Here's my Brooks story
 

3 yrs. ago I bought a B17 from Wallbike with a 6 month return policy. I treated it with proofide as per the instructions. Tried it for a 20 mile ride, hated it. I put it on the shelf for a later time because I had rides to go on and I couldn't take the chance. When I finally remembered about the B17 6 months had already passed. Ok, I put it back on the mtn bike. I noticed at this time it had a slight tilt to the left if you looked at it straight from behind. I tried it again this time I used it on three 20 mile rides. No improvement. I was looking for any signs of breaking in but couldn't find any. I put it back on the shelf. Fast forward 1 year. Decide to try the brooks one more time. Before I removed my Avocet O2 Men's saddle I notice that this saddle is also tilting to the left. Carefull inspection revealed a defective seatpost. Where the seat rails mount the platform was tilted. I bought another seatpost then installed the Brooks. It was flat now but pretty much the same deal, I hated it. Tried one more 20 mile ride. I only hated the first 7 miles. Another ride, I still hated the first 7 miles. 2 rides later I loved all thirty plus miles. I don't know what changed, me, the saddle, the seatpost but after 12 yrs of cycling this is the first time I can say The seat is a zero factor in my cycling discomfort. I Hope this will help someone.

Joe
living proof of God's amazing grace
that saved a wretch like me

No mystery here. It just took about 150 miles to begin changing to fit your body. Completely normal. I don't doubt that a Brooks would even go a long way towards mitigating the bent seat clamp, if it wasn't too bad. It would morph to accomodate that as well. It should get even better from here on out.

I tried breaking in a Brooks Professional that came with my 1969 Schwinn Paramount for over 30 years to know avail. Sold it to a collector for a premium price over 30 years later. I now own 3 B-17'S standards in various rivet combinations and colors - they all fit the day they came out of the box. Not all Brooks are the same - each fit just alittle different so I found out after 30 years of discomfort!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I see right through your clumsy attempt to make a political statement against those who "tilt to the left."

;)

My first Brooks was a B-17 CN which I bought when I lived in the UK, back in the early 1970s and used in on my Claud Butler. It took a while to used to it, but eventually I rode it for many many miles, and never had a problem with it or my butt.

I moved to the USA in the early 1980s, and took up cycling again, but instead of bring over the CB, I bought a Schwinn Super Sport (see sig. and other threads for pics etc.). After a couple of rides using the saddle which came with the Schwinn, I sent an SOS to my dad back in the UK, to send me just the saddle from my CB, and a week later, arrived in the mail, my trusty B-17 CN. I rode that Brooks all through the rest of the 80s and into the 90s. I got an MTB in 1990, and made sure it came with a Brooks (Conquest) saddle, which I noticed that I didn't have to break-in; that is to say, it was like an armchair from the word go.

I didn't ride much for the next few years, but got back into it again in early 2005. I bought another road bike (with a Brooks Team-Pro saddle), another Team-Pro saddle for the Schwinn, and again, neither needed breaking in.

I conclude that when you ride a Brooks, it's not so much that the saddle gets broken-in, but that your butt gets broken-in to the Brooks, and once that's happened, your butt is good for any Brooks. (IMCO)

- Wil

- Excuse me sir, but as your batman, i must ask, "Which side do you dress on?"

:-)

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

I agree it was just the normal Brooks break-in period. FWIW, I have one "normal" B-17 and two of the heavier, honey-colored ones with copper rivets. The normal one had almost no break-in period, and I think it's still more comfortable than the heavier ones, though that may be because it's on a singlespeed I use only for short rides around town.

I lost my ebay bid for a NOS brooks brown champion [looked like narrow] w/big copper rivets, plus a set of French chrome fenders [shorties] and an old odometer. The winner took all for $67. The agony!

BTW - my first Brooks looked like this - only white with gold speckels:

http://www.mostlymusclebikes.com/1966rodeo3sp1.jpg

I got my Brooks Pro in 1973 for $5 in near-new condition because the first owner didn't have the patience to break it in. I have gotten almost 35 years and 50k mi / 80k km out of it, so I suppose that qualifies as a value purchase. :)

Not when you consider the buying power of $5.00 35 years ago! That was a downpayment on a house back then!!! :D