JOE.SBG

3 yrs. ago I bought a B17 from Wallbike with a 6 month return policy. I treated it with proofide as per the instructions. Tried it for a 20 mile ride, hated it. I put it on the shelf for a later time because I had rides to go on and I couldn't take the chance. When I finally remembered about the B17 6 months had already passed. Ok, I put it back on the mtn bike. I noticed at this time it had a slight tilt to the left if you looked at it straight from behind. I tried it again this time I used it on three 20 mile rides. No improvement. I was looking for any signs of breaking in but couldn't find any. I put it back on the shelf. Fast forward 1 year. Decide to try the brooks one more time. Before I removed my Avocet O2 Men's saddle I notice that this saddle is also tilting to the left. Carefull inspection revealed a defective seatpost. Where the seat rails mount the platform was tilted. I bought another seatpost then installed the Brooks. It was flat now but pretty much the same deal, I hated it. Tried one more 20 mile ride. I only hated the first 7 miles. Another ride, I still hated the first 7 miles. 2 rides later I loved all thirty plus miles. I don't know what changed, me, the saddle, the seatpost but after 12 yrs of cycling this is the first time I can say The seat is a zero factor in my cycling discomfort. I Hope this will help someone.

Joe
living proof of God's amazing grace
that saved a wretch like me

jcm

No mystery here. It just took about 150 miles to begin changing to fit your body. Completely normal. I don't doubt that a Brooks would even go a long way towards mitigating the bent seat clamp, if it wasn't too bad. It would morph to accomodate that as well. It should get even better from here on out.

vosyer

I tried breaking in a Brooks Professional that came with my 1969 Schwinn Paramount for over 30 years to know avail. Sold it to a collector for a premium price over 30 years later. I now own 3 B-17'S standards in various rivet combinations and colors - they all fit the day they came out of the box. Not all Brooks are the same - each fit just alittle different so I found out after 30 years of discomfort!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom Bombadil

I see right through your clumsy attempt to make a political statement against those who "tilt to the left."

Wil Davis

My first Brooks was a B-17 CN which I bought when I lived in the UK, back in the early 1970s and used in on my Claud Butler. It took a while to used to it, but eventually I rode it for many many miles, and never had a problem with it or my butt.

I moved to the USA in the early 1980s, and took up cycling again, but instead of bring over the CB, I bought a Schwinn Super Sport (see sig. and other threads for pics etc.). After a couple of rides using the saddle which came with the Schwinn, I sent an SOS to my dad back in the UK, to send me just the saddle from my CB, and a week later, arrived in the mail, my trusty B-17 CN. I rode that Brooks all through the rest of the 80s and into the 90s. I got an MTB in 1990, and made sure it came with a Brooks (Conquest) saddle, which I noticed that I didn't have to break-in; that is to say, it was like an armchair from the word go.

I didn't ride much for the next few years, but got back into it again in early 2005. I bought another road bike (with a Brooks Team-Pro saddle), another Team-Pro saddle for the Schwinn, and again, neither needed breaking in.

I conclude that when you ride a Brooks, it's not so much that the saddle gets broken-in, but that your butt gets broken-in to the Brooks, and once that's happened, your butt is good for any Brooks. (IMCO)

- Wil

linux_author

- Excuse me sir, but as your batman, i must ask, "Which side do you dress on?"

:-)

jcm

Velo Dog

I agree it was just the normal Brooks break-in period. FWIW, I have one "normal" B-17 and two of the heavier, honey-colored ones with copper rivets. The normal one had almost no break-in period, and I think it's still more comfortable than the heavier ones, though that may be because it's on a singlespeed I use only for short rides around town.

robtown

I lost my ebay bid for a NOS brooks brown champion [looked like narrow] w/big copper rivets, plus a set of French chrome fenders [shorties] and an old odometer. The winner took all for $67. The agony!

BTW - my first Brooks looked like this - only white with gold speckels:

John E

I got my Brooks Pro in 1973 for $5 in near-new condition because the first owner didn't have the patience to break it in. I have gotten almost 35 years and 50k mi / 80k km out of it, so I suppose that qualifies as a value purchase.

Big Paulie

Not when you consider the buying power of $5.00 35 years ago! That was a downpayment on a house back then!!!