They actually have A$$-O-Meters? Aint new technology wonderful? I suppose it does depend on your anatomy. Never had my sit bones measured, but I've always felt comfortable on both the Pro and the B-17. I'm scrawny though. I have to wear padded shorts or Willy isn't the only thing complaining.

I've offered to measure a few gals sits bones. A few let me but I did get a punched a few times before that happened.

If your Dad rides an upright bike Lepper does some very nice leather saddles which are mattress sprung rather than tensioned leather. Being Dutch they are very comfortable but weigh a lot.

I have a champion flier, and the leather seems really hard to some of my friends who ride gel saddles. The champion is sprung, which is good because I ride with an almost completely upright posture. The springs soak up the big road shocks and the saddle feels like a hammock. It's stupid comfortable, and the saddle felt good the first time I tried it in that application. It was not as comfortable on a drop-bar road bike, and I did get unwanted pressure on my privates in that application. The standard Fuji saddle worked better there, so the same saddle can be uncomfortable depending on riding posture. If I only rode a couple times a year, I'd just get a gel saddle and be done with it. That said, I love my Brooks.

Never tried the swallow, but have two swifts (one Ti and one steel rails) and really find them comfortable. I've also got a Team Pro, a B17, a Champion Flyer, and two old B15s. I love them all.

I have Brooks saddles on all 10 of my bikes now and will probably never change to anything else. They are great. However, they're not as nice as they used to be. I think the workmanship is probably just as good as it ever was but they seem to be using a lot of leather from the neck area of hides now and while it's functionally as good as back leather it has tendency to feature marbling in it. This is a new Professional I bought - you can see what looks like creases, or wrinkles, or fish scales in the surface:

[IMG]http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3420/5...936c1f52bc.jpg
IMG_3370 by Dawes-man, on Flickr[/IMG]

I decided to try to make the colour darker and as a 1st step sandpapered it - this really reveals the marbling:
[IMG]http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3171/5...ca82860a9e.jpg
IMG_3372 by Dawes-man, on Flickr[/IMG]

My advice to anyone buying a Brooks is to go to a shop, where you can actually get close and check the leather, rather than get one mail -order, where you can't, unless that effect doesn't bother you.

This is a titanium B17 that's been on Yahoo Auction here in Japan for ages, with the price dropping but still no buyers. If you look at the middle picture you can see 2 lighter coloured lines, and I reckon that's why it remains unsold at ¥23,000 when it normally retails at ¥30,000 ($296/$387). Plus, this is a brown one and I know for a fact that the distributors are out of that colour because I've been in contact with 20 retailers so far and they are all sold out - they're very popular. Plenty of honey and black left. The last shop I went to said that they had noticed a lot of saddles with the same finish recently.

Last time I was in New York, I picked up an almost new Brown Titanium B17 for $80.00. I forgot the name of The Bike Shop, but it was a block away from central park.

Mike, great deal!

Just curious; where did the OP go? He sent us all into a tizzy, especially with mtnbke weighing in on his thoughts about freeing Willy, allowed the popcorn to come out as the pro and anti Brooks aficionados duked it out, never to post again. Did we just confuse him? Did we scare him away? Not a peep.

Maybe it is time for this thread to die?
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...BackTop2-1.jpg

I have ridden a Swift w/ti rails quite a bit and absolutely love it. Did my first and only century on it.

Also have a couple of B17s.............I used a WTB saddle on my mountain bike for several years and replaced it with a B17 about 7 or 8 years ago and prefer it over the WTB. The only exception to that is extensive saddle time on the MTB. I used it in a couple of 24hr MTB races and after 6 hours of saddle time those steel rivets really caused some pain.

I am a 200lb+ rider and did all above rides in my mid to late 40s

Ive ridden new and old versions of almost every brooks model up to and including a Swallow which I own. If you can find a good condition old one, say pre 80s? You'll probably find the the leather is thicker and a little better quality. I still buy new ones, but I don't expect they'll last as long. I think they have cheaped out on the leather slightly.

I am going to get him the b17

I'm wondering if anyone has experience with Cardiff saddles? I saw one at a LBS for $60 and thought it was as well-made as a B17, but it was noticeably heavier. This saddle had a leather cord that is used to adjust the saddle (take up slack in the saddle).

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...n/964060d5.jpg

I sat up in my B17 with flat bars. Am riding drops these days with molded seats but I still look for the same qualities; firm, yet flex, wiggle room, vertical cushioning in modern seats. Some of the aero seats have caught on. It's GIVE in just the right places, especially after breaking in. The B17 above was perfect until the nose tore off. Still breaking in its replacement.

May I recommend you send your saddle to rhm? He'll create a wonderful replacement!

My Ideale Model 90 before (as found at the dump):

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/PB150123.jpg

My Ideale after rhm worked his magic.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...rnFullSide.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...Reborntop2.jpg

My Review: They are Cool!! A Brooks will make your Dad Cool too.. Can't get any cooler than that!! http://th154.photobucket.com/albums/...IF/th_cool.gif

Re: May I recommend you send your saddle to rhm? He'll create a wonderful replacement!

I gave it a big kiss, a hug, took some photos and put it nicely in the trash. The frame looked bent, nose was a little off to one side. Someone even told me to bronze it, but hey, we had some amazing times together, can't beat that. Then I bought another B17 off CL only to discover it had a bum rivet. Am sending it across the country to have a guy in SF replace the rivet. (The guy in SF does brass, another guy in Boston does steel, if you're wondering.)

I got a b-17 a little less then a month ago, was not amused by it at first (but that was my own fault, was using it on the trainer). Now I can't imagine riding that bike without it..