Fifty Plus (50+) - finally, a cycling 'euro' bargain

So I've been prowling the LBS here in Bonn, Germany for a couple of months, checking all kinds of equipment, helmets, etc. The American-made goods are way more expensive than in the States - like an average of 20% more expensive, if not more.

BUT I discovered the bargain today: Brooks saddles... my Texas LBS sells them for $ 200 bucks or more. Here the B-17 is 79.99 euros ($ ~ 102.00). The All-Terrain with the springs is only 69.99 euros ($ ~ 89.00). I've got room in my suitcase to buy a B-17 & bring it home but have never ridden one.

With my new Surly LHT under construction at the Texas LBS, I'm thinking now might be the time to buy a B-17, bring it home & see how it rides on the Long Haul Trucker. Anybody have an opinion from their own Brooks experience?

BTW I'm 6'5", 225 lbs so qualify as a Clydesdale so if no one here has an opinion (hardly likely) I'll hit up the Clydes...

Tom

Tom,

The Brooks prices are not that great. I paid right around 80 for a B-17, your Texas bike shop seems to be in the "Everything's big in Texas" mode with their prices. Check out Wallingford, Peter White, Harris, Rivendell. They all have prices reasonably close to each other, just depends on who you like to do business with. Peter White and Rivendell have both been very good to me.

The prices are not a good deal. A B-17 standard is US$ 68 at Wallbike, plus freight.. Any LBS store that charges $200 bucks for a standard Brooks must have a corner on the market. Now, if its titanium rails it could easily be that or more depending upon the model. Maybe you're not comparing apples to apples.

For an LHT I recommend a Champion Flyer or B-67, sprung saddles.

You have been lucky. Bikes in the UK are the same price as in the US --- but in £'s. A $2,000 bike in the US will cost £2,000 in the uk. Current exchange rate around 1.85 $ to £ so that is $3,700. One of the reasons why I always haggle over the price of everything major in the UK.

As to prices- I have an LBS that looks after me but there is always the internet. Would not chance E.Bay but that can be a cheaper alternative.

As always, those of you in this forum have more accurate knowledge than me. Obviously I've not done enough homework state-side to understand the market. Yes, the LBS has the corner on the product locally but the price was quoted via an e-mail from someone who may (or may not) actually know what the Brooks' sell for via Wallbike or Rivendell or those mentioned.

I'm not convinced that the quest for the perfect seat cannot start over again from the wall of my LBS or from further research - I've already got at least 3 saddles sitting in the 'bike drawer' in my garage.

FWIW, I happen to think the brown B-17 is a beautiful saddle aesthetically. The LHT Owners' website shows many of the bikes with very nice matching brown saddles & brown-wrapped dropbars. As for giving a particular 'look' to a cycle, the Brooks offers something as a leather saddle that is uniquely handsome. The Bonn LBS has a grey B-17 that was an unusual color - the salesperson liked it but I wasn't so attracted to it. Obviously I'm clinging to some traditionalist image of the leather appearance.

Mono, thanks for rec on the LHT saddle: you ride an LHT or a CrossCheck or is it the occasional poster from Lubbock that is riding his CrossCheck out on the High Plains?

Tom

aebike.com has the B-17 for $51.99

Wallingford Bike Parts is reasonably competitive but, joy of joys, they have a 6 month return/exchange/refund policy.....as well as a pretty complete selection. What Branford does for Campy stuff, so Wallingford does for Brooks.

Go here: http://www.wallbike.com/Brookssaddles.html#

P.M. to Centex: barcons go out, hopefully, tomorrow. With the Brooks, you'll be roadworthy museum of cycling history. Just gotta get some drilled out brake levers with gum hoods.

...With the Brooks, you'll be roadworthy museum of cycling history. Just gotta get some drilled out brake levers with gum hoods.
Like my bikes!

c-woody, I've not ridden the B-17, but ride a Professional and heft about 20 more lbs than you do. I also have the wider B-72 on my Collegiate. Both are older models I won on ebay ('84 and '79). You can't go wrong with a Brooks. I paid $60 and $40 (shipped) for mine.