I am considering putting a Brooks saddle on my Surly Cross Check and I’m looking for advice on the best model for the application. I don’t do much loaded touring on the bike, but unless I’m at a race or on a group ride with roadies I’m riding my Cross Check. I use it to commute about 12-14 miles per day, and sometimes go for 30-50 mile rides on the weekends with it.

I was originally just going to pick up a B-17, but I read several places that the B-17 is not ideal for set-ups where the handlebars are below the saddle (the bars on my Cross Check are about 1 ½” – 2” below my saddle), and most of the people that say this recommend the Team Pro, B-17 Narrow, or the Swift saddle by Brooks.

I’m leaning towards the Team Pro, but I hear the leather on the Team Pro saddle is much thicker than that of the B-17’s and can be tough to break in. The Swift is a little pricey for my blood.

So, given my type of riding and bike set up, which saddle would you recommend: the Team Pro or the B-17 Narrow? Would anyone recommend a standard B-17 for this application? I’d love to hear some feedback!

I have had all of those and by far I like the Swift much better. I really disliked the Team Pro a lot. Never broke in and it was very uncomfortable. The
Swift is awesome. Picked it up on the return site at Nashbar for $110.

Edit: I had mine on a Eddy Merckx TiAx setup similar to yours and it was very comfortable.

I have a standard B-17 on my Trek road bike. My seat is higher than the handlebars and I don't have a problem. It took me a good 100 miles (of commuting) before the B-17 started to break in, but it was pretty comfortable from the get go. If the leather on the Team Pro is thicker, is will take a little longer to break in.

Yeah, there is a bike that is always parked outside my office with a Team Pro on it. It looks like it has a lot of upward slope at the back of the saddle which I can imagine might be uncomfortable. I love the shape of the Swift - wish I could find one for $110.

My MotoPecan has a pretty flat saddle to bar drop with my b-17 so my experience is only positive with that setup. My only suggestion and warning are that the rivets on the B-17 stick up higher than the leather. They have a tendency to rub and cause discomfort if you sit to far back on the saddle which is where I feel most comfortable...just only a hair infront of the rivets. My next purchase will be one of the models with the flattened brass rivets.

Thats all I got.

Your riding profile sounds somewhat similar to mine, so hopefully my $0.02 will be as valuable as if it were Canadian currency. I've got the B-17N on my Surly LHT, which is setup with the bars a hair below the saddle. The leather's thick and taut; it was hard as a rock. Only after 4+ months and 1000+ miles did it really start to break in but now it bears some growing "anatomy grooves". I'm up to almost 3k miles, including three century-plus rides. No discomfort at all on the long rides, and I can even go several dozen miles sans bike shorts if I so desire.

I haven't tried any other Brooks, so I can't compare, but I'd also throw in a vote for ordering from Wallbike, so you get the option of no-hassle swapping within 6 months.

And in the chance your SN has anything to do with Frank Lloyd Wright, you'd be interested to know some of those long rides were a tour up to Fallingwater from DC.

Thanks for the advice! Yes, my screen name is a FLW reference. I've used it off and on as a screen name since my stint as an architecture student a few years back. Never seen Fallingwater though - that's a long ride from DC!

250 miles over 2.5 days from Falls Church, VA to Ohiopyle, PA; mostly on the dirt C&O Canal and GAP trails. Lots of fun, but I learned that rides of that distance I'd prefer asphalt, thankyouverymuch. My gf came up and met me with the car, so I didn't have to do the final miles to Fallingwater, which are several miles of pretty intense grades.

It was one of the best (and cheapest--huzzah bike tours) vacations in a while, and Fallingwater can't fully be grasped until you see it. I just wish the tour guides actually talked about all the structural issues instead of glossing over them, since I find that just as fascinating as the architecture itself.

I have a regular B-17 on my X-Check. I have about 2 inches saddle to bar drop. The saddle is as comfy as it can be. Saddles are a personal choice. Whatever your butt likes, ride it.

I have a swift ti, on one bike, a team pro on another, and a B17 champion special on my touring bike. So...the B17 is the most comfortable of the 3 (in it's application...a more relaxed position touring bike). The swift broke in quickly (after a little more than 500 miles). It was comfortable out of the box, went through a period where it was uncomfortable at about 300 miles or so, and then got pretty comfy by 500 miles or so. It now has several thousand miles on it. The team pro took a little longer to break in, still feels a little harder, but has never been uncomfortable. It weighs more than the swift, but for the difference in price, I would buy another team pro before I would buy another swift. I recently did a 105 mile ride on the team pro and my butt felt just as good at the end of the ride as it did at the beginning. That never happened before I owned a Brooks.

Scott

Whichever one you pick, just make sure it's wide enough for your SIT bones.

I've had the Team pro, and it was to narrow. Thus, I've got the B-17 on all my rides except for one that has the sprung type. All have the same width.

I bought my 'Team Pro' back in 2003 from Branford Bike (back when they were in Ct) and, to put it simply, its the best saddle I've ever owned. I have it on my Tommasini, which has a saddle to bar drop of about two inches. For me, it was great right out of the green box, and only got better the more I rode it. Now I have about 9000 miles on it and its still just as sweet as the day I installed it.

Mine was the honey colored saddle, but within a year it had done turned to a rich, silky, milk chocolate color that is truly beautiful. Just a finger dab of Brooks 'proofhide' rubbed into it every few months or so will keep the leather from drying out. (dont use nothing else)

~ a most excellent saddle that will last for years and years if you take care of it.

If the width is correct for you, I'd choose the B17N over the Team Pro. I have a Team Pro on my Bianchi...and it was hell to break in compared to my B17s and my Swift. FYI, I have run B17s on bikes with the same bar-saddle drop as you, including last year's RAIN, which was 160 miles in a day and was plenty comfy. Make sure the saddle width is right and worry less about the saddle-bar drop.

I was talked out of a narrow and into a standard B17. I thought I had narrow sit bones. Nope everyone was right. You can see in my B17 Standard that the narrow would be TOO narrow. You might be a freak of nature if you are an adult and need the narrow version.

The bottom line - It's up to your butt. [pun intended]

+1 Wall bike becasue of the "try it" policy