Brooks Saddles

[ultraviolet]

I'm about 140mm center-to-center, and ride a Specialized Ruby 155 on my go-fast road bike (where "go fast" is a relative term). When it comes to Brooks for anything except a really upright position (cruiser/city bike) I'm happiest on either the B-17 or the Finesse. I've ridden the Finesse on leisurely century rides with no real issues--on a bike that had the saddle almost level with the bars. (I switched to the Ruby when I bought a "race" bike that had more saddle to bar drop than I'd had previously...because I needed a cut-out at that point.)

I also have a Team Pro (in white) on my singlespeed, but I rarely ride that more than a few miles at a time so I can't speak to its comfort over any length of time.

[Susan]

Thank you very much.

Muirenn, that makes sense, they are designed differently than "modern" saddles. If I only could remember my outside-to-outside measurement, I guess I will have to measure again.
So, the S isn't only shorter but also wider... the description on the Brooks homepage doesn't reflect that, it says 175 or 176 for all the B17 Models. Oh maybe you meant the Team Pro, I see now that its S Models are wider?

Ultraviolet, that sounds promising that those saddles could be the right fit for me too. Now that you own both saddles - what's the striking difference between those two? I can't really tell from the photos, except that the Finesse/TeamPro S is shorter.

Now I will have to go and get some cardboard again

[Catrin]

Many of us have had problems with the "S" version of the B17. The rails are so short that the hardware can wind up directly under your girly bits I had a large problem with this myself, but it did not become apparent until my rides got longer than 20 miles.

[Susan]

Good to know!
I was wondering why a womens-saddle would have to be shorter? Wider makes sense, but shorter?

[Catrin]

Because a woman had nothing to do with the design...or a fall-back to the time when women were assumed to wear dresses/skirts on the bike.

[Biciclista]

definitely has to do with the fact that it was designed 100 years ago and women had voluminous skirts...

[sundial]

The upside to using a Brooks 'S' saddle is that it forces you to sit on the widest part of the saddle rather than perch on the nose.

[ultraviolet]

I prefer the Finesse for my long-distance bike. (It's on its third bike now.)

With my kind of short femurs (I'm long-torsoed/short-legged), I've never needed a ton of fore/aft adjustment room in my saddles. All of my saddles are placed right around the middle of their rails, so this has never been a big concern for me. I also don't do a ton of steering with my thighs (however, I shift my weight/use body lean a good bit), so having a longer nose to "grip" has never been a priority for me. Also, I ride almost exclusively in skorts, and they're a little less likely to catch on the shorter nose of the Finesse.

So, it's possible that I'm just the perfect confluence of factors for the shorter length Brooks saddles. My dad always did tell me I was perfect. Who knew he was talking about such a niche market for perfection, though? Hah!

[Susan]

Yes, it really is a bit confusing. But if got everything right, there are not so many choices left for me:

Either the Team Pro S, if I don't have problems because it's too short - or one of the B17s (also depending on how wide the B17 and B17S actually are...). If both of them are too narrow then there is only the B68 left, but I'm not sure if I would like to have this one.

I often ride wearing skirts but didn't consider this as the possible reason behind the shorter womens saddles. But I guess it really could make things easier when wearing shorter skirts.

I'm not so sure if it would be ok for me to get a shorter saddle... I don't have much experience with different saddles or even saddle positions. I just screwed the Ruby onto my bike and tinkered with the position until it felt right and didn't think much about it since...
On my commuter there has always been a horrible squishy uncomfortable saddle and I have always been too lazy to change it (for the last... um 12 years ).

[Susan]

That's probably exactly what I will do. I still have some time to think it over

[sundial]

I prefer the Finesse for my long-distance bike.

Ultraviolet, have you seen the new pink limited edition B 18 Brooks saddle? It is definitely a collectors item.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The upside to using a Brooks 'S' saddle is that it forces you to sit on the widest part of the saddle rather than perch on the nose.

And the downside of that for me was that I couldn't shove the B17S back enough to stop feeling I was holding myself up with my hands, my weight centered to far forward. So yes, the 'S' Brooks forced me to sit on the widest part of it- but with my sitbones literally perched on the back metal frame edge of the saddle. But this was not because it was a shorter saddle- but rather because the rails were so much shorter that the saddle can't be adjusted back much at all. When i got the B17 instead, I could shove it back a whole 'nother 1.5 inches, and I felt way more weight balanced. I don't perch on the saddle nose whether I'm on an "S" model or a 'regular' model- that would feel way too far forward for my center of gravity. I guess all our bodies are different.

I wouldn't have a problem if they marketed the S model simply as a short saddle. But I do have a problem with it being promoted as 'the woman's version' of Brooks saddles. I suspect that not that many women actually do well with the S model because of the super-short rails and their resultant drastic limitation in fore-aft adjustment, and the flowing skirt factor is not really an issue for the average woman rider.
I didn't find the B17 to be any narrower than the B17S in the sitbone area.
(later I switched to the B68 because I realized my sitbones were even wider than i first thought. Pure bliss ever since. )

I always wondered why they figure men need a longer saddle nose, when in reality they have more 'stuff' up front that might have to 'duke it out' with a longer saddle nose!

[sundial]

I always wondered why they figure men need a longer saddle nose, when in reality they have more 'stuff' up front that might have to 'duke it out' with a longer saddle nose!

I've thought that as well.

[warneral]

Well I just took my first ride of the year and I did it on my new saddle - Brooks B17 imperial.

Yewouch! It was a bit painful in the perenial region but also sit bones. I rode 20mi. I think I'll be reading through this thread to see how long it took yall to adjust to the new saddle. I love the idea of the classic saddle on my steel bike, and I believe people find theirs to be comfortable. I probably should have started with B68 but figured I'd go with the flagship first and if it didn't work I could trade for the B68.

I'm wondering how much (if any) the cutout helps given my experience today! I have a planet bike ARS gel saddle which has honestly given me no issues but I was seduced by the looks and raves of the brooks!

[warneral]

And the downside of that for me was that I couldn't shove the B17S back enough to stop feeling I was holding myself up with my hands, my weight centered to far forward. So yes, the 'S' Brooks forced me to sit on the widest part of it- but with my sitbones literally perched on the back metal frame edge of the saddle. But this was not because it was a shorter saddle- but rather because the rails were so much shorter that the saddle can't be adjusted back much at all. When i got the B17 instead, I could shove it back a whole 'nother 1.5 inches, and I felt way more weight balanced. I don't perch on the saddle nose whether I'm on an "S" model or a 'regular' model- that would feel way too far forward for my center of gravity. I guess all our bodies are different.

I wouldn't have a problem if they marketed the S model simply as a short saddle. But I do have a problem with it being promoted as 'the woman's version' of Brooks saddles. I suspect that not that many women actually do well with the S model because of the super-short rails and their resultant drastic limitation in fore-aft adjustment, and the flowing skirt factor is not really an issue for the average woman rider.
I didn't find the B17 to be any narrower than the B17S in the sitbone area.
(later I switched to the B68 because I realized my sitbones were even wider than i first thought. Pure bliss ever since. )

I always wondered why they figure men need a longer saddle nose, when in reality they have more 'stuff' up front that might have to 'duke it out' with a longer saddle nose!

My bike fitter said women have long femurs which explains why we need to set the saddle back - so why we would want shorter rails is beyond me! I KNEW the s versions wouldn't work for me.