Originally Posted by
mobile homeless
All that being said, and with the classic Regal side by side, I have to rate the Brooks as the most comfortable, best made saddle for spirited long distance riding I've ever used. But the Brooks Team Pro wins hands down in the build and comfort department, even if it looks rather out of place on some bikes. It's far more than a fashion statement to some.
Agreed. The Brooks 'Team Pro' (or any Brooks for that matter) does look rather out of place on some bikes, although the term 'idiotic' may be stretching it a bit. Brooks are definitely 'old school' and their 'cult following' is unrivaled by any other saddle ever made. Realistically speaking, there is probably no other single bike component manufacturer that can make that claim. Thousands upon thousands of people worldwide adamantly adore Brooks saddles, that goes way beyond just simply 'liking it'. Some people seem to have trouble understanding that, when really, its not at all hard to understand. Just 'open your eyes'.
For me, I'm not the sort who 'crows negatively' about something I've never tried. I was a bit sceptical too, at first, not wanting to give up my
cool SI 'turbomatic 3', which was very light and looked fast on my bike, but otherwise 'killed' my arse on long rides. After much research I 'bought into' the hype of a Brooks saddle and bought a 'Team Pro' back in early 2004. Out of the box the saddle was....well it was rather ugly. I didnt like the honey color, and it was heavy, but there was no mistaking the quality of it. Absolutely nothing about it was cheap. The chrome rails, the 'peened' copper rivets, the shaped and formed thick leather, was a masterpiece of old world craftsmanship. It actually
looked like something that was handcrafted meticulously by an old man in a dirty shop apron.
.......but it was still ugly, and twice as heavy as my Selle Italia 'look at me' saddle. My first impression was to send it back, but my arse pulled rank and said "let it speak". Today I have 10,000 miles on that saddle, and is the most comfortable saddle I've
EVER had. The smooth leather is still smooth leather, but after about six months the ugly 'honey' color started to darken, and the more I rode it the darker it got. Now its a dark brown 'silky' color on top, that seems to fade into a lighter, but still 'silky' milk chocolate color on the saddle skirts and nose. The saddle is a beauty to behold now, as is permanent on my beloved 'Tommasini' go-fast bike.
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btw......I swoon over that beautiful Raleigh 'Professional' you have,...its gorgeous.