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08-09-09, 11:06 AM
The biggest advantage of a Brooks saddle is its biggest handicap in a race situation: you have to personally break it in. Brooks saddles might be OK if you only ride one bike, but a pro cyclist is using several bikes and can't be bothered to break in saddles for all his bikes. For example, the pro crashes or has a mechanical. The team car pulls up and gives him a new bike. But now the mechanic also has to remove the saddle from the old bike and install it on the new one, then adjust it perfectly. I don't think so...
Also, Brooks saddles require too much care. Pros ride in the worst weather conditions, and the bikes don't have fenders. A carefully broken-in saddle becomes toast after a 250 km race in the rain.
Pros use the padded plastic leather-covered saddles because they are uniform, durable, and weather-proof. Brooks saddles might ultimately be more comfortable (an arguable point - I actually think a lot of Brooks saddle users lie about how comfortable they are), but they are impractical for serious professionals.
I'm using a San Marco Era on randonneur rides, and I find it's perfectly comfortable for the first 300 km. That's all you need for a racing saddle.
L.
I would guess that pro riders get enough saddle time to easily have 3 or 4 broken in saddles ready to roll at any time. This would take care of the quick bike change problems unless maybe he wrecked 5 bikes in 10 minutes.
Personally, I think it is just that a very well made artificial material saddle is pretty damn good, especially when they have the ability to custom make it to a particular arse. I do agree with your statement regarding brooks user's perceived level of comfort.
Also, Brooks saddles require too much care. Pros ride in the worst weather conditions, and the bikes don't have fenders. A carefully broken-in saddle becomes toast after a 250 km race in the rain.
Pros use the padded plastic leather-covered saddles because they are uniform, durable, and weather-proof. Brooks saddles might ultimately be more comfortable (an arguable point - I actually think a lot of Brooks saddle users lie about how comfortable they are), but they are impractical for serious professionals.
I'm using a San Marco Era on randonneur rides, and I find it's perfectly comfortable for the first 300 km. That's all you need for a racing saddle.
L.
I would guess that pro riders get enough saddle time to easily have 3 or 4 broken in saddles ready to roll at any time. This would take care of the quick bike change problems unless maybe he wrecked 5 bikes in 10 minutes.
Personally, I think it is just that a very well made artificial material saddle is pretty damn good, especially when they have the ability to custom make it to a particular arse. I do agree with your statement regarding brooks user's perceived level of comfort.