Bike Forums - View Single Post - 70's vs Current Brooks

11-04-11 | 08:50 AM

#9

Doohickie

You gonna eat that?

Joined: Sep 2008

Posts: 14,917

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From: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty

Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS

I have a data point: I have a 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist that came with what I believe to be the original B72 saddle. The leather tore, so I replaced it with a new B72. There are several obvious design changes. The new saddle has
. slightly shorter and narrower dimensions
. rails are black instead of chrome
. single piece of leather (the old one had construction consisting of two pieces of leather: The top piece is the traditional, skirted, saddle top. The bottom piece is a structural doubler of approximately the same shape of the top piece with the skirts removed)

I think the last difference is why older Brooks saddles are so durable. Besides the top leather, there is a second piece of leather underneath to help bear the load.

__________________
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.

Originally Posted by bragi

"However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."

Last edited by Doohickie; 11-04-11 at 11:33 AM.

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