Touring - Brooks vs Body Geometry Avatar

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View Full Version : Brooks vs Body Geometry Avatar

donutslayer
05-19-09, 02:45 PM
Just as the title says I am debating Body Geometry Avatar vs. Brooks B-17 for a cross country tour. I ahve the Body Geometry Avatar but everyone says that the Brooks is the best but it seems like old technology to me. Opinions?

kayakdiver
05-19-09, 03:05 PM
Is your avatar comfortable? If so.................... ride it.
Omiak
05-19-09, 05:51 PM
I don't have a brooks but bicycles are old technology man.

joshsc
05-19-09, 06:09 PM
Just recently replaced the Avatar that came on my Roubaix Elite Triple with a black Brooks B17.

Still trying to figure out what to do with the AVatar.
akansaskid
05-19-09, 07:01 PM
Just recently replaced the Avatar that came on my Roubaix Elite Triple with a black Brooks B17.

Still trying to figure out what to do with the AVatar.

Ditto; exact same bike. Gave the Avatar to a son-in-law. Assuming you've already been riding enough to have a bike butt, then if you can ride the Avatar 40+ miles without pain, keep it. I couldn't. No problem riding a leather saddle three time that far.
xyzzy834
05-19-09, 07:15 PM
I don't think anyone else can tell you how much you'll like (or hate) a particular saddle, such as the Brooks. Some people love them and some hate them. I've been in both camps about the same saddle, different years.
chipcom
05-19-09, 07:46 PM
Rule 1 - if your current saddle works, don't change it just before a tour.
Thulsadoom
05-20-09, 05:18 AM
Leather is a pretty hi-tech fabric. No man-made material can compete with it. Saying that a leather saddle is old technology is like saying that meat contains "old technology" proteins. It's like, maybe so, but do you know of something better?

Anyways, saddles are a pain in the ***. There is no perfect saddle, there is always a trade-off. That said, I ride an Avatar. I rode an Avatar across the country, for 3800 miles. It's a great saddle for me, but it doesn't have anywhere near the sit-bone comfort of a leather saddle. A B-17 is a great saddle, but it has no provision for perineal relief, and is not for everyone. All you can do is ride, ride, and ride some more, trying out different saddles until you go broke, like everyone else. If you think you've found the perfect saddle, then you're probably not riding much. Any saddle becomes a pain after lots of riding.