Originally Posted by oldfixguy

rustbelt,

Saddles are very, very personal things. Nothing but Brooks B17's or B17 narrows will ever again be sucked into my butt crack. They are that good - for my tush, anyway. A Brooks should be totally and 100% comfortable out of the box. Over time and as you apply the leather conditioner the saddle will conform to your specific body shape creating a truly custom saddle that will be the most comfortable thing you've ever ridden. Setting up a Brooks "hammock" style seems to be the way to go. It kind of goes against natural leanings. If you get on the saddle and feel "package" pressure you will be inclined to tilt the nose a bit further down. Don't. Tilt it a bit more up. It works. Give yourself about 20 minutes to set up a new Brooks. Be sure to take short rides in all positions - such as on the flats, in the drops, etc.. Also, be sure to ride over some comparatively rough stuff. Drop off small curbs and things like that (in all positions) to see how the positioning affects your body. You should find yourself working in smaller and smaller increments of adjustment. Don't be afraid of this process or be in too much of a hurry. Don't even look at the saddle. Continue to adjust in whatever manner is necessary to create all around cycling comfort. This will be "your" position. Don't sweat the lack of padding. It's just not needed on a Brooks. I know, that sounds non-nonsensical.

The saddle will last you longer than you ever thought possible. Avoid using the tightening bolt. I've never known anyone to claim that bolt has made a positive difference. The folks I know prefer the "tie" versions of Brooks (they have holes and shoe lace material sort of in the middle of the saddle - you'll see.) to gently keep the form of the saddle. One of the things other than fit is that a Brooks is very difficult to damage to the point it has to be replaced. If your bike topples over or you lose it in a spill, the saddle will be scuffed but will require no repair. Lather on the saddle oil stuff (proofide??) and over time you will see the scarring sort of self-heal. While I don't have any use for the higher end saddles that go for hundreds and hundreds of dollars, the B17's are the bees knees for this guy. Love 'em.