I also slide forward ,and have it level ,just slighted tilted downward. If I could just keep my butt on the back of the seat ,I think I may be Ok ,but I keep shifting around. I haven't made any indents in the saddle yet because I'm always moving around.
Darcy ,and I are attempting a 62 mile ride tomorrow. I only rode once this week . If I just didn't have crotch pain things would be GREAT. The furthest I've ridden was 46 miles...hope I can make it. ; )))
I will be wearing 2 pairs of shorts tomorrow.
Suzie

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Suzie, try moving the saddle back all the way.

[FreshNewbie]

Hi Suzie, sorry just saw your post!!!
Well I returned my B17 and had a feeling that I made a wrong choice by sending it back. So couple of days after thanks to Stella, Mimi and Lisa I decided that I will give Brooks a second choice, and ordered Team Professional "S". It came this Thursday and I took it for a first ride today for 20 hill training miles. WOW, let me tell you there is a huge difference and in a good way. I adjusted in a level position so that the nose is a bit tilted up, but since this saddle does not have such flared up back it's not significant tilt. I was not sliding as much and it was not anything close to my slidingon on B17. I was able to pick a place on the back part and stay there and even shift around a little bit. I was able to keep my pelvis in neuteral position like Knotted calls it ( bowl with water). By the end of the ride I didn't chaffe ( i made sure to put some bodyglide along with baby cream) and I didn't have any pressure problem with the nose. Overall it was much comfortable than my Selle Italia Max flite Gelflow and it's only my first ride on it.
If you bought your B17 from Wallbike, maybe you should consider getting B17S or Team professional. Maybe like me you just need a little wider nose transition from the back for more support. I think women's version has different surface shape than original models. Also, my left (shorter leg) was not bothering me while climbing, it was going in smooth circles easily. I am going on a club ride tomorrow 40 miles, I will post how it will play out on a longer ride.
Hope this helps you,

Marina aka FN

[mimitabby]

far out! great news, Freshnewbie!!

Brooks strikes again!

[FreshNewbie]

I know Mimi, I almolst cried today on a ride, of course they would be tears of joy, two years of constant saddle sagga will get you crying Thanks for helping me with Brooks , if it weren't for you, Stella and Lisa I would go back to gel saddle with cut out. Hopefully my Team Pro will get more comfortable with every ride.

[suzieqtwa]

FN
I will be waiting for your report on your 40 mile ride. I'm doing a 62 mile ride tomorrow. ahhhhhhhhhhh I do know my right leg is a bit longer than my left ,although its not a noticeable thing. My sits bones are about 5 1/2 inches apart ,and I do believe the B17 was a better choice for me ,so if the one you got was shaped like the B17S , may not work for me. Yes, I did get my saddle from wallbilke. I would be so happy if I didnt have crotch soreness.

[FreshNewbie]

Suzie, my sit bones are as wide as yours and that was the reason I essentially got B17. However, B17S and Team pro only 7mm wider than B17 model. But the leather is strethched in a bit different way that helps you distribute your weight on the back versus front. Maybe you do need play wiht adjusting your saddle a bit more, if you shifting around and it's not because of sliding from slippery surface, then it's definately still not in a right position. All my saddles had long nose and I liked it and thought that women's Brooks would be too short for me, but it was fine on turns and I didn't feel much difference.
Anyway, I will report my ride tomorrow.
FN

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fresh, that is very good news!!

One thing everyone should keep in mind when comparing Brooks B17 "S" and "non-S" models:
"S" models are sometimes called women's model (though some men use them as well). It means the back part where your sitbones sit is about an inch wider to accomodate wider sitbone distance apart. It ALSO means a shorter nose on the saddle. About an inch shorter than non-S B17.
So...
A non-S "regular" B17 has a longer nose (just the thin part) and is an inch narrower in the sitbone back part. Because of the longer overall length, it also has correspondingly longer rails underneath than the S, by about an inch. These longer rails give you more range in your forward/backward saddle position possibilities. Just good to know.

A Brooks B68 comes in S and non-S models as well, but there is a difference. ALL B68's are wider in the rear sitbone area, the S and the non-S as well. They are both wider (210mm) even than the B17S (170mm). The only diff in the B68 S & non-S is the nose length. The B68S has the shortened nose and it's corresponding shortened rails underneath. B68 saddles are good for people with wider pelvis/sitbones, like me! I have ordered one because after 6 months I still find my B17S a bit too narrow for my sitbones.

Suzie, I know you are going to do your long upcoming ride wearing two chamois, but I am going to suggest that you might consider removing one chamois mid ride if you start having lots of pain. I know this sounds illogical, but...I had suggested a double chamois when you were going to ride a huge ride with a brand new Brooks. Now that you've ridden many miles on that saddle, you may want to eliminate the second chamois to give your sore/sensitive area MORE SPACE so there will be less pressure on it. Give it a try- you can always put the second shorts back on if it doesn't work well. Let me know how the ride goes- and don't kill yourself just in order to finish if you are in bad pain.
I know you are a very slender tall girl, and like FreshN, you might do well with a narrower overall Brooks model, especially one with a very narrow mid section and nose area.

[stella]

I know Mimi, I almolst cried today on a ride, of course they would be tears of joy, two years of constant saddle sagga will get you crying Thanks for helping me with Brooks , if it weren't for you, Stella and Lisa I would go back to gel saddle with cut out. Hopefully my Team Pro will get more comfortable with every ride.

FN: I am so glad it worked out for you!

If your experience mirrors mine...the saddle WILL get more comfortable over time.

stella

[FreshNewbie]

Thank you Lisa and Stella
Suzie, today I went for that ride which was supposed to be 40 flat miles with B+, but my BF was with me and he convinced me that I can easily do A-. So that A- minus turned out to be 48 miles, hilly and very challenging ( too early in the season for me). Anyway, I made a huge mistake today. I wore different shorts than yesterday, today I wore my Sugoi Lucky shorts with regular tights on top (it was in 50's in the morning). Yesterday I had my SSS Sheebeest shorts on. Anyway, I was sliding today pretty bad in these tights, so I took them off later but that's already after the damage was done. I think for me it was a pattern, when I had my B17 for my two rides I was also wearing sugoi shorts with Tights and that made me constantly slide and chaffe. So maybe that was the reason that saddle went back to wall bike . However, by the end of the ride I was not sliding as much and was able to stay in the back. Overall, I am pretty positive if I wear right shorts with this saddle it will be good to me. I know your problem is more of a pressure problem but I wonder if you are also not able to stay in one place due to sliding around. Try to experiment with shorts if you have different brands that have different short material maybe. SSS shorts have more of a thicker material which makes them not as slippery with Brooks. Anyway, hope this helps or at least gives you some ideas.
Please let me know how your ride went, I want to hear. Good luck,
Marina

[mimitabby]

years ago I used to fantasize about velcro on my pants to keep me from sliding!
now that i am in the right place, i don't slip and slide at all... at least i don't notice it.