New commuter/touring bike. Saddle advice needed!!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I am just not comfortable on the new bike. I feel like I need to sit up quite straight in order for the saddle to feel right (and yes, the nose is up but thats what the shop says is normal w/ a brooks) and that means I end up reaching too far to get to the bars and am ending up w/ a little back/neck pain. Boo! I already have a stubby little short stem on the thing and don't think we can mess w/ that much more. We've tried moving the seat forward with not a lot of effect.

Ideas? Different saddle maybe? Longer bars that come back towards me more?

First, the shop is just incorrect about Brooks saddles- they should not have their noses poking up into the air- your tilt looks uncomfortable to me. Start with setting it level as a starting point and then make very small adjustments over time. Putting that nose down more level might help your problem- try that first.

Second, from the photo, it seems your swept back bars are locating your handgrips pretty darned back close to your saddle already. If it's just the upright-ness making you uncomfortable then get a normal stem, not a riser stem- perhaps the same length (in MM) but not one that tilts up, raising your bars. Something like this Nitto stem perhaps (but your size): http://www.rivbike.com/images/produc...2/50-038-6.jpg
That would bring you down a bit. Not sure what bars you have there, but Albatross bars are quite back-sweeping.
You should keep in mind also that often when we make a drastic change in our biking body position it can feel weird and sore at first, then start feeling good after a few weeks of riding, as our body and muscles adapt to the new position.

Personally, I would not go with a straight seatpost if it's going to move your saddle up to where it shouldn't be and might throw your weight/center of gravity off balance too far over the crankset.

B66 & B67 are both Brooks saddles with springs under them- are you sure that's what you want? Springs do add weight and make attaching a back saddlebag a bit more tricky. Some women like sprung saddles but I don't find I need them at all even though I ride pretty upright on my two bikes.
The diff between 66 and 67 are the rails underneath- double or single, and that depends on what kind of seatpost you have and what it requires.
The main consideration in ordering a Brooks is knowing your sitbone width- best to have this narrowed down before ordering too many saddles. I have about the widsest sitbones there are and I ride a B68 Brooks. I used to ride a B17 and that was great but a bit too narrow for my sitbones. Sounds like (and looks like!) you are less wide than I am for sure.