Which Brooks B17 Standard/Special/Select
 

I've found Brooks B17s for sale but which one to choose? Prices are: standard $110, Special $132, Select $153. The select comes with a cover, proofide, spanner. I'm unsure what, if anything the other saddles come with. Seems like I would be buying proofide and cover if it didn't come with the saddle so that would account for about $20 of the select price. The special looks nifty with the copper but I'm unsure if it comes with proofide or cover. I assume the standard doesn't come with anything but I don't know that.
Thoughts? Experiences? I'll need to decide today.

I have a four b17's of various models in my stable. One tin of proofhide has handled all of them for years. They all come with a spanner, and I don't own a cover, if I have to park any of them outside I use a hotel shower cap which I keep in my kit.

The copper rivets on the Special look the best I think. But it's purely cosmetic. The regulars feel and work exactly the same you can't tell which rivets you are sitting on. If looks are important go for the special.

The copper rivets are definately easier on the butt than the standard rivets. They also look better.

The Un Dyed leather one is said to come from Grass finished Swedish cows , the rest is Feed Lot Cattle Hide .

The Un dyed leather can of course Be dyed by you when you Get It.

Skivving is the tapering the bottom edge with a sharp tool, someone does that By Hand.

No matter what color you get, it will eventually turn black.

I understand the leather on the select is better in some way. If that's true, it's worth paying extra for. The cover and the proofide can be bought separately and at a later date, but the leather cannot be upgraded.

That is the logic, anyway! Did that make the Select the one to pick? I don't know.

I do enjoy the feeling of my brooks under my butt

Thanks for the input! I decided to go with the select. I like that it is undyed so I can let it develop it's own color patina over time, that the leather is thicker and from cows that may have been treated better (organic) has the nice copper rivets and comes with goodies (cover, proofide) and for just 20 bucks more than the special and 30 bucks more than the usual price for the standard (cover and proofide alone would've cost a bit over $20). Now I just need to keep the thing from getting stolen like my last one! Last one was a b17 preaged that came with a bike, the entire bike was lifted. I enjoyed that one so I have high hopes.

You won't be sorry.

I recommend the Special or Select. Not only do they look better than the Standard, but they also hold up better. The leather on Special/Selects is thicker than Standards, which might require a little longer to break in but will also hold up better in the long run. I also like the look of the larger copper rivets.

True. My blue B17 looks black now.

If the OP is worried about such things, I'd recommend the Imperial version with the cutout.

True in the vast majority of cases! The B17N I bought from Mark Parker looks black for the most part, but started life as a brown saddle before a PO treated it with neatsfoot oil. It's actually lightening back up to brown in some spots. ;)

They look better yes, but I find they have a sharp edge, and the standard rivets are better on my butt...

Consider a Brooks Cambrium ?