Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - new brooks saddle!

getting a new brooks saddle tomorrow and i was wondering how long it takes to break one in?

I had a Team Pro and I would honestly say it got really good at about 700 miles. After that, just got better and better. The more expensive ones take longer to break in. It really depends on you though, different body shapes and weights probably can get this done sooner. Still definitely worth the wait.

Also, I should say that I had a B17 that I would say was totally comfortable and rideable right out of the box. But this may have been my a$$ just being broken in from 2000 miles on the Team Pro saddle. Really depends.

My B17 immediately felt more comfortable than any saddle I'd ever tried. Agonize over the set-up position (fore/aft and tilt). Brooks are unforgiving if the tilt isn't just right because you'll slip and slide on the leather.

I have a B-17 that took a little while to get used to. Maybe about 3-months. I also have a B-17 Professional that felt great in a week. Both are honey...mmmm honey.

i bought a b17 used and was a little worried that it wasn't gonna feel right, but it was amazing straight out of the… um, stoop sale. it has gotten better too, and is by far the most comfortable saddle i have owned (and my god i've owned some saddles)

I just got a b17 last week and so far its not bad right out of the box. I can tell though that it needs to break in. It reminds me of breaking in a fine pair of Italian hiking boots. One day they just broke in and have been comfortable ever since.

i got a swift on my bike and i love it.. but it does take awhile to break in. Buy the proof ride cream from brooks - it helps. I also heard that soaking it in water the taking it for a ride quickens the break-in perios, but i haven't tried that.

I got caught in the rain and it did "break it in" faster. I really don't think I would recommend getting it wet though. I did have to tighten up the tension bolt after it dried. Best that you can do is follow the directions provided by Brooks on how to treat your saddle.

not that the thread needs another 'me too', but after putting my b17 on two weeks ago I was more comfortable instantly. It's got about 600 miles on it now, and is getting even better.

I know the brooks thing comes up all the time, but for you guys with the b17s... you feel good? even though, (i would assume) your bars are lower than your saddle. Because the way brooks breaks it down for you, it would seem that a b17 wouldn't be the right model for a track bike... what's your experiences with this?

I have both B17's and B17N's (narrower version). I run lower bars (not too radical) with both saddles....no problems.

thanks for the info everyone.
lol...i must be the only one not getting the b17!!
i chose the conquest cos i liked the springs...lol...oh well...!

I'm probably about a 2-4 inch drop to the bars. It's not bad. I do have the nose of the saddle tilted down slighly.

"also heard that soaking it in water the taking it for a ride quickens the break-in perios, but i haven't tried that."

yikes!

That's weird, water and leather don't usually mix too well. You should probably check into that before you do it.

I know this has been asked before but theirs a gorgeous black san marco (i think that's what it is at least) with copper rivets. I'm deciding between that and the brooks. Any advice?

I know the brooks thing comes up all the time, but for you guys with the b17s... you feel good? even though, (i would assume) your bars are lower than your saddle. Because the way brooks breaks it down for you, it would seem that a b17 wouldn't be the right model for a track bike... what's your experiences with this?

i have mine set up flat with drop bars and it's great. it's the b17 narrow. perhaps there's some issue with the non-narrow model and dropped riding positions, maybe (i'm assuming there's a non-narrow model since they make a point of the narrow thing). iunno. it is the most comfortable saddle though

That's weird, water and leather don't usually mix too well. You should probably check into that before you do it.

I know this has been asked before but theirs a gorgeous black san marco (i think that's what it is at least) with copper rivets. I'm deciding between that and the brooks. Any advice?

yea i saw this yesterday for the first time, flipped it over. it's a regular saddle, ie plastic form, padding and a leather skin. the rivets are entirely decorative. doesn't really look that great in the flesh. at all, in fact. also more expensive than a b17 from nashbar. pointless to my mind

Well said. That answers that.

thanks for the info everyone.
lol...i must be the only one not getting the b17!!
i chose the conquest cos i liked the springs...lol...oh well...!

I have a Conquest on my Nishiki MTB - took hardly any time at all to break in - I've done 50+ mile rides on it, and a couple of centuries - no problem at all - you'll have a blast! …and, yes the springs are cool!

- Wil

NOOOO! I have heard over and over from experts (even Sheldon Brown) that water is definitely a BAD thing for Brooks. It may seem like they are more comfortable after wet but you are shortening the life of the leather.

NOOOO! I have heard over and over from experts (even Sheldon Brown) that water is definitely a BAD thing for Brooks. It may seem like they are more comfortable after wet but you are shortening the life of the leather.
Yes, because England has such a dry climate.

I have the Conquest as well. It's basically a Pro with springs. It doesn't matter.....Conquest, Professional, Swift, B17, B66, B whatever....you'll get to love your Brooks.

I know the brooks thing comes up all the time, but for you guys with the b17s... you feel good? even though, (i would assume) your bars are lower than your saddle. Because the way brooks breaks it down for you, it would seem that a b17 wouldn't be the right model for a track bike... what's your experiences with this?

