wobbooze

Hello all,

I'm looking to get a new saddle, the one that came with my bike kind of sucks, was wondering if you guys think this one is any good?

amazon sure thinks so

https://www.amazon.com/Brooks-Saddles...0035534&sr=1-1


thanks

TheOtherBob

Brooks seems to be well-regarded around here, but I've never used them. The thing is, though, it's your butt -- what fits one person's butt just may not fit yours. Butts are like fingerprints, if fingerprints smelled like butts: every one is unique.

Machka 

Brooks B17s are very good. The company has been around for 100+ years, and thousands of cyclists use them.

Including me. I've got a B17 on each of my bicycles. I wouldn't use anything else.

One nice thing about the Brooks saddles is that they conform to your butt ... they customise themselves to your butt.

However, be aware that the Brooks saddles are very, very hard, and do require a bit of work and lots of patience.

Bikeforumuser0017

I heard it is very hard in the beginning, but it will soften up the more you ride it. However the rate of how soft it becomes depends on your weight; If you are less than 110lb, you are going to have to put A LOT of miles on it before it it begins to mold to your booty; That is why I don't plan on getting one, plus BG saddles are good right out of the box and stay that way.

zandoval 

Question is - Is there a comfortable saddle???

35 miles into a flat run - NO...

Machka 

You heard wrong.

1. The Brooks saddle will never, ever get soft. If it happens to get soft, something has gone terribly wrong and you've ruined your saddle.

2. I was tiny and light when I got my first Brooks saddle ... within 800 km (3 weeks) it was broken in, and by the 400 km point, it was comfortable enough for me to decide to use it on a 1000 km randonnee (400 km into the randonnee, it broke in). And for some people, the Brooks is comfortable right out of the box. So even if you are tiny and light, you won't necessarily have to put A LOT of miles on it before it begins to mold to your booty.

Machka 

There can be comfortable saddles ... I've done four 1200K randonnees and one 1000K randonnee (plus all the randonnees leading up to them), and I've been comfortable.

Phil_gretz

Several million (out of thin air, conservatively estimated) rear ends can't be wrong. Seriously - if you're a Brooks person, you'll find out in the first 500 miles or so. Once you become converted - you're a convert for life. The B17 is only one model though, and it's most often used by tourers and long distastance riders whose bikes are set up for comfort and endurance, rather than for aggressive aerodynamic riding.

wobbooze

What saddle is best for commuters?

JohnDThompson 

I have several Brooks saddles (four "Professionals" and two B-66s) and like them all. But saddles can be a very personal choice. Wallingford Bikes offers a 6 month unconditional guarantee on their Brooks saddles if you want to give one a try:

"6 Month UNCONDITIONAL SATISFACTION GUARANTEE - new BROOKS and BERTHOUD saddles. Return your new saddle at any time within six-months of the ship date for a full refund of the price of the saddle. Shipping will not be refunded unless there is a manufacturing defect that would make the return a factory warranty issue."

https://www.wallbike.com/warranty-and-other-information

Mobile 155

You are about to learn the one lesson all of us have in common. There is no best saddle for everyone. This is a truth, there is "no best saddle" for everyone bottom. If Brooks were the best for everyone then everyone would buy Brooks and they wouldn't have had to sell the company to Selle many years ago. Is brooks a good choice, sure why not? But it may not work for you and like many of us you will have a Brooks in you saddle box while you ride a Cobb, SMP, Selle Max Flow, Terry or whatever you end up using. No reason to not give it a try but even if it worked for ten of us there will be a 1000 it didn't because if you look at the commuters in your area that is about the percentage you will see on other saddles. I am truely sorry that is the real answer to your question and I hope if you do get a Brooks it will be what you are looking for. But the odds are not 50/50.

fietsbob

Talk to your backside, mine had different choices , now,
because I live in a temperate rain forest region..
Im using a nylon base, foam, and pleather covered saddle.
it wont sag, when ridden wet. though it lives under a plastic bag most of the year.

Leather needs care, and now that they are Both Expensive and Pop-Trendy, people steal them.

LarDasse74

Everyone is different. But Brooks saddles are well liked by most people who try them. I think some must tolerate the 'break in' period just to convince themselves they spent their $150 bucks wisely, then when it finally does break in they legitimately love them.

The reason I don't have one is because I am too lazy to maintain the parts of my bike that make it run, and I believe that getting a brooks saddle wet or muddy or leaving it outside for the winter will adversely affect it.

