Which Brooks B17 Standard/Special/Select
#1
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From: vagabond
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.
Thoughts? Experiences? I'll need to decide today.
#2
ride for a change
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From: Minneapolis, MN
Bikes: Surly Cross-check & Moonlander, Pivot Mach 429, Ted Wojcik Sof-Trac, Ridley Orion. Santa Cruz Stigmata
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 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.
#4
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From: NW,Oregon Coast
Bikes: 8
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.
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.
#5
aka Tom Reingold




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From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
No matter what color you get, it will eventually turn black.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#6
multimodal commuter
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From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
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.
That is the logic, anyway! Did that make the Select the one to pick? I don't know.
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www.rhmsaddles.com.
www.rhmsaddles.com.
#7
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From: Columbia, SC
Bikes: 2014 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 4 Rival; 2014 Cannondale Trail 7 29; 1972 Schwinn Suburban, 1996 Proflex 756, 1987(?) Peugeot, Dahon Speed P8; 1979 Raleigh Competition GS; 1995 Stumpjumper M2 FS, 1978 Raleigh Sports, Schwinn Prologue
I do enjoy the feeling of my brooks under my butt
#8
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From: vagabond
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.
#9
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
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From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
You won't be sorry.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#10
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From: Raleigh, NC
Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia
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.
#11
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From: Near St. Louis, Missouri
Bikes: Giant Defy Advanced, Breezer Doppler Team, Schwinn Twinn Tandem, Windsor Tourist, 1954 JC Higgens
#12
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From: CID
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
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.
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