I was using a terry fly ti saddle (a fast, racy saddle) before the brooks. I almost never used the drops because I was so uncomfortable there. Now I spend most of my time in the drops with the brooks...hbars are about 3 cm below saddle on a 60cm (c-c) frame...not too low, but not grandpa style either...I leave that for my newest fixie.

I have B17 and a Team Pro coming, any day now. If I remember the figures, the B17 is 170mm wide, and the Team Pro is 160. The B17N is 150, which seems to be on the narrow side for me. The Pro will go on my more serious bike, which I'm often wearing bike shorts on, and the B17 will go on the Langster which is just used for the mundane grocery runs, shopping trips, and general cruising around. Usually no bike shorts worn on that one.

I'm really looking forward to this!

How is it that no one knows their saddle to bar drop, but everyone knows their chainline to a micrometer? Doesen't anyone own a 3' level around here?

2 cents, used B72 with the cloths pin springs on my flat bar SS. When I got it it was really dry ($10 can't lose). So I wrapped it in alum foil and dumped half a 10 oz bottle of neets foot oil in it, every drop was soaked up! It is great... but don't wear you khaki pants while on it. IHMO the oils (mink or neets foot...any real leather or shoe store) will soften the leather faster because it penetrates faster and deeper than the brooks paste. But it will definitely darken your saddle if it isn't black.
I also have a conquest (new and in yum yum honey) on my older mtn bike and it needs more break it (300 miles so far). I don't get to ride it much because the bike is in Brooklyn. Does anyone w a conquest get annoyed w the springs creeking?
final btw: I was in holland a few years back and there were lots of B72's and the models with 30000 springs. they were on commuters that were parked in the rain and all of them had enought sag in the leather to look like mini hammicks :)

cheers

Bring me the head of Paul Frank on a silver pista

i am really glad i ordered it now, as i wasn't to sure... :D

come on mr van man... :p

Yeah! Got mine today! Time to put 'em on the bikes!

How is it that no one knows their saddle to bar drop, but everyone knows their chainline to a micrometer? Doesen't anyone own a 3' level around here?I eyeball them, including the chainline.... :D

I got a B17 this week. It was way harder than I expected, but it felt ok on the only long ride so far. I'm hoping the color (honey) will get darker as it gets older.

at first i hated my b-17, then in a moment of brilliance i tilted it back a good bit and it was the most beautiful feeling in the world

at first i hated my b-17, then in a moment of brilliance i tilted it back a good bit and it was the most beautiful feeling in the world

ok interesting, cause i set mine by eye as i would normally run a saddle when i got it then found within about 30 feet it needed to be lowered (nose down). only by one of the "clicks" on the post, so nothing drastic, and certainly not anything that looks "lowered" when you look at it, but i'm surprised you tilted yours back. everyone's anatomy's different, i guess.

Put the B17 in my Langster and went out for some errends, probably did about 10 miles, nice! It needs a few degrees nose-down, but the basic seat itself is nice. The slipperiness is interesting, you can adjust your position on it instantly, no effort, no having to stand a little on the pedals and adjust. You won't fall off the back since the width won't allow that and you won't fall off the front because you won't. Very nice saddle! Got some proofide too, guess I should put some on sometime.

the slipperness goes away - that is just the new leather. When i first put my swift on i was slipping all over the place.

saddle soap and a rubber mallet. soap it up, wait 24 hrs, then bang this goodness out of it with a soft rubber mallet like 300 times all over it. speeds up the break in tons!

OK I put the B17 Team Pro on the other bike and did 40+ miles between a club ride and the rides to/from the starting point (on which I tend to push way too hard, go too fast) so it got a good trying out, it's a great seat!

Peeo n it. yum. Pee oni t. yum. Pee o nit. yum

Just got a Swift in the mail, looking forward to sitting on it!

I tilted the nose of the b17 on the langster down just a few degrees, and went off to do some errends, 8 miles or so I guess, maybe 10, thin shorts and um, er, commando. A sans-padding experiment. No problems.

I think I see myself being a happy Brooks customer "for the duration".

A bit of proofide and two days curryin in the rain is all it took for my Pro to break in. And several tweaks of the position and angle, too.

Today was my first long ride on the brooks. It's looks like the front is up too high but it feels great. First time in a long time that my penis wasn't completely numb when I got home.

Hi, I found what looks to be a never used Brooks saddle at a yard sale 3 years ago, but it has no identifying marks on it. It is black leather, two rails, no springs, screw adjustment, 6 rivets in back, 3 up front, two vent holes in the top, 11 holes on both sides at the lowest border. There is what appears to be a thin gray leather reinforcement running down the underside midline of the saddle. The leather is very stiff, but it seems normal, given that it is unused. Could this be a Brooks? I had a Brooks on my old Schwinn SuperSport (some creep stole my baby), but I never really thought the seat was anything special. I'd like to put this on my Shogun. Any advice on treatments for it? How 'bout pointers on the screw adjustment?
Love this site!
Thanks RR

picture?