Sangetsu

I helped a friend of mine when he was working on his dissertation for his PhD at Harvard (yes, I am an alumnus), and during the course of research, I spent a fair amount of time sifting through these studies. You are right in that there are several studies, but if you read them all yourself with the supporting research, you will probably believe as I do.

Which group of people has the lowest level of salt intake? Sub-Saharan Africans. Which groups have the highest levels of salt intake? Mainly those in developed countries, Japan in particular. But when you add life average life expectancy along with the usual age that the onset of heart disease occurs, you begin to scratch your head. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the average life expectancy is short of the usual age when cardiovascular problems begin to occur, meaning that these people don't often live long enough to develop heart disease. As a large nation, Japan has the longest-lived population on earth, and, coincidentally, also has among the highest salt intakes. Older people tend to die from heart disease, younger people don't.

Lastly, you have to look at the amount of salt which was required to cause an onset of heart disease. According to Lewis Dahl (the father of the low-salt diet) and his study, hypertension could be induced in human beings if they consumed the equivalent of 500 grams of salt per day, about the same level you would get by eating 1000 McDonald's hamburgers. The average American consumes 5 to 10 grams of salt per day, the average Japanese consumes about one-third more.

Cascades T700

So I've read this thread with interest. I have been riding a Brooks B-17 (same one) off and on for 10 years of exclusively commuter/errand use. My typical rides would be 4 miles to and again from work. I have had it properly adjusted - knee slightly bent at bottom of stroke, no rocking of hips and knee over pedal shaft at forward mid-stroke, I want my Brooks saddle to be the most comfortable and yet I feel it is too narrow for me. I feel as if it is only the inner most edges of my sit bones that take my weight and causes chafing. I have read that the B-17 is right for about 90% of male bike pilots. Now I am a 62 year - old Clydesdale who is 6'5" tall. I've thought of trying a women's B-17 as it is wider, though decided it would be too short front to back. I really do like the leather saddle concept. Any suggestions as to a wider saddle to try? Or maybe something else. I don't think I need an expensive pair of bib shorts for daily commuting, but I just don't know what to do. I can spend for a new saddle but can't afford hit or miss trials.

ThermionicScott 

The ladies version of the B17 is only slightly wider (I have both), so I wouldn't bother with it.

It's too bad that the B68 was discontinued, as it was as wide (205mm) as the B66 and B67 without being sprung. Gyes still makes a clone of the B68, but I have no experience with their saddles. In the Brooks catalog, the B72 would be the next-best option, only being lightly sprung.

Cascades T700

Thanks for the recommendation TS! I'll definitely check those out. I looked through the Brooks online catalog this evening and will soon ne going to LBSs.

cdyer77

So as an update, to date I've been able to try a few other saddles that I've been able to find either from friends with extras or craigslist.

1. WTB Rocket - I picked up on CL for cheap and have ridden this for a few days commuting (10 miles each way) and found this to be pretty comfy without causing much pinch issues. The longer weekend rides (35 miles) I could feel the seat starting to bother me after 20 miles or so. The seat definitely has more padding and center relief then the Bontrager RXL then I've been using. Still not 100% sold on this saddle, so I'll keep trying.

2. Acquired a Trek Evoke saddle which offer some center relief and a decent amount of padding for the sit bones. This is a commuter saddle from Trek and for my 0 miles commute each way, this saddle was fine. Not great , but ok. I haven't tested this saddle yet on a weekend so he longer ride testing will be coming soon.

3. Borrowed a Sella Italia saddle from a friend that has the full center relief area cutout. Has about the same padding as the WTB Rocket. I haven't tried this saddle at all yet, but will start commuting on it this week to get a feel for the center cutout and if it helps or hurts.

Also so to clarify, the pinching I am experiencing was not with my sit bones but with the pern area that has recently developed after several years of riding the same saddle