Brooks B17 Narrow in nice shape
#1
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From: Oakland, CA
Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited
Brooks B17 Narrow in nice shape
SOLD!
Brooks B17 Narrow
- medium brown
- tarnished coppjer rivets
- chrome rails
- never tensioned
- minor scuffs, tried to capture in pics
I wanted to love this saddle because it’s gorgeous, but it ended up being a poor match for my anatomy. I am asking $70 $60 plus shipping
or trade for
Brooks B17 Narrow
- medium brown
- tarnished coppjer rivets
- chrome rails
- never tensioned
- minor scuffs, tried to capture in pics
I wanted to love this saddle because it’s gorgeous, but it ended up being a poor match for my anatomy. I am asking
or trade for
- B17 Standard in black, similar condition (would need pics)...
- or Velo Orange French-threaded 122mm bottom bracket


Last edited by noobinsf; 06-12-18 at 12:59 PM.
#4
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From: Tixkokob, Yucatán, México
Bikes: 79 Trek 930, 80 Trek 414, 84 Schwinn Letour Luxe (coupled), 92 Schwinn Paramount PDG 5
I'd like to try one of these. The timing is bad on this one though. It IS a gorgeous saddle. GLWS
#5
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From: Oakland, CA
Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited
#7
Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Oakland, CA
Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited
#8
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From: Oakland, CA
Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited
Rivet pics
Here is the best I can do with crappy cell phone pics. I carefully sanded one rivet to get to some of the copper, and the other shows the green oxidation. Let me know if I had this wrong, and I will correct it above. Maybe these are chrome plated, and that is the copper layer?






#10
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Joined: Jun 2012
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From: Central California
Bikes: 2001 LeMond Nevada City, ‘92 Merlin Titanium, '84 Torpado Super Strada, ‘84 Schwinn Tempo, '81 Bianchi Limites, '73 Raleigh Supercourse
I believe these rivets ARE copper, just not the hammered version. Seems like I had one that had these same rivets...GLWS
#13
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From: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada - burrrrr!
Bikes: 1958 Rabeneick 120D, 1968 Legnano Gran Premio, 196? Torpado Professional, 2000 Marinoni Piuma
Not all Brooks saddles are all that special for all of us...
The Brooks B17 Narrow, however, is one of the most comfortable Brooks that I have ever ridden. I recommend it highly, for butt and eye appeal...

The Brooks B17 Special is, absolutely, the most comfortable of all the Brooks butt supports that I have ridden...
However, the Brooks B15 proved to be a nightmare. I actually looked over my shoulder, after my first ride on it, studying my reflection in a mirror, and apologized to my back side for putting it through the torture of a thirty mile ride, out to the landfill site and back...
The Brooks B17 Narrow, however, is one of the most comfortable Brooks that I have ever ridden. I recommend it highly, for butt and eye appeal...

The Brooks B17 Special is, absolutely, the most comfortable of all the Brooks butt supports that I have ridden...

However, the Brooks B15 proved to be a nightmare. I actually looked over my shoulder, after my first ride on it, studying my reflection in a mirror, and apologized to my back side for putting it through the torture of a thirty mile ride, out to the landfill site and back...
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"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
#14
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From: Oakland, CA
Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited
Randy, thank you for the pic of the B17 Narrow with copper rivets in good shape. Mystery solved!
#15
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From: Oakland, CA
Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited
I had a B17, it came with the Raleigh Super Course I ordered. It was probably the wide version. It was never comfortable. I was told by numerous parties to keep riding it, eventually the saddle will break in and you will experience butt nirvana. Alas, that mythological day never came.
B17's weren't particularly sought after BITD. The Pro and Team Pro models were.
B17's weren't particularly sought after BITD. The Pro and Team Pro models were.
#17
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Joined: Aug 2011
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From: CID
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
The Brooks B17 Narrow was good enough to be Raleigh's choice for the Clubman model (among others.) If the saddles from all my bikes disappeared overnight it would be my choice for replacing them. Narrow to reduce thigh chafing, but flat on top so that not all of your riding needs to be balls-out in order to be comfortable, perfect. 
#18
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Oakland, CA
Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited
Bump and price drop, plus added a trade option.
Last edited by noobinsf; 06-08-18 at 05:16 PM.
#19
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From: PDX
Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2
I had a B17, it came with the Raleigh Super Course I ordered. It was probably the wide version. It was never comfortable. I was told by numerous parties to keep riding it, eventually the saddle will break in and you will experience butt nirvana. Alas, that mythological day never came.
B17's weren't particularly sought after BITD. The Pro and Team Pro models were.
B17's weren't particularly sought after BITD. The Pro and Team Pro models were.
#20
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,366
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From: Soviet of Oregon or Pensacola FL
Bikes: Still have a few left!
All minel were great. Good right out of the box and great after break in. BID, I savedfor the $40 & $50 B17 standard models with small, steel rivets and black or chrome rails. They generally broke in within 400 to 500 miles and leather wasn't as heavy.
Later I got the Champion Specials with large, hammered rivets and skived edges. They had very thick, heavy leather as did the Professional model I had. It took them thousands of miles to reach that sweet spot, but they were OK from day 1. Don
Most comfortable I ever rode was the B-72 on a Raleigh Sports I had back in the 80's. It had deep sit bone indents that were soft and pliable while the main body leather was still stiff & held its shape. Don
Don
Later I got the Champion Specials with large, hammered rivets and skived edges. They had very thick, heavy leather as did the Professional model I had. It took them thousands of miles to reach that sweet spot, but they were OK from day 1. Don
Most comfortable I ever rode was the B-72 on a Raleigh Sports I had back in the 80's. It had deep sit bone indents that were soft and pliable while the main body leather was still stiff & held its shape. Don
Don
#21
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,338
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From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
I'll buy it.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#22
Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,491
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From: Oakland, CA
Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited
#23
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,338
Likes: 6,636
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
I'm gathering quite a collection of Brooks saddles.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.








