Thanks for the advice! Yes, my LBS is a Specialized dealer (plus Kona and Surly, though the latter's mostly for winterized Pugsleys).

Thanks for the Wallingford link - they don't even look any more expensive than other online retailers. The thing with Brooks is that at this stage I think I should first learn the new style of riding on my first road bike in about 20 years. Also, and I know that this isn't Brooks's fault, several of my urban, chic, plugged-in, non-cycling friends thought I "must" put a Brooks saddle on it as a fashion statement, which of course makes me want to rule them out.

Anyhow, regarding price, I see that the Specialized options (Jett, Lithia) are in the same range as Brooks: $85-100. Is that what you expect paying for a saddle? (I realize that if one's butt is happy on a cheap one, that's great too, but am interested in your, well, saddle budget item.)