Touring - What is your opinion of the Brooks B17?

I ride a road bike but with a better position for riding than racing
Its a Fuji Roubaix 1.0

I have been thinking of going with a Brook B17
I am NO racer just a lover of riding, I ride 4 times a week (25 to 100 miles depending on the ride)

I want comfort, dont need less grams
What do u guys think?

I am mostly in the hoods, only in the drops when its windy or downhill....

JS

If you don't care about the extra weight, no reason not to give it a try. I love my Brooks, After 6000 miles it has become a part of me. I've become very attached to it, whenever I walk by my bike I tend to give my Brooks a little pat. :)

They are popular. [they also get stolen off parked and locked bikes]

I highly recommend it. I've had mine on my single-speed commuter (the most ridden bike I own) for four years and absolutely love it. I wouldn't put it on a racing bike, road or otherwise, but its awesome for commuting, touring, and long distances.

I can't necessarily disagree with them getting stolen, but I've never heard of it. Not sure why one would want to ride on a saddle that is molded to another person's pelvis.

I've never met a Brooks I haven't liked; here's my Brooks page: Wil's Brooks page (http://wildavis.smugmug.com/Bikes/Brooks/25375034_q254bx#!i=2087580225&k=nQWzVWG)
Think of the Brooks as the "cyclist's armchair" :thumb:

- Wil

all six of my bikes have Brooks saddles on them. manufactured from the 60's to the present. five pro's and one b17.

the b17 has much thinner leather than the pros and will probably not last as long. nor do i think it will take equivalent abuse. i've tried others over the years, and believe me, i would love :love: to find something lighter...

I have a B17 on my touring/commuting/errand bike. I haev never worried about the seat being stolen, but it is never locked up for more than 30 minutes or so at any one place. I worry more about the lock being clipped and the whole bike being stolen. It is also the most comfortable seat I have on any of my five bikes. If you want one, buy it and try it out. If you don't like it, it should have good resale value. One online store that I can't remember right now has a great selection and return policy for Brooks Saddles.

Beautiful saddles Will, I am ordering a brook 17 this payday.

I didnt like mine on a seatpost I could not get enough Setback on.
B 17 seemed rather short. to me .. and this was not the short version..


With the Old 2 Bolt Campagnolo seat posts they were fine,
I have a 30 and a 20 year old Brooks Pro.

Wabac Tulio and Brooks had a narrow rail spacing and seat post match , those
had a Much Longer adjustment range..

One set turned over at auction for a small fortune.

The set back is limited, even worse with the Team. If your bars are below the saddle or you ride in the drops, the saddle is too bulky and the nose stabs you in the package, If you ride a little more upright it's pretty darn comfortable, the only saddle I can ride for a fair distance without wanting a chamois. I've sold a couple and gone to a more modern saddles, but for the right application the B17 is a solid choice.

I liked mine but ended up selling this week, pressure in big boy area was too much. I am now going to try the Selle Anatonimca (spelling), they had a xmas deal.

I tried a B17 on my touring bike and hated it. The worst saddle I've ever ridden is the Specialized Toupe. The B17 was the second worst. The riding position on my touring bike is probably slightly more aggressive than average, though. The B17 felt like it would only be comfortable if I was sitting bolt upright...

I have a B17 amongst the four Brooks I have. If your Fuji is more a roadie/racing geometry I would be considering a more suitable saddle in the Brooks range and not the B17. On my roadie, a Look 555 (http://aushiker.com/look-555/) and on my commuter a Kinesis Racelight Granfondo Ltd I have Brooks Team Professionals fitted. I find these more suited to the riding position.

http://cdn.cyclingforums.com/e/e3/1000x500px-LL-e39c860a_KinesisRacelightGranfondoLtd

Andrew

I ride a road bike but with a better position for riding than racing
Its a Fuji Roubaix 1.0

I have been thinking of going with a Brook B17
I am NO racer just a lover of riding, I ride 4 times a week (25 to 100 miles depending on the ride)

I want comfort, dont need less grams
What do u guys think?

I am mostly in the hoods, only in the drops when its windy or downhill....

JS

It's the state of the art 100yrs ago. I've tried leather saddles and never found comfort. For 20yrs had a Concor and now a wider Specialized Avatar now that my handlebars are about 1" below seat height. Pick what works.

3 B17s, a B66 and a B72 here. The latter two are sprung and on rather upright bikes (cruiser/English 3-speed). For anything with drops or a forward lean at all, the B17s are great.

