What is the allure of the Brooks saddle
 

I see a lot of comments here abou the Brooks B17 saddle and I'm just curious what the allure is. I'm sure that once broken in it's apparently comfortable, but many saddles are comfortable if you get the one that "fits" you. The B17, as far as I can tell, is a one size fits all approach and if your will is greater that its you will eventually make it fit. Is it worth it? Isn't it also a heavy saddle? Is it the old school look of the saddle people like, which often looks very out of place on a high tech, modern road bike. Granted, it will look more at home on a lugged steel touring or commuting bike than a carbon racer but even then it can still seem oddly out of place.

Anyway, I ask as I'm in the process of pricing out and seeking components for my own build and am starting to wonder if I should be drinking this Kool-aid as well. thanks.

I can say both of mine were comfortable out of the box, no long break in period. As for looks I've often said that when used for it's intended purpose you don't really see the sadle. You can try one with no risk from Wallingford Bikes. http://www.wallbike.com/

http://www.wallbike.com/warranty-and-other-information

Comfort and long life.

Long day on the bike without my rear end giving me a hard time.

There may be other saddles that do the same thing. Maybe.
But I KNOW when I put a brooks on, my butt will like it!

I don't think it looks bad on a modern type road bike at all.

Allure? Comfort.

I rarely wear cycling shorts. With the Brooks, riding the bike is comfy even in street clothes.

Comfort and vintage 'style points'. It does have a drawback in that it's not so great in the rain, although rain covers are available.

Most of them (if not all) are leather, can leather not be treated?

I would think the rain splatter from the back tire might get under the saddle and could damage it a bit but surely there is a way to treat it?

The 15 pounds it a Brooks saddle adds to your bike winds up making you very strong if you live in a hilly area.

Both of my Brooks (B17 Narrow and Swift) are treated with proofide, top and bottom - they're infused with it, and repel water very well.
I have not had any issues riding in the rain - fenders keep the lion's share of the water away from the underside, and my butt covers the saddle up top. I use a cover when the bike is parked and rain is in the forecast, but honestly, I think the proofide does the trick.

To the OP - many (myself included) find certain Brooks saddles to be comfortable. Both of mine took some time to break in, but once broken in, they are great (for me). Until they broke in, they were less comfortable than most saddles I had ridden, so I was leery at first.

The longest ride I've been on since switching to Brooks is about 60 miles, and I found the saddle to be extremely comfortable - no numbness or such things.
YMMV, of course.

I knew they were a bit heavy but :eek:

One wouldn't think these are so comfortable but internet forms don't lie. Might need to look into one. Thanks for the feedback.

My Brooks was the most uncomfortable saddle I ever rode.

It looked cool, though, until I gave it away to some one else who also hated it.

IMHO, it's an expensive masochistic cult thing for guys who want to say "my butt is tougher than your butt and if you can't ride on it, HTFU or get off the road.

YMMV, JMHO

fenders are your friend

my butt is tougher than your butt and if you can't ride on it, HTFU or get off the road.

:eek:

It's not really 15 pounds. I think the heaviest they make is about 4. That's still a hell of a lot.

Saddles are a very personal matter. We've already had one person in this thread who thought a Brooks was a medieval torture device, while others love them. When I got my road bike, I went through a few different saddles before finding the right one. If you aren't already certain, you should get your saddle from a place with a generous return policy, after trying out as many as you possibly can. Some bike shops have demo saddles - I borrowed mine for a week before I decided it was the right one.

Comfort and they last a lifetime.

They've been around 130 years,must be doing something right......

BS. The Brooks saddle that came on my 1966 Raleigh DL-1 is trash. Half a lifetime though... yeah.

Yes and no. The brand name is that old, but the company has been sold several times and is currently owned by Selle Royal of Italy.

I have B17s on all three of my bikes, and all three saddles were comfortable right out of the box. The appeal is multifold---they are comfortable and become moreso over time, they look great, they last a LONG time, and they harken back to a time where craftsmanship meant something. I like Brooks saddles and Carradice bags. Are they on the bleeding edge of tech? No. But by purchasing them, I know I'm keeping talented craftsmen employed, and that's important to me.

You are complaining about 45 years! :)

And still building the same saddles the same way! Different owners yes, building the same saddles!

Allure of Brooks... turned my ride into limo practically. Did my first century the other day; a full 8 hours in the saddle... no butt pain. I can't even sit in my car that long, with awesome bucket seats, without my ass hurting.

I too found it comfortable right out of the box. In fact, if I have a gripe with the saddle, it's that it softens up. But, I crank the bolt under the saddle a quarter of a turn and it's stiff again.

I read on the Internet that the sides can be stitched together to make it stiffer. I might give that a try.

Over all, I like that it's stiff and not padded, yet has the right amount of flex for absorbing the bumps. I can ride on it for hours, and have.

A Brooks B17 weighs 540 grams (18 ounces, not 4 pounds). The Team Pro weighs less. A typical plastic base/cover race seat may be half that. You're talking 9 ounces.

KeS

I tried a B17 and it put too much pressure on the nether regions unless i tilted it to the point I was sliding down the saddle while riding. Like most saddles, you'll want to try it first if you can before you buy it - or get it from somewhere that allows saddle returns.

It was tongue-in-cheek.

Not exactly the same. The 45-year-old saddle was a B72. It was constructed with two layers of leather, the upper, plus a doubler underneath that ran from the front to back, similar to the upper but without the side skirts. When my skits split, the split stopped at the doubler and the saddle is still functional even today (thought not very comfortable) with the skirts cut off. The new B72 I bought to replace it has only a single layer of leather. Also, most Brooks saddles have black painted rails now because they ran into process control issues with the chromed rails, which led to breakage of the frames. I suppose they would be even more expensive if they continued their older production techniques.

Oh, and... every older Brooks saddle I've ridden were comfortable, and every new one I've bought was just as comfy right out of the box. That said, each one is a little different. I have two B17s, supposedly identical, but they feel a little different.

You got ripped off......I'd send it back...:)

SORRY! SOMEBODY has been making them for 130 years.......and calling them Brooks.....