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Whats the big deal with Brooks saddles?

Old 02-24-08, 05:45 PM
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Nothing hurt my rear like a brooks. Anyhow, none of my current bikes would look good with them so that is not an issue.

However, I keep wondering if it was more my rear adjusting to all the riding I was doing rather than the brooks itself. If my next project is going to be a touring bike, I may try a brooks out again just for the heck of it.
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Old 02-24-08, 05:47 PM
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Originally Posted by matthew_deaner
Andrea - would you say that a swift is better than a Team Pro for a bike with an aggressive racing position? I am contemplating my fifth Brooks purchase and up until now I've gone for B-17s and team pros. This saddle will be for a racing bike.
I never used a Team Pro. The Swift is OK, but I prefer the Swallow. If you like stiff saddles like the Team Pro the Swift should be just slightly more elastic. In the last few years we sell more and more Swifts, so i guess people start appreciating them.
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Old 02-24-08, 11:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Andrea Men

Last, but not least I work at Brooks, so mine is not a third party endorsement!

Andrea
marketing manager
BROOKS ENGLAND LTD.
You must then of course know about the 'How It Is Made' episode shown on Discovery, were you there when this was filmed?

I ask because I would like to find this episode on my digi-box and post it here, or maybe find on online link to it. I think it would be good for the members to actually see the just how a Brooks saddle is manufactured, to realise the care and and quality.. and common sense that used. As a cyclist I was awestruck as I watched.
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Old 02-25-08, 02:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Cadfael
You must then of course know about the 'How It Is Made' episode shown on Discovery, were you there when this was filmed?

I ask because I would like to find this episode on my digi-box and post it here, or maybe find on online link to it. I think it would be good for the members to actually see the just how a Brooks saddle is manufactured, to realise the care and and quality.. and common sense that used. As a cyclist I was awestruck as I watched.
I felt like that when I toured the Famous Amos cookie factory.
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Old 02-25-08, 02:54 AM
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After the bicycle frame the most important part has to be the saddle as nothing will spoil a good ride like an ill fitting perch.

Of my 14 bicycles, 4 have leather saddles and I do intend to fit more of my bikes with leather saddles that will most likely be Brooks... my favorite leather saddle happens to be a Wright's that dates to the late 30's and this is fitted to my 1955 Raleigh Lenton that I use for longer rides and tours.

My 1962 Peugeot has an Ideale "Le Beoff" which is a track saddle that really suits the bike and is also very comfortable although not in the same league as the Wrights or my B66.

My 1978 Raleigh Superbe has a superb Brooks B66 and my 1940 CCM has a sprung leather mystery saddle that has been ridden so much the markings on the side flaps are almost invisible and yet, it is still in wonderful condition.

I had a B17 and a Competition that I did not like and passed them along to several friends who love them and I believe that my disatisfaction came from the saddles not being wide enough... for a small guy I must have some wide sit bones.

The saddles I have are all a little bit wider than the B17.

What is also nice is the fact I can order a new Brooks saddle through our shop and save a little money in doing so.
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Old 02-25-08, 07:11 PM
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I figured I may as well ask this question here instead of starting a new thread. Has anyone tried one of the pre-aged saddles? I'm considering the aged B-17 or Flyer for my Univega. Do you just apply Proofide in the normal way?
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Old 02-25-08, 07:16 PM
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Originally Posted by graywolf
Ah????

Let's see, they are tremendously expensive, especially since the USA importer doubled the wholesale price. Back when they were $50 they did not sell worth a damn, at $100 they go like hotcakes. You can get Indian or Chinese knockoff for $20-$30, but they do not say Brooks on the rear and no one buys those. That says nothing about the saddles and a lot about the buyers.
I hardly consider $60-$80 for a saddle expensive: https://www.google.com/products?q=bro...=1&sa=N&tab=wf

As to the Indian or Chinese quip, are you implying the buyers are driven by the label or are willing to pay for the obvious quality?
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Old 02-25-08, 08:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Cadfael
You must then of course know about the 'How It Is Made' episode shown on Discovery, were you there when this was filmed?

I ask because I would like to find this episode on my digi-box and post it here, or maybe find on online link to it. I think it would be good for the members to actually see the just how a Brooks saddle is manufactured, to realise the care and and quality.. and common sense that used. As a cyclist I was awestruck as I watched.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9w-y24Waz4
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Last edited by dobber; 02-25-08 at 09:21 PM.
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Old 02-25-08, 09:20 PM
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Well... I just purchased my FIRST BROOKS SADDLE TODAY, and SO FAR...I LOVE IT. I haven't coated it yet or protected it...I just rode it.. I had a 10 minute ride to the subway and I extended that to about 30 minutes as I was enjoying the ride so much. My only complaint, is that i'm sliding forward quit a bit...but I just kept adjusting my position.

