benajah

Is a brooks B17 on a silver steel road bike just an abomination? I was swapping parts around on a bunch of my bikes today and put the brooks on and at first it looked funny, but its starting to look kind of cool

Banzai

Not if it's comfortable for you.

I don't make decisions about the comfort of my posterior on longer rides based on how the saddle looks on the bike. But that's just me.

Sixty Fiver

I have a vintage Lycette (Brooks made) saddle on my road bike which is also vintage... I could ride that thing all day.

And that is what is important.

MrCjolsen

Is the Brooks honey or black? If it's black, I'm picturing something pretty cool. If it's honey, you might need to get matching bar tape or brake hoods.

Creakyknees

it's only an abomination if you are worried what other people think. so in your case, yes.

martinus

Funny @ first... but then there is the "jackass" thread in the ss/fg forum working against ya.

That ^^^ said. I have a b17 on my mtb & my 20" fixed bmx.

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DocJ

I finally tried a Selle Anatomica on my carbon Orbea a month ago and I don't regret it for a minute. This was after a couple years with an SLK and a very brief period with an Arione.

skijor

I just switched from a B17 to a Selle An-Atomica on my Waterford. Nobody's going to know what you're sitting on when you're on it. And if it's comfy that's really all that matters. But yeah, black would look better than honey.

benajah

Creakyknees...touche. Good point. I really don't care what anyone else thinks in reality but just wanted to ask for opinions.
I only have one Brooks and have it on my touring bike, a Surly LHT with leather tape, even have an insulated coffee cup that is moulded to go in a bottle holder (that thing rocks by the way for commuting to work with, commuters should get one if they drink coffee)
I love it because I don't need riding shorts, I can ride upwards of a century with no discomfort. I have not been riding my touring bike this summer cause I have been concentrating on racing and just tossed it on my training bike because I like to just tool around town and commute on it too. Who knows it might stay there and Ill have to get another one for the touring bike and break it in.
For my training bike I could care less about weight, figure the heavier the better.

MrCjolsen

Sounds to me like it's time you went out and got another Brooks.

dnslater

Didn't want to start yet another Brooks thread, so I thought I would add to this one.........


After going through several nice leather covered, Ti railed lightweight saddles, I was finally fed up with my aching sitbones, so I ordered a B-17 from Wallbike last week, telling myself that I could probably sell my other two nice lightweight saddles to someone with a skinnier arse than myself to help fund the purchase. It came yesterday and upon lifting it out of the box in all of its 19th century riveted leather glory , I was slightly horrified at the thought of putting it on my Rocky Mountain road bike, which I finally got just below 17 lbs. Nonetheless I applied proofide as directed, let it sit overnight, and went for a quick 10 mile ride at the crack of dawn today. My immediate reaction was shock at how hard it is, but once settled in, I forgot about it after a few miles, which is more than I can say for my previous saddles. Despite my reservations about the look and weight of my bike, I will likely ride it more with the Brooks. I also used the following points as reasoning with myself:

My 24 ounce water bottles weigh 1.56 lbs each when filled.... which is more than the Brooks weighs....this isn't usually mentioned by the weight weenies here......... which puts my bike at over 20 lbs with two bottles......

Nobody can see my saddle when I am riding it...... when I am not riding it it is hanging on the wall of my garage....... therefore the appearance issue is really a non-issue....



My long term plan is to upgrade to a Ti frame in the next year or so, which will make the Brooks look a little more at home........

slacker_express

I have a B17N (narrow), but don't use it right now. I found it to be *very* comfortable when I am on the bars or the hoods, but not so much when I am in the drops. I used it with a Salsa seatpost (highly adjustable), but could never find a seat position that made riding in the drops comfortable. I'll keep it around in case I find another use for it. I never really cared about whether it was appropriate for a road bike.

dnslater

I did notice that it wasn't super comfortable in the drops. I don't ride much in the drops anyway, just every now and then to relieve my hands. I'm told some of the sleeker Brooks saddles are better in the drops, but I couldn't justify dropping that much coin.......... ya know in this economy...........

Sixty Fiver

The B17 is not a great saddle for aggressive riding... the new B17 Imperial is because of it's cutout and fact you can adjust the saddle for width because it is pre-laced.

Brooks racing saddles tend to be too narrow for me but I love the new B17 for every kind of riding.

dirtfish

not abominable-Brooks B17N (butchered and tied)-on a road bike

mattm

For 600k's I've started using my B17 on the Ciocc. Yes it looks crazy huge on a little road bike, but nobody can see that if you're using it correctly.

Just had to lower the seatpost a bit, as the B17 is way taller than my "race" saddle - but it worked out and my arse never hurt in the 680km I did on that ride. Never again will I torture myself on my Swift saddle...

professorbob

I've got a B17 on my Cdale System 6. I wouldn't change it for the world.

Eclectus

I've gotten WTF comments with a 900 gram springed Brooks on my Cervelo. I don't care. I'm riding 330-360 mi week on crap-seal, buckled pavement, unfilled chuckhole roads. Two weeks ago, did my usual 50 in the AM. Got home and #2 son said "Let's go riding Dad". Okay, another 35, and he was done. Got home, "Hmm, I'm close to a century, might as well do it..."

No pain.

That versus "Crap this 220 gram saddle is starting to announce its presence," at 30 miles, and by 50, I'm standing up every few minutes to get relief.

Brooks works well for some people, not so much for others; what you want in a saddle is one that fits your anatomy well enough to not compromise your regimen.

BikeWise1

Being a shop owner with an apparently sensitive derrierre, I have tried virtually every saddle available. Right now, a Brooks Swift adorns my Waterford R-33. After half a dozen rides, I don't think I'd care if it was horribly ugly (it's not) because for the first time in years, my saddle is disappearing under me! My feet got happy this year-the new Bontrager shoes are really, really good-and now by backside is happy.

Now for the hands.....

ericm979

Yes.