Quote Originally Posted by firelady View Post
I do mostly long distance rides of 20 to 75 miles and most of those are on an "improved" bike path of cinders and limestone grating.
I have ridden gravel roads with a Brooks sprung and unsprung saddle on my touring bike and I went with a sprung saddle--the Champion Flyer 'S'. It cut down on lower back fatigue considerably on the gravel grinder rides. As for whether to choose a women's saddle vs. a men's saddle, I think part of your decision should be based on your bike geometry. I personally like the women's saddles on the commuter/touring type bikes and the men's saddles on the road/mtb bikes. I do like the long ride comfort of the women's saddles as I have not felt like I'm sitting on the hardware. I personally haven't noticed that my steering is affected by the shorter nose but as others have indicated it could be an issue.

If you can't decide what Brooks saddle is right for you, I would contact Bill at Wallbike and ask for his suggestions. He is quite helpful and will patiently answer all of your questions. Good luck!