The other thing you need to consider for a commuter saddle is theft - can you ensure your saddle will never be stolen ('security' bolts, cables and locks, very low theft area, parked in a secure location), and if it is stolen, will you have to choose between buying a new one and buying food?

Phil_gretz

How long is your commute, wobbooze? For ~ 1 hour or 15 miles each way, almost any saddle will do, if it is the correct width, firm with minimal padding, and the correct roundedness for your anatomy. Heck, the WTB Speed V is probably the most common low-to-mid mtb saddle and I find it comfortable for anything under 2 hours or so. They can be had for relatively little on eBay.

Fietsbob and others are right about Brooks saddles in that the owner must address (1) periodic care, (2) weather durability, and (3) theft. You must keep these three in mind depending on your circumstances.

wobbooze

3.6 miles

Lol

wobbooze

I'm sticking with my stock saddle if anyone was curious

stevebiker

That view agrees with this review from the Amazon link:

"The saddle for me, is very comfortable on the sit bones once it settles in. However, I recently changed my riding position, lowering my handlebar to a more aggressive stance, and I can no longer use it. I was recently 'fitted' by a professional to address other issues I was having on my bike."

"Especially on the drops the Brooks caused problems. One one-hour ride and my 'taint, as they say, was screaming. It's a day after my ride and I still feel something a urologist could explain better than I. I've also had urological issues towards the ends of very long rides (60 miles and up) when your form and technique start to degrade."

"Where is my saddle now? It's on my hybrid commuter where I "SIT" on the Brooks in a more upright position. If I had a Trek 520 or LHT, it would still be on my road bike."

"It's not for everyone, but if it is for you, you will be one of the many many true believers. Just watch out for the 'taint!"

fietsbob

You probably didnt Need it.. in the 1st place..
if you take up long distance out of State, and the 'Hood, travel .
your needs, for that use, may change..

Nightshade

Brooks , and other all leather saddles, become shaped to your butt with wear which is why they are so comfortable.

However, because they are all leather they need a higher level of care , and don't let them get wet, to last a lifetime.

Jeff Wills

I tried Brooks saddles, I really really did. Never got one broken in to where it was comfortable. I took a few years off of uprights (riding a recumbent) then found that WTB brand saddles fit my butt. Now I have a couple on a couple different upright bikes.

Recumbent seats, though- that's a whole 'nother kettle of monkeys.

DTG

I want to say what everyone else has mentioned about Brooks, they are great saddles but as others have said as well, you should try a few of them. I live in Portland and some shops here have a flat rate price where you can try multiple saddles to see what your butt likes best.

In regards to Brooks though, I tried the B17 and I couldn't handle it, but I was told to try other saddles they sold and I did. I now have a B66 and a B67. I have the B67 on my FS mtb aka my do it all spring/summer bike and the B66 is on my winter commuter.

fietsbob

have a couple Brooks Pros , the wet weather has them in storage..
2 and 3 decades of use, alternating bikes,
on Long international bike tours, mostly..

Machka 

For that kind of distance ... you can ride just about anything.

But like fietsbob says, if you increase your distance, you needs may change.

stevebiker

Any leather product will benefit from an initial treatment with 100% pure Neatsfoot oil. It will preserve and condition the leather.

But be careful! Use only 100% pure neatsfoot oil. There are some "neatsfoot oil" products that are impure, and they actuall will damage the leather. Here's a blurb from Wikipedia, which reiterates the warnings elsewhere:

GOOD -- "Modern neatsfoot oil is still made from cattle-based products, but now, while retaining its historic name, usually is made mostly from lard,[SUP][/SUP] which is sold as pure neatsfoot oil. This formulation does darken leather."

BAAAAD -- "[SUP][/SUP]If mineral oil or other petroleum-based material is added, the product may be called "neatsfoot oil compound." Some brands have also been shown to be adulterated with rapseed oil, soya oil, and other oils.[SUP][/SUP] The addition of mineral oils may lead to more rapid decay of non-synthetic stitching or speed breakdown of the leather itself.

onbike 1939

Using Neatsfoot oil of any kind is a bad idea, being organic they all encourage mould. If you do want to waterproof and slightly soften the leather then use "Hydrophane" which is used by Saddlers for preparing the butts of leather before working on them. Be careful and do not use too much as this will over-soften and use only on the under-side. If used on a new saddle then the forming of the saddle will not take place as the creation of indents is achieved by the sit-bones breaking the dry leather fibres. However if the new saddle is saturated with water, the indents can be now easily created with ones thumb in the now-soft leather. Leave to dry for twelve hours and it will be as hard as before .