Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Which Brooks?

Which is the all around best Brooks saddle?

I want to get a leather saddle that can be my everyday commute saddle, but will also work for touring or bike camping, and going fast on the weekends. In short the road/sport/touring model.

Also are there any American made saddle bags equivalent to the carradice line?

I use/love the Team Pro for all those applications.

Also are there any American made saddle bags equivalent to the carradice line?

Acorn Bags (http://acornbags.com/)

I'm a fan of the standard B17

B 17 for me.:D

I'm a fan of the standard B17

Same here. And I really like my B-17 Imperial which I was part of the test group for. (It's a B-17 Champ Standard with a cutout like the An-Atomica). I have a really shallow difference between my bars and seat, though. Only 1.25" of drop, so the B-17 is still comfortable for me. If you have a more agressive position, I've heard that it's not as good and a model like the Swift is better suited.

Same here. And I really like my B-17 Imperial which I was part of the test group for. (It's a B-17 Champ Standard with a cutout like the An-Atomica). I have a really shallow difference between my bars and seat, though. Only 1.25" of drop, so the B-17 is still comfortable for me. If you have a more agressive position, I've heard that it's not as good and a model like the Swift is better suited.

What Clifton says.

the b17 is a good all-around saddle; i just got a team pro and like it a lot too.

i have a swift as well, but it's really narrow, almost too much so. (for me)

I was thinking about getting a swift, now I ride with an old used Italian racing saddle that is pretty narrow and shockingly comfortable, the B17 just looks a little wide, but I have yet to do more than 30 miles at a time on the saddle, The B17 is cheaper anyway, so if you all say it's the way to go for long distances I'll give it wurl

The B17 Narrow fits me really well. Money well-spent :-)

B17

the b17 narrow fits me really well. Money well-spent :-)

+1

Terry Liberator Y Saddle

I use/love the Team Pro for all those applications.


I have a Team Pro as well and found that it serves me very, very well

I have a Brook's Pro -- 31 years on it.

I have a B-17 -- 1 y/o.

They're both great, but I'm beginning to prefer the B-17

Whichever you buy, don't forget the Proofide. Nothing else, except saddle soap occasionally. No neatsfoot!

I have the champion flyer saddle,it's basically the b-17 but with springs.
As a general rule of thumb if your handlebars are lower than your saddle get an unsprung brooks like the b-17.If your handlebars are higher than your saddle then get a sprung saddle like the champion flyer.

My handlebars are higher than my saddle.

Which is the all around best Brooks saddle?

I want to get a leather saddle that can be my everyday commute saddle, but will also work for touring or bike camping, and going fast on the weekends. In short the road/sport/touring model.

Also are there any American made saddle bags equivalent to the carradice line?

There is no all around best. That's why Brooks makes so many different configurations. It depends on your riding style and set up. Road/sport/touring is an oxymoron. I assume you are riding a road bike with drop handlebars. What is the brakehood height compared to the saddle? B17 and Team Pro are popular for road bikes with the hoods at or near saddle height. If you have an aggressive riding position (hoods 3 or more inches below the saddle), the swift or swallow would be a better bet.

Bob

B17. get the Proofide.

I love my B17, too - it fit me just right as soon as I got it. Actually, now almost a year on, it doesn't really like me quite so much, but maybe it just needs adjusting.

You'd have to try one and find out, though - I realise I was lucky that the B17 worked so well for me

For anyone still up in the air on which saddle to chose, here is your answer.

Wallingford Bicycle Parts has a really neat program that allows you to buy a saddle and trade it in for a different one if you don't like it. They are really nice to work with. It's a win-win.

http://www.wallbike.com/Brookssaddles.html

I have a Brook's Pro -- 31 years on it.

I have a B-17 -- 1 y/o.

They're both great, but I'm beginning to prefer the B-17

Whichever you buy, don't forget the Proofide. Nothing else, except saddle soap occasionally. No neatsfoot!

I have to disagree about the neatsfoot, why the harse words?

Originally I had a B-17 and loved it, then built up my Bilenky and wanted something a bit racier so I splurged on the Ti railed Swift. 1,500 uncomfortable and worrisome miles later and it still wasn't even close to breaking in so I took a risk and soaked it through with neatsfoot oil. Surprisingly, the leather softened up and the saddle felt progressively better. It's now ok, not quite what my old B-17 used to be (now ruined from rain stretching it out) but it gets the job done.

I splurged on the Ti railed Swift. 1,500 uncomfortable and worrisome miles later and it still wasn't even close to breaking in

I gave up on the swift after 700 miles. It was B-A-A-A-D for me. My current saddle is a Brooks Swallow and its very comfortable for me. But I also note that my current bike is fitted much more aggressively than the previous one and my overall peddling cadence is faster.

I don't know what combination of factors changed, but the swallow works. It was good out of the box and after 300 miles was downright exquisite.

Bob

This is what's funny about saddles. Suggestions are irrelivant. I have a swift that I picked up from Nashbar on their return site for $130. It's my favorite saddle of all time. B17 on my Trek 520 and it's good, but I like the swift much better. Was never uncomfortable.

B17 for me. My Brooks Imperial is getting a teensy bit saggy.
The B17 sans cut out is holding up well.

-must admit the Imperial has seen a lot more mileage since
I wanted to provide decent test results.

I have to disagree about the neatsfoot, why the harse words?



Because neatsfoot will compromise the life expectancy of the saddle.

The B17 Imperial will allow for a more aggressive riding position that the standard B17... I love this saddle and expect that Brooks will be offering them soon.

Some of my other favourite saddles are a vintage Wrights W3N (made by Brooks) that lives on my 1955 Raleigh Lenton... there is no limit as to how many miles I could ride on this saddle.

The other is an Ideale model 92 touring saddle which is on my 1957 Peugeot... it too is amazing.

Because neatsfoot will compromise the life expectancy of the saddle.

Is this from personal experience? Neatsfoot oil is very common for horse saddles, so I have a hard time imagining it would be bad for the leather.

I gave up on the swift after 700 miles. It was B-A-A-A-D for me. My current saddle is a Brooks Swallow and its very comfortable for me. But I also note that my current bike is fitted much more aggressively than the previous one and my overall peddling cadence is faster.

I don't know what combination of factors changed, but the swallow works. It was good out of the box and after 300 miles was downright exquisite.

Bob

I think the swift may be a bit narrower than the swallow. You probably don't want to hear this, but totalcycling.com is selling Ti swallows for $235.

I think the swift may be a bit narrower than the swallow. You probably don't want to hear this, but totalcycling.com is selling Ti swallows for $235.

Swift = 152 mm wide by 280 mm long
Swallow = 153 mm wide by 287 mm long

The swift has longer "skirts" on the side and has a "rounded' profile. The swallow is a much flatter profile and has virtually no skirts. I think the swallow narrows much quicker in the transition from seat to nose. The leather on the swallow seems to be much more reslient than the swallow. The Swift never showed any signs of breaking in for me. The Swallow started breaking in at 200 miles. By 500 miles it was pretty much broken in.

I suspect the biggest difference for me is that the swift was mounted on a bike that was too big for me whereas the swallow is mounted on a bike that fits like a glove.

You are correct. Knowing the Ti swallow is available at such a low price just makes me sick. I am tempted to buy one as a spare, but common sense tells me I won't need it for a few years.

Bob