Let's consider three factors: Aesthetics, price point, and functionality - and remember this is only one person's opinion.

Aesthetically, the saddle design is a marginal call in my mind. It appeals to some and to others it is somewhat hideous: few people seem to be falling in between those extremes, which is interesting - but somewhat academic, because the role of designer is to meet the "wants" and desires of a purchasing population. (Sadly, the days of mass market designing for "needs" passed us by with Raymond Lowe.) So Brooks may have missed the mark in designing a saddle with limited appeal. Even though there is a niche market whose fancy this design seems to tickle, Brooks is in and of itself already a niche market: I fear the market therefore is limited from the outset. If that is the Brooks business plan, then I'll be interested to see how they move forward with things. For what it's worth, I was not initially in love with the look of the fabric covering, even though I do favor the Regal-like form. I've warmed up to the look, mounted to my Boulder, over the past few weeks - but I hesitate to mount it to one of my more vintage-ish bikes because I think the look may be a little too jarring.

Price Point. As already noted, Brooks misses the mark here. Just because a company prices something at a certain point doesn't make the perception of value exist in the eyes of a buying populace. This further limits the marketability of a product and - I am guessing here - I believe the demographic for pricey saddles may not overlap the market for this particular design aesthetic. End of story.

Functionality. For me, the functionality of a saddle is all about durability and comfort. The materials seems to be quite durable and after many outings of four and five hours at a time, my early fear that the rubber base would soften and sag under prolonged body contact - and thus, temperature - well, that has thus far proved to be unfounded. We'll only know through time and use ultimately how durable this product proves to be, but my initial thoughts are positive. Which leaves comfort. And it is here that the saddle excels. It is comfortable right out of the box and continues to be so throughout the length of a ride. There seems to be (for me) no hot spots; every position is potentially a sweet spot in fact - and that, frankly, is more than a little amazing. I think this would make an excellent saddle for someone wanting to enter the Brooks world for the first time (other than the ridiculous price point, so once again it seems designers and marketing personnel failed to communicate); I like it for long days in the saddle riding. I don't have any plans to do extended touring this summer and would love to hear from someone using the Cambium for that purpose.