How's this for an off-road saddle?
 

Both my Gary Fisher and my LeMond came with identical, stock Bontrager sponges... er... I mean saddles. I learned pretty quickly that anything over a 20 mile ride on the LeMond was just killing my butt so I put a B-17N on it and it's been bliss ever since. Too much bliss, I guess, because, now, I can't ride for more that 5-10 miles on the Kaitai without pain. Oh boy! An excuse to buy another Brooks. I don't know how appropriate a B-17 would be for off-roading but I think this would make a great saddle for my Kaitai. Any thoughts?

http://www.wallbike.com/championflyer.html

In black, of course :D

No way- First time you fall off in the Mud and the springs will jam up with debris.

No mud riding for me... Beyond that, and it's a good one, have you any concerns?

I have a Brooks on my MTB
What's a bit of mud?

I'm convinced Stapfam never really means anything he says. ;)

A Flyer makes a fine saddle for casual offroad riding.

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

I always mean every thing I say-:D:D

If you have a form of Brooks that works, then why try a different one?

My only real concern is that I have found that a different saddle is required for a road bike. Might be my butt- but I sit differently on the two types of Bikes and that does take a different saddle. I would hate for you to get another Brooks and find it didn't Work on the MTB so why not try the Reno saddle on the MTB. You will soon find out if you are going in the right direction. And don't do too many miles on the reno saddle on the MTB- just in case it puts a different shape to it.

No, no, no.

You want to buy this one:

http://www.wallbike.com/b135.html

Seriously, I've read many positive opinions of the Champion Flyer saddle.

:eek::eek: Man, what a BEAST that B135 is! :eek::eek:

I am very much leaning toward the Flyer... I just sort took for granted how comfortable my B-17N actually is until I got back on the Bontrager. I have about 300-400 miles on it now and it just, sort of, I don't know... fits? It's everything "they" said it would be. Throw in some springs and how bad can the Flyer be, really?

That looks like it was designed at the height of British metalurgy - Pre WW1 :D

I've had a B-17 on my Cannondale MB for years (they don't have springs, by the way). Works fine, and I live in the desert, so we hardly ever have to worry about rain. If you do a lot of water crossings, you probably ought to protect it (a good coat of Proofhide might be enough), but otherwise I can't see why it would be a problem.

I think that it depends on just what you mean by "off-road".

If you're doing real mountain biking, my experience is that you shift your position so much - both up and down and front to back - that you never stay in one spot for long enough for it to feel uncomfortable. If you do a lot of water crossings, I'd think that a Brooks might take a lot more care and maintenance.

If, on the other hand, you essentially ride your mountain bike like a road bike and sit in one position for extended periods of time, go with the saddle that you know works for you.

The Flyer and the B17 are the same saddle, but the Flyer has springs to smooth out the bumps. It works best on a bike with a more upright position.