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I tried my first Brooks B17 recently. I'm glad I did.
To be honest I've not tried a lot of saddles BUT of the ones I have tried, this has to be the comfiest. |
I use nothing but Brooks saddles and my willy is just fine, thank you.
That guy is really annoying! |
Yes, GB, that post was kind of too much , but, if his willy is numb, he's bound to want to yell it to the world. Far be it from me to suggest but I recommend a proper pair of padded shorts. Some people's Fromunders just don't like the shape of a Brooks I guess.
Say, OP. How old is your father? Is he fit? Is he already a cyclist? The answers to these questions may influence which saddle you get him, but it's hard to go wrong with the B-17. |
Can't say my B17 has ever given me numbness or loss of function in the ~1500 miles since I've owned it. (Shall I continue the TMI trend with some comments from my ladyfriend? :p)
Brooks-type saddles need more careful attention to setup, to keep the weight on your sit-bones. That said, if no amount of tweaking makes one work for you, by all means use something else. - Scott |
B-17s have always been comfortable for me right out of the box.
I've tried many other saddles in ther past 40 years, and the Brooks works best for me. Buy him a saddle cover and Proofide as well. |
Originally Posted by mtnbke
(Post 13576986)
I've sold three Brooks now. I'll never have another.
They made my willy go numb. They are beautiful and build a great 'art bike', however pressure on the perineum overtime causes permanent nerve damage. I need things to function as best they can down there. There are a lot of really aggressive non-pressure perineum saddles that police officers who spend 20+ hours a week on bikes are going with. Think split more than an SMP. I don't use C&V saddles. They just aren't medically safe in my opinion. I don't like having a non-responsive or numb willy. For me the most comfortable saddle I've tried yet is the Selle Italia Prolink Gel Flow. I have 'em on every bike. Not a cheap saddle (~$125) but more comfortable than the Brooks by far, and less issues with the Willy. Will probably try the SMP saddles someday. |
Originally Posted by mtnbke
(Post 13576986)
I've sold three Brooks now. I'll never have another.
They made my willy go numb. They are beautiful and build a great 'art bike', however pressure on the perineum overtime causes permanent nerve damage. I need things to function as best they can down there. There are a lot of really aggressive non-pressure perineum saddles that police officers who spend 20+ hours a week on bikes are going with. Think split more than an SMP. They do make women's specific Brooks models to help keep your "lady parts" from going numb. If you were using a man's saddle that might be part oif your problem...... I don't use C&V saddles. They just aren't medically safe in my opinion. I don't like having a non-responsive or numb willy. For me the most comfortable saddle I've tried yet is the Selle Italia Prolink Gel Flow. I have 'em on every bike. Not a cheap saddle (~$125) but more comfortable than the Brooks by far, and less issues with the Willy. Will probably try the SMP saddles someday. |
+1 on wallbike.com, but what kind of bike is it for?
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Online reviews in general are tough to sift through, and when the item is fit-specific, it's really a crapshoot. You have to disentangle who is saying what and for what reason, and whether their setup is anything like the rest of your bike, and more importantly, you have no idea whether their anatomy resembles yours, except in the most general sense. So my comments aren't likely to help you in any significant way, but here goes.
I've only tried a couple Brooks saddles. The Pro is the most comfortable saddle I can't ride. By that I mean it feels like bliss for about 20 miles, and then I start to get chafing on the outside edges. The Swift, which is a good deal narrower, I like a lot. I would have expected it to go the other way, as I always thought I had an ample caboose. But the sit bones are what matters most, and I guess the Pro just has too much width beyond what my skeleton needs. |
Originally Posted by lostarchitect
(Post 13577962)
This is really one of the most ignorant things I've read here in a long time. If you were having "numb willy" problems, it wasn't due to the saddle, it was due to the setup. Millions of people have used saddles like this for a centrury with no issues. "non-pressure" saddles are snake oil--any saddle is only as comfortable as the setup allows.
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Originally Posted by 10 Wheels
(Post 13578173)
Brooks saddles are Not for Everyone.
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Saw what you did there, Fender1. :lol:
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I have a Brooks B-68 on a hybrid that has a more upright position. It was surprising comfortable right out of the box and just keeps getting better.
I love mine, but I did read somewhere that a guy named Willy had his brain go numb from riding a Brooks. |
Guys, :roflmao:!
Padded shorts give me achy balls. I have to look for shorts with the least padding. Padding the shorts is misguided. When chamoises were gen-you-wine leather, they were for absorption, not padding. If padding is good for you, fine, but I can't use it. The trouble for me is that I don't know if a seat or shorts are bad for me until the day after. :cry: |
Originally Posted by 10 Wheels
(Post 13578173)
Brooks saddles are Not for Everyone.
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Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 13578393)
Guys, :roflmao:!
Padded shorts give me achy balls. I have to look for shorts with the least padding. Padding the shorts is misguided. When chamoises were gen-you-wine leather, they were for absorption, not padding. If padding is good for you, fine, but I can't use it. The trouble for me is that I don't know if a seat or shorts are bad for me until the day after. :cry: I have a modified B-17 on one bike. Side skirts cut back with a center web wrapped under (think Swallow) and it's insanely comfortable. Flat top with no flared side skirts to chafe. |
Where's Willy?
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How do Brooks users like the Swallow, which seems to be the lightest Brooks? I've only ever had B17's, among my Brooks.
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Originally Posted by mtnbke
(Post 13576986)
They made my willy go numb.
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Originally Posted by jyl
(Post 13578742)
How do Brooks users like the Swallow, which seems to be the lightest Brooks? I've only ever had B17's, among my Brooks.
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I ran with a B-17 on my Cinelli for about 650 miles. It never did break in, so I gave up on it. Switched to a Regal, and never looked back....... and Willy can still perform all the stunts that he's learned over the years.
The Disappearing Wand trick is still the hands-down favorite, though. |
Originally Posted by ThermionicScott
(Post 13579419)
My willy likes the Swallow, but ymmv. :p
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For what it's worth, I am 55, 200 pounds and ride on Brooks Team Professional saddles. I like the stiff leather and the ability to slide around a little on the surface to relieve pressure. One of the saddles is well broken in (purchased used The other I bought new and I have put only 1150 miles on it, but it was comfortable for me out of the box.
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Originally Posted by fender1
(Post 13577966)
Brooks makes women's specific saddles so your "lady parts" won't go numb. If you were using a man's saddle that might be part of your problem.
:eek: :D seriously though, a Brooks is not the 'magic button' to end your saddle discomfort woes,.....but it can be. For some people they're great right out of the box, like my Brooks 'Pro' was to me. Riding position and your fit on the bike has a lot to do with it too IMO, as well as acclimation and whatever tweaking needs to be done. I think its a noble gesture that you even want to buy your dad a Brooks. |
Take your dad to a LBS and have them use the A$$-O-Meter. The LBS near me has one from Specailized, it will measure the sit bones correctly. If his sit bones are wide get him a B-17.
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