Brooks B17 question
04-09-07, 10:01 AM
#26
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Originally Posted by ragboy
Not that anyone is keeping track, but an update on my Brooks B17 issue: I went for a 28-mile ride on Saturday on the Brooks and had numb toes at about the halfway mark. I swapped the Brooks for my old WTB saddle and went for a 25-mile ride Sunday -- the numbness was hardly detectable, if at all. Hmmm...
If I had to guess, I'd say the harder Brooks saddle is pinching a nerve somewhere. I'm a fairy skinny guy, I wonder if that could make the brooks do more damage than someone with more "cushion". Now to decide whether to give the Brooks more time, or cut bait and go back to the old relliable WTB.
If I had to guess, I'd say the harder Brooks saddle is pinching a nerve somewhere. I'm a fairy skinny guy, I wonder if that could make the brooks do more damage than someone with more "cushion". Now to decide whether to give the Brooks more time, or cut bait and go back to the old relliable WTB.
04-09-07, 10:50 AM
#27
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There is disagreement regarding whether or not to treat a Brooks with neat's foot oil. Some say it will ruin the saddle, others say you're crazy if you don't. I soaked mine per Sheldon Brown's advice and so far so good. I'd say if you are about to give up on your Brooks you should go ahead and try the neat's foot oil baptism. Make sure it is pure neat's foot oil, not the 'compound', which conatains petrolium distillates.
You can read about it here:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/leather.html#bikeboom
You can read about it here:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/leather.html#bikeboom
04-09-07, 10:53 AM
#28
Faster but still slow
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Originally Posted by JPMacG
There is disagreement regarding whether or not to treat a Brooks with neat's foot oil. Some say it will ruin the saddle, others say you're crazy if you don't. I soaked mine per Sheldon Brown's advice and so far so good. I'd say if you are about to give up on your Brooks you should go ahead and try the neat's foot oil baptism. Make sure it is pure neat's foot oil, not the 'compound', which conatains pertrolium distillates.
I did the Sheldon Brown baptism method as well with no ill effects. It is nicely customized for my rear and just soft enough to be comfortable without sagging. I can also ride it in the rain with no problems either.
04-09-07, 11:48 AM
#29
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Don't know if you have considered this but for me, the reach to the handlebars is a big factor in the comfort of my seat as well as the tilt angle of seat itself. If I am riding more upright I prefer the normal B-17, more aggressive and I prefer the B-17 Narrow or the Swallow. I have a sprung Brooks on my cruiser, a B-17 Champion on my fixie, a B-17 on my mtb, a B-17N on my cross bike, and a Swallow on my road bike. None of them look broken in (I weight 180 lbs) except the Swallow but they are all comfortable for me.
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2006SurlyCrosscheck]
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04-09-07, 12:08 PM
#30
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Originally Posted by hairlessbill
Don't know if you have considered this but for me, the reach to the handlebars is a big factor in the comfort of my seat as well as the tilt angle of seat itself. If I am riding more upright I prefer the normal B-17, more aggressive and I prefer the B-17 Narrow or the Swallow. I have a sprung Brooks on my cruiser, a B-17 Champion on my fixie, a B-17 on my mtb, a B-17N on my cross bike, and a Swallow on my road bike. None of them look broken in (I weight 180 lbs) except the Swallow but they are all comfortable for me.
Excellent point.....keep in mind most if not all Brooks saddles do not have the kind of fore/aft adjustability that most modern saddles do. I need a more aggressive setback post than I do with a "regular" modern saddle.
04-09-07, 03:38 PM
#31
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Originally Posted by -VELOCITY-
This thing works wonders. Try it out if you haven't already.
04-09-07, 03:41 PM
#32
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Originally Posted by hairlessbill
Don't know if you have considered this but for me, the reach to the handlebars is a big factor in the comfort of my seat as well as the tilt angle of seat itself. If I am riding more upright I prefer the normal B-17, more aggressive and I prefer the B-17 Narrow or the Swallow. I have a sprung Brooks on my cruiser, a B-17 Champion on my fixie, a B-17 on my mtb, a B-17N on my cross bike, and a Swallow on my road bike. None of them look broken in (I weight 180 lbs) except the Swallow but they are all comfortable for me.
