Help choosing a Brooks

[skyhand]

You'n me both! I have to wait until next Wednesday for my B-68.

Would love to see pictures once it comes in! And be prepared for a bit of slippin' and slidin' at first...

well you'll get yours a day before me! i'll definitely take pics. not sure it'll look all that great on my lemond, but eh, the saddle itself will be most excellent.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

And be prepared for a bit of slippin' and slidin' at first...

Two tips for getting rid of the slippin' sooner:
Keep putting on that ProofHide they sell for Brooks saddles- rub it on like 2-3 times a week for 2 weeks, then once a month or so.
Do not wear brand new shorts with your brand new Brooks! The combo is Uber-Slippery! Use shorts you've been wearing a while.

[skyhand]

Thanks for the Slip Tips! I'll be sure to wear my oldest of shorts. Maybe I'll slap on some anti-skid tape they sell for floor rugs.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Thanks for the Slip Tips! I'll be sure to wear my oldest of shorts. Maybe I'll slap on some anti-skid tape they sell for floor rugs.

Or just paint some rubber cement on your shorts!

[Liz]

Long time lurker, first time postin'.

So, with utter joy, my Italia LDY is scheduled to be doused with lighter fluid and set ablaze at the next full moon. She causes me more pain than sitting on nails and I'll be elated to see her go!

Thus, research for a new saddle has begun! Been reading through the forums here, and wanna try a Brooks. My problem is deciding which size best suits me. Called Wallingford, and unforunately the gal who answered the phone was not of help. She merely suggested any women's model on their site, and that's all the info I was given.

Hi, my name is Liz and I'm the gal you spoke to on the phone. I'm sorry you found me unhelpful, as that was NEVER my intention. No pinning this one on Diane, it was my fault. I'm new to the whole Brooks line. I've been learning something new about the Brooks saddles everyday for the last month while training. Unfortunately, during my training period we didn't have very many women calling up and asking about the Brooks ladies' saddles. I'll get Bill (aka Brooks Saddle Guru) to give me some extra tips about the ladies models, so next time I'll be more prepared. Please accept my apology (I'm new ).

[Blueberry]

Liz-

Welcome to TE! I always wonder how *anyone* can really give saddle advice (meaning simply that everyone's needs are so different). I spoke to Bill about mine - I had a bike with a pre-loved B17S, and ordered the B17. He actually asked me to give him feedback when I decide how it's working (how cool is that!). Your own marketing research!

The only tip I have to share (now) is if you steer with your thighs, the women's models will be way too short for you to be happy!

Oh yeah - and proofhide is cool (but caution should be exercised when opening after shipping in hot weather - duh!)

CA

[skyhand]

Hi Liz! No worries, I know how it is starting a new job and trying to field questions. I ended up getting some great feedback here, as you can see, and ordered the B17 Champion Ti from your site. Should arrive tomorrow (if UPS doesn't fail)!

[KnottedYet]

Yay! A Wallingford employee!! Stick around, kid, we'll teach you everything you need to know about Brooks saddles! (hee hee! I'm KIDDING!!!) Seriously though, we can be a good test-market and feedback source.

I used to live about 10 blocks from WBP, back when they were in Wallingford.

[Liz]

Hi Liz! No worries, I know how it is starting a new job and trying to field questions. I ended up getting some great feedback here, as you can see, and ordered the B17 Champion Ti from your site. Should arrive tomorrow (if UPS doesn't fail)!

The B-17 Champion Ti is a great saddle. Let me know how it works for you. We don't recieve a lot of feedback from women who use Brooks saddles designated for men.

[KnottedYet]

Liz - post up a question in the saddle thread asking "Do you ride a Men's Brooks?" and see how *many* of us do! I'd say the Men's riders are the majority. You could also ask for feedback about why they chose the men's and anything else you'd like to know. We love to talk!

(I have two "men's" B67 saddles, because I prefer a longer nose.)

And did you see this thread? http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=17382

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The B-17 Champion Ti is a great saddle. Let me know how it works for you. We don't recieve a lot of feedback from women who use Brooks saddles designated for men.

Read this thread:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=12921

Here's some excerpts, from me:

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!

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.

Two months later now.....I still LOVE this saddle and would NEVER go back to an S model, despite the fact that I have a very Pear shaped "womanly" figure.

[Veronica]

I like the shorter nose of the Finesse because when I stand to climb I feel the B-17 hitting my legs and I don't feel the Finesse.

V.

[mimitabby]

Hey Liz welcome to TE! I have 4 brooks saddles, none of them are "women's"

[skyhand]

the brooks baby has ARRIVED and dear gawd is this thing GORGEOUS! time to proofide, proofide, and ride!

side note, as a graphic designer, i really dig the exceptional looking packaging that houses these saddles...

huge kudos to Liz and Wallingford for the personalized explanatory letter and background info! very nice touch.

[sandra]

PICTURES!!!