Thanks for all the advice!!!

** Edit ** Forgot to mention, it's a B-17
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Old 02-25-08, 09:35 PM
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Originally Posted by macteacher
Well... I just purchased my FIRST BROOKS SADDLE TODAY, and SO FAR...I LOVE IT. I haven't coated it yet or protected it...I just rode it.. I had a 10 minute ride to the subway and I extended that to about 30 minutes as I was enjoying the ride so much. My only complaint, is that i'm sliding forward quit a bit...but I just kept adjusting my position.

Thanks for all the advice!!!

** Edit ** Forgot to mention, it's a B-17
Tilt the nose up a bit. The slipperiness will disappear after awhile.
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Old 02-26-08, 07:51 AM
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Originally Posted by macteacher
Well... I just purchased my FIRST BROOKS SADDLE TODAY, and SO FAR...I LOVE IT. I haven't coated it yet or protected it...I just rode it.. I had a 10 minute ride to the subway and I extended that to about 30 minutes as I was enjoying the ride so much. My only complaint, is that i'm sliding forward quit a bit...but I just kept adjusting my position.

Thanks for all the advice!!!

** Edit ** Forgot to mention, it's a B-17
You have to tilt higher than you think, too. so, keep going and going until you get it.

The slip will supposedly disappear, but mine's still new enough that it hasn't. I use Obenauf's (I bought mine second hand anyways) and right after an application the saddle is much stickier. It's nice for a day or two and I can see how good this is going to get.

Everyday I feel like I find out more about the saddle and my bum and find an even sweeter sweet spot. It's funny, the B17 isn't as comfy in the first 5-10 minutes as my WTB SST 98, but for any length of time at all it is WAY better. It's like I have to break my butt in on every right. Where every other saddle starts really bugging the areas of pressure the B17 does not.
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Old 02-26-08, 09:42 AM
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Where are these Chinese knockoffs for a fraction of the price? I'm not married to brand names.

Also I ride in the rain all the time so that makes me nervous.
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Old 02-26-08, 10:02 AM
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Originally Posted by ajmstilt
I've been wanting one for a while now. But did i hear correctly you can't let them get wet? I'm an all weather commuter and that would be a deal breaker for me...
I have brooks B-17 saddles on my two bikes, one has 9000 miles on it, the other has 2500 on it. The new one is on a bike which I ride only in good weather, the other is my daily commuter. I am not an 'all weather' commuter, but my window in which I do commute is probably wider than an 'all weather' in Northern California (I don't ride when there is a lot of ice on the road, or if the temp is much below 0F, I also don't like riding in electrical storms, but rain, light snow, fog etc don't stop me). I keep brooks 'proofride' on the saddle to protect it from moisture, and I try not to leave the bike outside in bad weather without covering the saddle (I do keep a shower cap in my bike bag). I am sure that there are saddles which are more impervious to weather, but the brooks is not super delicate. Given how long they last, I don't consider them expensive either. I spend far more on chains, brake pads, cassettes and chainrings than I do on saddles.
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Old 02-26-08, 10:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Lamplight
I figured I may as well ask this question here instead of starting a new thread. Has anyone tried one of the pre-aged saddles? I'm considering the aged B-17 or Flyer for my Univega. Do you just apply Proofide in the normal way?
I think that part of what makes the brooks saddles so comfortable is that when they break in, they become softer in the areas that match the hard parts of your rear, and remain hard where you are soft - so the saddle molds to you. I can't imagine that pre-aging would help.
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Old 02-26-08, 10:35 AM
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Originally Posted by dobber
Tilt the nose up a bit. The slipperiness will disappear after awhile.
Or put your bike on your car's roof rack and drive it into a low ceiling parking garage. That'll scuff the nose up a bit. Then apply proofide liberally to the scuff, rub it out as much as possible and keep on riding. Don't ask me how I know this.
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Old 02-26-08, 10:37 AM
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Originally Posted by sauerwald
I think that part of what makes the brooks saddles so comfortable is that when they break in, they become softer in the areas that match the hard parts of your rear, and remain hard where you are soft - so the saddle molds to you. I can't imagine that pre-aging would help.
Oh I don't have a problem with breaking in the saddle, I just think the pre-aged saddles look cool.
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Old 02-26-08, 11:04 AM
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I can't stress this enough, it is very important that you adjust the saddle correctly (the overall riding position), otherwise it will probably hurt. This has been de facto for everyone I've recommended them to. I suggest you go on a long ride with your tools until you find the right position. I took me 2 hours to find the right spot, but I'm no expert in riding ergonomy. Make sure it's the ass bones that sit on it, not the perineum area.
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Old 02-26-08, 11:37 AM
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Originally Posted by macteacher
I keep hearing about Brooks saddles...on and on, and there is even a thread about the website. I've never had one....but whats so special about them? I don't see a groove in the middle, are they ergonomic? How do they deal with the family jewels? I don't mean to distract from the other thread out there about the website.
Looks like Brooks is addressing your concern about the "family jewels" as we speak...