State of the art from 100 years ago, sure, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

…but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

…ain't that the truth! …but unfortunately there is a corollary (1) if it ain't broke, fix it until it is broke, and (in the SW world) (2) If it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features! ;)

- Wil

It's the state of the art 100yrs ago. I've tried leather saddles and never found comfort. For 20yrs had a Concor and now a wider Specialized Avatar now that my handlebars are about 1" below seat height. Pick what works.

It is state of the art from 100 years ago that continues to prove itself over and over by many riders every day for mile after mile after mile. I have a B72 on one bike, the leather is thinner and there are vertical springs, very comfortable from the very beginning. I have a B17 Special on my touring bike and it was comfortable for the most part out of the box, more comfortable than other saddles I have used. Longer than 50 miles in a day for a few days in a row and it required me to move around or stand at times. After about 1,000 miles it is the most comfortable saddle I have ever used. I can't imagine using a different one, I simply do not feel it. The only thing I would think of replacing it with would be a Flyer. Adjustment is critical as is simply allowing it to be used and break in. I played with adjustment while using it on a trainer over the Winter last year, once it was set it was amazing.

I love it, I can't imagine using a non-leather saddle for long mileage days. They simply don't feel good to me.

My brother still has a Brooks on his bike that was bought used back in the late '70s. He put many miles on it, doing Ragbai a few times and riding from Iowa to Oklahoma, the across Oklahoma on a ride similar to Ragbrai, the saddle still works.

Another thumbs up from me. As has been said, you may have to persevere with it through the tough initial stages, but it will be a lot more comfortable in the long run than most saddles.

Once Selle Italia Bought out the old Owners, they became fashionable again..

IMO, Due to Marketing and offering in more colours..

Happy Brooks owners in our family. I have a B-17 on my Cannondale CAAD9, a Champion Flyer on my Trek 720, my wife has a B67 on her LHT, and our son has a Team Pro on his LHT.

Until recently, I used a Brooks B-15 which I owned for over 30 years, I simply transferred it from bike to bike. Finally it got too soft for me. But 30+ years of service isn't too bad. I got the new saddles within the last few years, and there was no issue with break in, they were comfortable from day 1, and are even better now. I think you get longer wear out of the standard saddles, I have a pre-aged Flyer, and it got too soft too fast. Part of that was my fault (it got soaked in the rain and then I went on a longish ride on it while it was still soaked).

Brooks saddles aren't for everybody, but Wallingford Bike has a great return policy in case you are unsure about getting one. Don't like it? They'll take it back, I think as long as it is returned within 6 months of purchase.

I have used other saddles, but none of them have been as good for me as Brooks, especially on longer rides.

Thumbs down for the B17 for me. I gave it over 2000 miles of a try, but I could never get as comfortable as I can on my Selle San Marco Rolls.

I strongly prefer a level saddle setup, fore and aft. The B17 doesn't have a level top, no matter how much tension is applied. The rear rivets are the high point with a ramp down to where your sit-bones are supposed to ride. The nose has a slight downward taper. I keep sliding forward unless I set it up with the nose in the air, then it becomes uncomfortable to ride in the drops (and hideous).

Lots of people love them. I had no trouble selling mine used. It just didn't work for me.

Thumbs down for the B17 for me. I gave it over 2000 miles of a try, but I could never get as comfortable as I can on my Selle San Marco Rolls.

I strongly prefer a level saddle setup, fore and aft. The B17 doesn't have a level top, no matter how much tension is applied. The rear rivets are the high point with a ramp down to where your sit-bones are supposed to ride. The nose has a slight downward taper. I keep sliding forward unless I set it up with the nose in the air, then it becomes uncomfortable to ride in the drops (and hideous).

Lots of people love them. I had no trouble selling mine used. It just didn't work for me.

you make a good point.

although i use brooks saddles exclusively, i understand why others don't.

there is a sweet spot in all my adjustments: the nose up a bit (yes, hideous) to prevent sliding forward due to the hammock shape caused by the front and rear attachment points.

i have found that the thicker leather used in the pro models, if not treated with too much (leather varies in it's characteristics from cow to cow) softener, minimizes the sag a bit and allows the saddle to be fitted with a more level stance.

I have two "oldish" touring bikes (with drop bars), and each is outfitted with a B17. I have owned one bike since 1985, the other since 2004. Between the two, I went through more saddles than I can remember before I first tried the Brooks seven years ago. Both Brooks were comfortable from the get-go, in every riding position.

