Commuting - Brooks Saddle? So I've been waiting for months for a reason to buy...

a Brooks saddle because all of the raving about them here. Well, I have a pretty good reason now (see picture).

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Well should I finally pull the trigger?

If you found your old saddle uncomfortable, then yes.

Must've been one hell of a bump. But yeah, go for it. Might look a little out of place on a carbon fiber seatpost, but your butt won't care.

Do it. My Brooks was by far the second best bicycle purchase I've ever made. First was getting a proper bike fit done.

I agree. However, saddles are a very personal choice. I found my Brooks saddle to be comfortable from day one. There was no break in period for me. If you end up hating it, you can always resell it on ebay. Better yet, buy from a place with a great return policy such as Wallingford which offers a 6 month return policy. Good Luck.

Do y'all have REI in North Carolina? I bought mine there because of their insanely liberal return policy. My Brooks didn't break in by 250 miles, and I was gonna give it until 300 before I returned it, but then I forgot to cover it at work one day and it got rained on. After that it was the best saddle I've ever ridden.

If you're going to invest in a good seat, invest in a good seatpost as well. Those single-bolt posts (a) often don't support the saddle rails well, which can damage the saddle; and (b) only allow very course angle adjustments, which can limit how comfortable you can make your new seat. A Thomson post is the gold standard, but even something like this would be a nice improvement: http://www.amazon.com/Orange-Setback-Seatpost-300mm-Silver/dp/B004JKIBOO... the other advantage here is that the short rails on the Brooks often need a post with more setback because you can't slide it as far on those short rails.

I have three B17s and they've made cycling a lot more comfortable. The Velo Orange seatpost would be a nice addition, as some people benefit from the setback.

Okay, maybe I should upgrade the seatpost but I really have a hard time replacing something that is not broken. I'll keep your suggestions in mind for when this seatpost gives out.

P.S. I ordered the saddle.

So do I have to cover the Brooks saddle if I park my bike in the rain, which I frequently do?

Yes!! I use a Serfas waterproof cover, but others like the Brooks cover. I like the idea of camouflaging the seat with the non Brooks cover- makes irt less vissible to the opportunistic thief.

Rivendell sells a decent cover, too. Have to ask the OP----what do you define as a seatpost failure? If your carbon post fails, I think you'll be too busy picking carbon fiber shards out of your butt to be concerned with replacement. LOL

Yes!! I use a Serfas waterproof cover, but others like the Brooks cover. I like the idea of camouflaging the seat with the non Brooks cover- makes irt less vissible to the opportunistic thief.

The new Brooks cover I got this year doesn't advertise at all...great improvement if you ask me.

Want to save a few bucks? Those shower caps from the 99 cent store work great.

Saddles are very personal. Some cyclists find that Brooks saddles are the only ones that fit them, others find them extremely uncomfortable. Set up is critical, and most find that the nose needs to be slightly higher than the rear or they slide forward. I had B17s on my road bikes for a while and found them very comfortable. However, I picked up a Fizik Vitesse in a trade and found that it is just as comfortable and weighs half as much. I've since put Vitesse saddles on all of my bikes.

Saddles are so personal - Brooks may or may not be your perfect saddle.

A few points to ponder:
- what is your sit bone measurement? Be sure to take the measurement while sitting at the same angle as you do on the bike. Your sit bones are angled so they get closer together as you lean forward.
- as a follow-on to the above note, what is your saddle - handlebar relationship? Is the saddle higher, level or lower than your bars? This will influence the style of saddle that will work best for your needs. If your bars are at or below the saddle, the narrower saddles might work better for you (B-17N, Swift) depending on your sit bone spacing.
- If you desire perineal relief (mainly an issue for those with bars below the saddle) look for an "imperial" model or consider a Selle Anatomica saddle

I'd personally stick with a black saddle to keep the aesthetics somewhat compatible with the modern carbon post.

If you do decide to go for a Brooks, I have had excellent results from pre-treating the saddle with Proofide, then allowing a damp hand towel to sit on the saddle overnight. I let my saddle get wet, so the anal "oh my god, it's raining!" types will probably tell you differently - it is a personal call. Just know that in my experience, the treated saddle has done just fine in the wet.

Good luck!

Cover your saddle when you park it outside!
Even if it's not going to rain.

I went to the store this morning and a bird had left me a message!
I felt sorry for my brooks!

Yes!! I use a Serfas waterproof cover, but others like the Brooks cover. I like the idea of camouflaging the seat with the non Brooks cover- makes irt less vissible to the opportunistic thief.

I have 2 brooks saddles, neither cover says "brooks" (or anything else) on it.

Brooks B17, If you were lucky, you got one from Nashbar when they were only $69, now they're higher. The demand must be really high.