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/391829-brooks-b17-imperial-looking-testers.html
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Old 02-26-08, 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by pluc
I can't stress this enough, it is very important that you adjust the saddle correctly (the overall riding position), otherwise it will probably hurt. This has been de facto for everyone I've recommended them to. I suggest you go on a long ride with your tools until you find the right position. I took me 2 hours to find the right spot, but I'm no expert in riding ergonomy. Make sure it's the ass bones that sit on it, not the perineum area.
I ride with my tools every day, 36 miles RT, and I continue to adjust it every couple of rides, even if only by a hair. I feel like I'm about as close as I can get to finding equilibrium, but the nose is pretty high. It definitely pressures my perineal nerve a bit.

Brooks are not dream come true, they are just better than anything else out there (maybe).
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Old 02-26-08, 12:47 PM
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As for keeping your Brooks waterproof...

What I do is, twice a year, I melt some beeswax and using a paintbrush, liberally coat the saddle.

Then, using a hairdryer and a cotton rag I buff out the top (but leave the underside with a fairly thick coating of the wax).

I ride year round, and my 3 y/o B-17 has been in rain/sleet/snow without a problem.
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Old 02-26-08, 07:24 PM
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In addition to what everyone has already stated, I love Brooks becasue of the saddle-bag eyelets! Brooks & Carradice, a match made in heaven.

I must say that my b17 broke in much faster than the swallow, and it's more comfortable for me - probably because it's wider than the swallow. But I still do 100 miles on the swallow without issue.

And weight-wise, you can always compensate for the few extra hundred grams by shedding some weight off the 'engine' if you know what i mean. =]
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Old 02-26-08, 08:09 PM
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I have the B17 aged on a mountain bike and it's pretty cool. The one I have has the laced up sides. I was told not to put Proofride on it when I bought it. It's the only one I don't put it on. It seems to be working out fine. I'll be interested in seeing what Andrea the Brooks guy has to say about it if he responds.

Originally Posted by Lamplight
I figured I may as well ask this question here instead of starting a new thread. Has anyone tried one of the pre-aged saddles? I'm considering the aged B-17 or Flyer for my Univega. Do you just apply Proofide in the normal way?
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Old 02-26-08, 08:37 PM
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My first brooks was a used brooks...my dad's brooks saddle (with an awesome toolbag buckled on back!) on the hand-me-down rudge 3-speed I started cycling on as a teenager. That saddle lasted 40-odd years between us!

Not to be a big cheesebag, but with a brooks I really feel like you haven't bolted a saddle onto your bike...you've begun a relationship. and like any relationship, all the spiky, uncomfortable, getting-to-know-you bits are most pronounced at the beginning and many, many subtle adjustments will be necessary at first. So don't be shy... when something hurts or doesn't feel right, adjust by degrees. It took me two weeks of long rides to get the balance right... but now it's like hand-in-glove. Keep at it and it's all going to be worth it.

Last edited by Laika; 02-27-08 at 10:19 AM.
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Old 03-15-08, 07:26 AM
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I recently purchased a brooks b-17 for my xtracycle. I've read alot of good stuff and some bad stuff about them. I really was not expecting to like it. My first ride was 80 miles with padded shorts, I was a little sore afterwards but no more than any other saddle I've used. Its been a couple of weeks and a couple hundred miles and I no longer wear padded shorts and I've been switching the saddle between bikes because I refuse to sit on anything else. I love this saddle.
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Old 03-15-08, 07:28 AM
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Originally Posted by macteacher
I keep hearing about Brooks saddles...on and on, and there is even a thread about the website. I've never had one....but whats so special about them? I don't see a groove in the middle, are they ergonomic? How do they deal with the family jewels? I don't mean to distract from the other thread out there about the website.
i use the specialized saddles (phenom) since that's what i put on all my trail bikes and don't like the dynamics of the brooks when i'm switching to pavement.

i do have one. might go on the SS when i build it.
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