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Old 08-01-17, 01:12 AM
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johnbobey
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: San Diego (Pacific Beach), CA
Posts: 157

Bikes: 2023 All-City Space Horse

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Originally Posted by cdmurphy
Luckily, your bike is from an era where either traditional leather saddles, or newer vinyl / suede covered plastic saddles would be acceptable. Going full retro would certainly look sharp, but I wouldn't let it dictate your saddle choices.

Personally, I love the Brooks Professional (The models from the 60s - late 70s. Newer ones seem wider at the back, with a flatter, more flared cantle that doesn't get along well with my rear.) I find the B17 too wide. (The B17 narrow is nice, but the one I tried had pretty thin leather. I didn't think it would hold up, and wound up selling it before putting too many miles on it.) Saddle preference is so individual, that I wouldn't get too attached to the idea of a B17, unless it really works for you. Luckily, if you buy used, you can almost certainly resell without much loss.

Popular vintage options: (Plastic or covered plastic): Cinelli Unicanitor, Selle Italia Turbo, Selle San Marco Rolls, and Concor

(Suspended Leather): Brooks B17 (medium width.), Professional (narrower, and much stiffer. Takes longer to break in, but will last longer.), Ideale (brand) Model 39 (similar to B17), Model 90 (similar to Brooks Professional), Fujita (brand) "Belt" (Looks like B17, but much thicker, stiffer leather.), Professional (Brooks pro knockoff.)
I made my way to a few shops this past weekend, and took some test "sits." I was hoping to find a store with a "loaner" program, but no luck. The gospel of the B17 was preached to me with great fervor, and I think it's broader shape will suit my south end well. I will explore these other options, and am prepared for any necesary trial and error. Mostly, I want the bike to look as good as I know it'll perform!
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