One good thing about Brooks saddles is that they are very easy to sell if you buy one and it doesn't fit you. You also can buy them direct from England for much lower prices, so you might even make money on the deal or at least break even.

A nice black swallow should look quite nice on that bike.

One good thing about Brooks saddles is that they are very easy to sell if you buy one and it doesn't fit you.

+1.

The best prices I've seen are on outside outfitter's website.

I rode on a non-leather saddle a couple days ago... ugh! Having leather (mostly Brooks) on my other bikes has begun to spoil me.

As everyone says, you can always sell it if you don't like it. The upside of this is that they are often available used; if you're not sure, I strongly recommend getting a used one.

Reasons to buy a Brooks saddle:

You have too much money.
Your bike isn't heavy enough.

Reasons to buy a Brooks saddle:

You have too much money.
Your bike isn't heavy enough.


Yeah, we get it, you don't like Brooks.

OP, don't listen to this guy. Check them out, if you like them, go for it. For me, they're the most comfortable out there, but your butt may not agree.

Reasons to buy a Brooks saddle:


You have too much money.
Your bike isn't heavy enough.



Ahhhh, like clockwork. :rolleyes:

Anywhoo....

The Swift/Swallow or the Team Professional would be nice choices if you prefer a norrower saddle. The Selle An-atomica looks like an intriguing alternative.
If you have been comfortable on your current saddle, have you also looked at some of the other options? My wife has a Selle Italia SLK (http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=4221&category=155) on her bike and she loves it. The split allows more shell flex (much like a leather saddle).

Wow, there's a lot of hive-mind in here. :rolleyes: The OP asked for opinions, and it's fair to point out that Brooks saddles are shockingly heavy and pretty overpriced, compared to other saddles. People in the 20 really seem threatened by opinions that don't conform to the group uniform. :eek:

Wow, there's a lot of hive-mind in here. :rolleyes: The OP asked for opinions, and it's fair to point out that Brooks saddles are shockingly heavy and pretty overpriced, compared to other saddles. People in the 20 really seem threatened by opinions that don't conform to the group uniform. :eek:

They are heavy. They are expensive. But man, do they make my butt happy!

Wow, there's a lot of hive-mind in here. :rolleyes: The OP asked for opinions, and it's fair to point out that Brooks saddles are shockingly heavy and pretty overpriced, compared to other saddles. People in the 20 really seem threatened by opinions that don't conform to the group uniform. :eek:

Agree. We shouldn't discourage discussion. I think you would have gotten a better response had you better explained your dislike of Brooks saddles other than they're too expensive and they're heavy.

I started the thread and your comments are welcome.

Brooks saddles are heavy but they aren't expensive compared to other good saddles made by Selle Italia, Fizik, etc. If you buy direct from British web sites, Brooks saddles are actually rather inexpensive compared to many brands.

Agree. We shouldn't discourage discussion. I think you would have gotten a better response had you better explained your dislike of Brooks saddles other than they're too expensive and they're heavy.

I started the thread and your comments are welcome.

Agree too, but the seemingly contentious/judgemental nature of the post in question was not necessary. Sarcasm? bring it - if SF's post was intended as such, my radar was broken - it came off differently than intended. SF - ya gotta admit, you've got a theme going on the Brooks threads of late, makes one wonder. Apologies if I misread sarcasm as axe grinding.

Sure they're heavy -this is the commuting forum, so this is kind of N/A really, unless you are really counting grams.
As for cost, any decent saddle out there will run $75-200 or more, so any good saddle is expensive.

Wow, there's a lot of hive-mind in here. :rolleyes: The OP asked for opinions, and it's fair to point out that Brooks saddles are shockingly heavy and pretty overpriced, compared to other saddles. People in the 20 really seem threatened by opinions that don't conform to the group uniform. :eek:

They are not overpriced compared to other high end saddles.

They are heavy, compared to those same saddles, but that's a trade off for comfort.

Did a Brooks kick your dog or something?

I'm not a racer, and if my butt hurts every time I ride, then I wont ride.

Now, you thread trolls, get out your crayon and draw a line between these two points. (Not counting the one on your head)

A B17 weighs what -- a little over a pound? My weight fluctuates more than that, depending on the day. :p

I got brooks on both my bikes now, I've tried 3 other saddles and the brooks win.
I was sore for a week when I got my first one, second one isn't giving any trouble at all. People say the saddles need breaking in, I think it's your butt that needs breaking in.

I put a plastic bag on the seat when I park my mixte - it's a junker bike so it's unlikely anyone would guess there is something worth stealing. The Soma I don't ever lock up, it stays with me.

Real commuters don't care about weight. : p