The Brooks is truly a quality product. If treated properly, it should last years... or decades. My seven year old B17 looks almost new.

The real deciding factor for me is handlebar height in relation to saddle height. In my experience if your saddle is above you handlebars pass on Brooks -- period. If it's level or your handlebars are higher, go for it. I did a 750+ mile tour 2 years ago on a Brooks B17 Special on a Salsa Fargo and never wore a chamois once. I ended up shipping my bike shorts home 4 days into the trip.

The other issue with the saddle is that you'll have a tendency to slide forward if your bars are too low. The solution for most people is to angle the saddle nose up so that it "cradles you" in the the saddles sweet spot. That's all well and good but after some time you'll notice some perennial pressure. You will start to unconsciously rotate your pelvis so it's more upright and place more pressure on your hands. Obviously no good.

My recommendation is go for it but get a seat post with 25mm+ setback and be aware of h-bar/seatpost issue and watch what your body is doing.

My B17s (chopped & tied -- which imo is a must)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DfMrhGJtKh0/TzQRjmoqoDI/AAAAAAAAFjU/xNVnh46D1Jc/s800/IMG_2870.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ph1I0JV0mkY/UBDBTyo98aI/AAAAAAAAHPo/ro0Zri3-yMQ/s800/498961101_88d3ae5e54_b.jpg

According to Brooks and many forums, B17 works best for a more upright position or at least for one where the saddle is equal to or lower than the handlebar height.

People tend to either love or hate Brooks saddles, I think I'm one of the few in between users. I will say its the best saddle I've ever used, but it still hurts after hours of riding. The recovery time however is short, after an overnight I can ride again without discomfort the next morning. Also as someone else has mentioned the front to back adjustment is somewhat limited.

I tried a B17 on my touring bike and hated it. The worst saddle I've ever ridden is the Specialized Toupe. The B17 was the second worst.

And those are my two most comfortable saddles.:eek:

Which brings up the real point; that it's folly for anyone to rely on polling when it comes to their saddle comfort.

The real deciding factor for me is handlebar height in relation to saddle height. In my experience if your saddle is above you handlebars pass on Brooks -- period. If it's level or your handlebars are higher, go for it. I did a 750+ mile tour 2 years ago on a Brooks B17 Special on a Salsa Fargo and never wore a chamois once. I ended up shipping my bike shorts home 4 days into the trip.

The other issue with the saddle is that you'll have a tendency to slide forward if your bars are too low. The solution for most people is to angle the saddle nose up so that it "cradles you" in the the saddles sweet spot. That's all well and good but after some time you'll notice some perennial pressure. You will start to unconsciously rotate your pelvis so it's more upright and place more pressure on your hands. Obviously no good.

My recommendation is go for it but get a seat post with 25mm+ setback and be aware of h-bar/seatpost issue and watch what your body is doing.

My B17s (chopped & tied -- which imo is a must)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DfMrhGJtKh0/TzQRjmoqoDI/AAAAAAAAFjU/xNVnh46D1Jc/s800/IMG_2870.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ph1I0JV0mkY/UBDBTyo98aI/AAAAAAAAHPo/ro0Zri3-yMQ/s800/498961101_88d3ae5e54_b.jpg

I've swapped my Brooks from bike to bike but this latest swap just doesn't seem to work at all. This seems like it might help with the issues I've been having.

Best investment I ever made was my B17. Used with very little break-in on a week-long tour averaging a little more than 100 miles a day - and never had any real discomfort from the saddle.

Love 'em. I have 2 B17's, a Team Pro and a Colt. I'll be putting one of the B17's on the road bike which presently has the Team Pro (It matches the bike better and I want to see whether it is more comfortable on that bike than the Pro).

the most comfortable saddle I've ever used

Big fan of Brooks saddles I have one on my 29er my single speed and my touring bike the only bike that I don't have a Brooks on is my road bike that one has an ISM saddle. Here is a picture of my LHT with the brooks.294183

Here is a pic of my bike, My seat is basically in this position...
294190

So the question is, with this seat position do u think a BROOKS B17 is the right saddle for me or something like a selle italia flite gel or a specialized toupe

I ride MOSTLY in the hoods

I vote Flite over B17 for the above pictured bike.

B17 works for very upright posture (bars above saddle) only.

