Brooks B17 "N" or Selle An-atomica

[Kitsune06]

The slit doesn't pinch your bits?

[bikerz]

The slit doesn't pinch your bits?

(Sorry Kit, just saw this question...)

No, not now. The first ride it did a little, and I think it was because I didn't have the tilt right. I don't notice the cut-out at all now.

You can take an exacto knife and trim the leather edges of the cut out so it isn't sharp, and also buff the edges, but I haven't done that.

I have had to retension it a few times - I'm almost certain that the saddle got too slack, causing the sides to flare out too much, and this caused the side-chaffing issue I experienced on the Wine Country Century ride. It's possible that I'll max out the tension screw, but I read somewhere that if that happens, they will fix it somehow.

On yesterday's ride I was plagued by a creaking with every pedal stroke, so I think I need to add some dry lube to the contact points and the tension screw.

But, I think this may well be the saddle for me, if the tensioning works out.

I am curious about the idea of lacing the An-Atomnica - I know people have done that with their Brooks to adjust the width and stiffness.

Andrea - I hope you like your saddle!

[Kitsune06]

I want to know why some people are so anti-an-atomica...

BikerZ I was thinking of butchering my Brooks anyway (the one where you "swallow-ize" it to make a slimmer profile like the Swallow has) I'd imagine that would cut down on 'flaring' but I'd imagine lacing would be possible, too. I'd limit how tight you lace, though, and be careful to waterproof/grease your laces fairly regularly. Leather held tight like that can "dry rot".

This should probably go on a different thread, but very quickly, how would I go about raising my handlebars? I already have a decent degree of 'lift' in my stem as it is. I'm concerned that I won't have enough room on the steerer tube to add spacers etc...

[Andrea]

This should probably go on a different thread, but very quickly, how would I go about raising my handlebars? I already have a decent degree of 'lift' in my stem as it is. I'm concerned that I won't have enough room on the steerer tube to add spacers etc...

If you don't have room for spacers, you can get a stem that has an angle to it. If you already have that, then I'm not really sure

[bikerz]

BikerZ I was thinking of butchering my Brooks anyway (the one where you "swallow-ize" it to make a slimmer profile like the Swallow has) I'd imagine that would cut down on 'flaring' but I'd imagine lacing would be possible, too. I'd limit how tight you lace, though, and be careful to waterproof/grease your laces fairly regularly. Leather held tight like that can "dry rot".

Since I would be lacing it to make the sides narrower, I'm a little worried that the laces themsleves would be what I rubbed against. Thanks for the tip about protecting the laces - I'm considering that butchering as a last resort!

I like the look of those "swallow-ized" saddles quite a bit!

[Kitsune06]

That's the beauty of leather. If you keep oiling the laces on the outside (where you'd get thigh rub) they'll soften and flatten against the side. HOWEVER they would still be raised just a bit and thus not quite as smooth as the regular sides o' the brooks. That and don't get that softening oil on the rest of the saddle or you'll get sag... =P oh the delicate balance...

[bikerz]

The sides of my selle anatomica are not as vertical as the brooks, and looking at the anatonica website, in some of the photos the saddle sides look much more vertical than mine do. Maybe it's just a matter of time before they mold that way.

It seems like if I could lace it in tightly, to make more of a "T" shape, it would be perfect, but I'm nervous about messing with it!

[Kitsune06]

The sides of my selle anatomica are not as vertical as the brooks, and looking at the anatonica website, in some of the photos the saddle sides look much more vertical than mine do. Maybe it's just a matter of time before they mold that way.

It seems like if I could lace it in tightly, to make more of a "T" shape, it would be perfect, but I'm nervous about messing with it!

My thought - to be taken with a grain of salt and maybe a margarita- would be to put 4-5 holes ~1/4-1/2" apart along the flared part, 1/2" up from the edge and lace that way. It allows the safeguard that if the lacing is not what you'd hoped and dreamed it would be you can remove it, and if the removal leaves it very rough, you can still trim that 1/2" at the tops of the punches, 'swallowizing' it minimally. Also having it only 1/2" up means that you'll have enough leather *beneath* the laces to brace the lacing properly and support the structural integrity of the saddle itself.

I'm not sure how it's tied, tho. You'd have to look at that again to see. Another thing you could try is smoother (i.e. flat) shoe/boot laces. They'd be strong and yet lay flat against your leather seat. As the saddle attempts to flare around the stitching it would pull the lacing into it and effectively (eventually) inlay the lacing just a bit, reducing rubbing. ...just a thought.