Touring - Something other than a brooks saddle?

Anyone have a saddle they like that is NOT a brooks? I tried one out for 500+ miles and hated it. Sorry, you won't change my mind......

So what else are you using?

Heathen!
Seriously though, the only way to find something good is to try out a lot of them.
Look for something somewhat wider than a standard road saddle but not too wide.
You could also try another brooks, what did you try?

It was a standard b17.

Give it some more time I reckon. I got mine just as I started my first bicycle tour. I had saddle sores for fifty days.

fizik vitesse?

I'm with you too- I hated the Brooks. I felt all of the little brass spots and the hard nub in the front of it. I've since decided to go back to my first love, the simple and elegant Selle Italia Flite. It's just the seat that works for me- on our tandem BF has his Brooks, and I have my Flite and we're both happy.

Give it some more time I reckon. I got mine just as I started my first bicycle tour. I had saddle sores for fifty days.
Thats a sign you want a new saddle :D
A brooks should feel comfy enough to ride for a long time after a few hundred miles or less.

Specialized Body Geometry... good enough if you have to ride upright.

Find a good LBS that will let you try out saddles and return them. Buy whatever seems like you'd like it and try it out for a couple days. Repeat as necessary until you find a comfy saddle. It may require numerous attempts before you find the one you will love.

Fizik Rondine. Love it.

I ride a Specialized Body Geometry. For me, the point of my tailbone is the problem. The Milan ti splits in the back so it works great, for me. I have also heard the fizik saddles are wonderful, but cost a pretty penny. Just keep trying until you find what works for you. (Mine was the fourth one I tried!)

A Brooks will NEVER feel good unless you ride almost upright. If you're in a racing crouch with a long reach to the bars the saddle just won't work.

If you want to try something else look for a Selle San Marco Regal saddle. Most people love these things.

A Brooks will NEVER feel good unless you ride almost upright. If you're in a racing crouch with a long reach to the bars the saddle just won't work.

If you want to try something else look for a Selle San Marco Regal saddle. Most people love these things.

I gotta disagree. That may be true with a B17, but somewhat less so with a Team Pro and majorly less so with a Swift or Swallow.

Whatever saddle you try make sure you find the right angle. Start off with it level and if it is not comfortable try tilting it ever so slightly either up in the front or down. A saddle which ultimately would be perfect for you at the wrong angle may feel worse than a saddle not as good for you at the right angle. It is amazing what a 1 or 2 degree adjustment can make.

I have used serfas rx and fizik vitesse cp and have loved them both. I must agree with Geraldatwork though about seat angle. When I first climbed aboard my Fizik Vitesse I thought it was awful. Just turned out the nose was too high. I lowered it a tad and have put over 400 miles on it in less than two weeks without padded shorts. I have never had a saddle sore from either of these two seats and I have never owned special shorts. I cant imagine putting up with a seat that doesnt feel right on me bum!!

It would help if you explained what the problem was with the Brooks. We don't know if it was too wide, too narrow, etc.

I tour on a Sella Italia Flite saddle. I think a lot of shops will let you try and return saddles if you tape the rails so that your seatpost clamp doesn't mark them up. Try saddles until you find one you can ride for hours and hours, day after day. After a couple of weeks of touring, my taint becomes a piece of beef jerky and it doesn't matter what I sit on

maybe some different shorts and/or using chamois cream/buttr can help too

Well, the Brooks was too narrow and too hard. It was "soft" for leather, but I like some cushion. I just bought a Specialized BG2 Sport and it already feels better. Sure, it might not last 232 years, but it will work for my two month tour.

I tour on a Sella Italia Flite saddle. I think a lot of shops will let you try and return saddles if you tape the rails so that your seatpost clamp doesn't mark them up. Try saddles until you find one you can ride for hours and hours, day after day. After a couple of weeks of touring, my taint becomes a piece of beef jerky and it doesn't matter what I sit on

I also can recommend the Flite. It has been popular for many years as it is fairly comfortable for a racing type saddle. I get about 10k miles out of one till it starts sagging down a bit.

I also find the old gel padded racing saddles are super comfy and cheap too (on ebay <$10). I have a 1991 vintage Vetta gel-lite racing saddle thats very cushy. The cover hasn't held up since its not leather.

If you found the Brooks uncomfortable then you may have to get your butt replaced.:D
It would probably be cheaper than all the saddles you will have to buy to find the one just right.

I gotta disagree. That may be true with a B17, but somewhat less so with a Team Pro and majorly less so with a Swift or Swallow.
I should have been more specific but then when you're in the TOURING thread you should assume that I meant the B-17.

A Brooks will NEVER feel good unless you ride almost upright. If you're in a racing crouch with a long reach to the bars the saddle just won't work.

If you want to try something else look for a Selle San Marco Regal saddle. Most people love these things.

Agreed.

If in fact he was sitting straight up, the OP should have ridden a Brooks Champion Flyer with Springs. All of my bikes have some kind of supension whether it's in the seat post or the flyer. Even a bad saddle can be helped with a suspension seat post. I've had this happen to me.

A Brooks will NEVER feel good unless you ride almost upright. If you're in a racing crouch with a long reach to the bars the saddle just won't work.

I agree. If I ride in the drops for extended distance on my B17 I get numbness.

Anyone have a saddle they like that is NOT a brooks? I tried one out for 500+ miles and hated it. Sorry, you won't change my mind......

So what else are you using?

Terry Liberator.

I wrestled with a B17 for a while and just ordered a Koobi Enduro AU. I've heard really really good things about them, once I put some time in it I'll let you know how it feels. You might want to check them out too.

A Brooks will NEVER feel good unless you ride almost upright. If you're in a racing crouch with a long reach to the bars the saddle just won't work.

If you want to try something else look for a Selle San Marco Regal saddle. Most people love these things.

You are incorrect. You just have to follow Brooks' reccommendations concerning what saddle is suited for which riding position. B17's are for a relatively upright position (stem about the same height as saddle), Team Pro's are for a more aerodynamic position (stem somewhat lower than saddle) and Swifts and Swallows are for the most agressive position (stem considderably lower than saddle).

I have a Swift and my stem to saddle drop is 4 inches. It's by far the most comfortable saddle I have ever owned.