So the question is, with this seat position do u think a BROOKS B17 is the right saddle for me or something like a selle italia flite gel or a specialized toupe

I ride MOSTLY in the hoods
Would probably do just fine. Some might suggest a narrower Brooks with the bars that low, but only your butt can tell you. I'll probably be putting my honey B17 on the road bike tonight (it currently has the Team Pro) and trying it out over the weekend. I keep the bars on that bike perhaps an inch below the saddle level. I'll try to remember to update you on how well it works for me.

Very pretty, but I'm not sure about all that weight on the steering! A friend of mine had what could have been a major spill on her Gunnar last summer. She was saved by her helmet taking most of the damage (it split), and all she got was road rash, a couple of broken ribs and collar-bone and a very bruised hip and a few cuts. I did a 20 mile ride on her un-damaged Gunnar a couple of weeks after, and thought what a nice ride, but I think it would have been very unstable with a bag on the handlebars (which is how it was normally configured! Bar-Bags are a bloody death trap! especially on a "twitchy" bike set up for racing! I would have been hard put to ride her bike "no hands" with the bloody bag on the bars. How stable is yours with all that weight up front?

- Wil

Well as far as size, we measured my butt using the specialized butt meter and I am a 145MM saddle
Again I know its preference but looking at my bike and the position of the bars do u guys this a B17 NARROW or a FLITE would be better

Again I am in the hoods most of the time

B17 works for very upright posture (bars above saddle) only.

This is not a rule. My bars are probably 2-3 inches below the saddle and the b17 is great, the nose is not angled up, and I don't experience discomfort ever. Its a preference thing. Clearly a ton of people prefer the saddle, and some don't. I'd suggest trying it, and then selling it if you don't like it. The probability of liking it is in your favor.

They are very popular for a reason. I have 2 B17s and absolutely love them!

to reiterate, noone but you can decide if a given seat works for you, but always remember than small adjustments make a big diff in terms of comfort for any saddle, perhaps more with a Brooks.

re resale etc, look into the store, Wallbikes, or Wallingford or sometihng like that, supposedly with an excellent return policy for the Brooks they sell. (in Louisiana I believe) so it can be a no brainer to try one (I have two and really like them, but its completely personal)

remember that small adjustments make a big diff in terms of comfort for any saddle, perhaps more with a Brooks.



Couldn't agree more.

Overrated, heavy and requires a lot of care.


:P

Overrated, heavy and requires a lot of care.


:P

and possibly expensive

I think B-17 are just amazing.

and possibly expensive

That too.

Like many/most, I cannot use the B17 with my bars below the saddle. In fact, I prefer the bars 1-2 cm. above the saddle with a B17.

And I am another one who finds that the angle is critical. As others have noted, the "hammock" shape tends to slide your bits onto the nose if the rear of the saddle is not relatively level - which means that the nose must be up in the air. But if the nose is too far up, it'll jab into your bits too. I have to have a two-bolt micro-adjust seatpost to get it right. On the first ride I'll be on and off the bike half a dozen times getting the adjustment exactly right.

Lacing the saddle (or buying one already laced) reduces the amount of "hammock" while riding and helps me quite a bit.

The cutouts available on the the B17 "Imperial" are very helpful for me too. On older versions I have done the cutting myself.

So for me, the B17 is a heavy, difficult saddle with a big price tag - and I use them almost exclusively, because nothing else is as comfortable for me.

Here is a pic of my bike, My seat is basically in this position...
294190

So the question is, with this seat position do u think a BROOKS B17 is the right saddle for me or something like a selle italia flite gel or a specialized toupe

I ride MOSTLY in the hoods

No! "Most" people find the B17 comfortable with the caveat of being equal to or lower than the bars.
Perhaps a Swift or Professional might suit your positioning better.

I have a B17 Imperial on my Centurion Ironman, with bars ever so slightly below the saddle. The picky side of me gets annoyed at the fact that the cutout on my saddle wasn't perfectly centered, which possibly led to minor annoyances down there for a short period. Otherwise, it got me across America, coast to coast, just fine this past summer!

I am not a fan. In the distant past, I owned one and found it just OK comfort-wise when new and for me it went downhill from there. Long before I was into going very light on tours, I had already given up on Brooks saddles. Now that I care about weight it is even more of a slam dunk to avoid them.

Put the B17 on my Bianchi last night, heading out in a just a few minutes. Bars are at least an inch below the saddle. I'll let you know this afternoon if it works out, or if the Pro is going back on it.