If so, then why are my new ones more broken in, and less comfortable, than my old ones, which are still hard as rock after 25 years?
Selective purchasing. Some fit the latter of your descriptions, some do not.
Case in point, my B.15 (probably early '70s) remains hard as a rock no matter how much I ride it; yet, the B.17 it replaced (which was roughly of the same era), was nicely broken in and comfortable. Just by looking at and feeling the leather on each saddle, one could get a pretty good idea of the long-term characteristics of either before riding them - the B.15 is unusually thick, and tapping the saddle with the tip of one's finger could be compared to tapping a wall; it does not give. The B.17 on the other hand, was not as thick, and if tapped, a very slight vibration can be felt through the saddle rails.
Of course, this is all armchair theorizing - feel free to shoot it full of holes.
Originally Posted by
dbakl
I agree. I miss the days when nobody wanted them and you could get them for 5 bucks at the swaps.
A somewhat rough B.15 just sold on eBay for $23.00 + $16 shipping - and that is considered a bargain today (not that I agree with the pricing). About 10 hours later, a broken-in, but very presentable B.17 (current production) sold for $76.00 + $10 shipping. Ridiculous.
-Kurt