Question for the Brooks Experts....

[KnottedYet]

They also have lots of saddle help if you call with a problem. My B67 was making creaking noises, and I called them a few times as they talked me thru trying various things to get the noises to stop. (The springs let the frame flex more, and it can take a bit of searching to find the spot that is making the noise.)

Saddle is nice and quiet now, and I like it so much I've ordered another so each of my bikes will have one!

I think LisaSH had a B17S, and switched to a B68 (like mine, but no springs). She sold her old Brooks here, pretty sure you could too!

[mimitabby]

I have never had one of their women's models either. I like the length of my B66 and B67's.

I think it's a carryover from 100 years ago when women were thought to be dainty (and didn't ride their bikes much either) I would love to hear a scientific
explanation of why they make the shorter seat for women.
All i can think of is that it would look nicer under a dress .

[anakiwa]

According to one of the customer service people at Terry a woman's pelvis is shorter in the fore-aft direction (obviously wider side to side). I was asking why the men's liberator was longer and that was the answer I was given.

CA- have you tried changing the position of the saddle? In general I've found the Brooks to be very difficult to get the position right on. My initial rides were torture (too much mashing in the front). Then I figured out the nose needs to be level (not the saddle overall) and things got better. Then I got a new bike (one that was custom fit for me) and because I could reach the hoods/drops so much better I started riding differently- and again way too much mashing in the front. I had to give up on the Brooks- I think it might work for me for touring (if I could stay in an upright position), but for now I'm liking the hoods/drops too much and the Brooks just doesn't work for that (at least for me).

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have come to the conclusion that it is harder to get the Brooks adjusted to a comfortable position on bikes that have an extreme racing position- with their handlebars substancially lower than the seat height. In fact, it may be harder to find ANY saddle that is really comfortable when you are in that position. The racing position tends to put more pressure up front on the nose of the saddle because it tilts your pelvis forward more.
Brooks saddles in particular are designed for having your weight entirely on your two sit bones, not on the front nose. Most older steel bikes, all touring bikes, and many hybrid bikes have more relaxed geometry and tend to have the handlebars at a similar height as the seat, which makes it easier to put your weight on your sitbones.

[Blueberry]

I have tried changing the angle of the saddle - it's slightly tipped up, as it has to be for me to not slide off the front of it. I had a similar problem with it perfectly level (it really is level front to back now, it just looks slightly tipped up), and was having major hand pain from the weight distribution problems.

The bars on this bike are even with to slightly above the saddle, so I'm not in an extreme racing position by any means

It really sounds like it just might be too short....

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have tried changing the angle of the saddle - it's slightly tipped up, as it has to be for me to not slide off the front of it. I had a similar problem with it perfectly level (it really is level front to back now, it just looks slightly tipped up), and was having major hand pain from the weight distribution problems.

The bars on this bike are even with to slightly above the saddle, so I'm not in an extreme racing position by any means

It really sounds like it just might be too short....

The non-"S" Brooks saddles have much longer rails underneath. This enables you to move the saddle forward/backward much more than with the S models. I foun dI was way more comfortable when I got a non-S Broks and shoved my saddle back an additional 1 1/2" from what it was with the S model. With tthe saddle shoved back my center of gravity shifted back more and I felt more comfy and got better leg pedaling leverage too. The change also stopped that feeling that I was sliding forward too often. Just a few thoughts from one person's experience.

[Blueberry]

Lisa-

Which saddle are you riding now??

CA