TiHabanero

Have ridden the Brooks Professional for decades and always liked it on vintage bikes race bikes, but not the modern bikes I have had, especially the touring bike because my sit bones always found their way to the rivets, which are very uncomfortable. Yesterday I picked up a B17 from REI and compared it to the Professional by way of lining up the rails to each other. I discovered the B17 is slightly longer towards the rear of the saddle than the Professional. This allows my sit bones to find leather instead of rivets.
The point is the B17 is not only wider, it is also longer. I think this will work out just fine.

drlogik 

The B17 is a recreational ride saddle whereas the Pro is more geared towards sport or racing. I have both and like both. I'm also breaking in a new B17 and I had forgotten how hard they are for the first 500 miles. My Pro is about 8 years old now and perfectly broken in but it's on the 2nd half of its life now so it was time to break in a replacement. I've been a Brooks rider ever since my first "10 Speed" a 1974 Raleigh Super Course. I sure wish I still had that bike.

TiHabanero

Drlogic, the first bike I had a Brooks saddle on was a 1975 Schwinn Super Sport. Toured all over the Midwest on that bike. It came with a B15N and found it just fine for my travels. The Professional I first experienced was on a 1975ish Raleigh Super Course in that lovely brown Raleigh had. Rode it all over Northern California and the Philippines. Have had two other Professional saddles since then, One on a 1979 Raleigh Professional and one on a frame I designed and built.

In 1986 I bought a Team Miyata and tried a Professional on it, but couldn't get it right and replaced it with a Sella Italia Turbo Matic. Rode that saddle until the rails broke. Found it very comfy and still ride one today on a Habanero titanium Nuovo Road. Also have a Turbo on my indoor bike. In the summer of 2025 I plan to ride cross country which gives plenty of time to break-in the B17.

Was going to use the hot water break-in method for the B17, which I used on the Professionals I have had, but decided since the leather is thinner it will not be needed.

drlogik 

Oof. I didn't much care for that "lovely" brown color. I "had" the Raleigh 5-speed in that color until it got stolen from our garage. As I recall my Super Course was orange, or the red and white they had back then. The main thing I remember about the bike is it was the only year they put a Huret Jubilee rear derailleur on it. Wow, they were a beautiful simple derailleur that just worked.

The place I got the Super Course from I got a job in later on. Al's Bike Shop in Cleveland Heights Ohio. Al was quite the character and taught me a LOT. I have a lot of fond memories of working in that shop as a teenager.

pdlamb

You might think about getting a seatpost with more setback if you still want to ride a Pro. Velo Orange usually has one.

TiHabanero

Pdlamb, I have that post on the touring rig. 72 degree seat tube and 30mm of setback make the B17 a workable saddle. I have long thighs. With that post the turbo saddle clamps in the middle on the touring rig.

Kabuki12

I have a some vintage Brooks Pro saddles on a few vintage racers and like them a lot . Last year I built up a vintage Motobecane and mounted a new Brooks B 17 from about 2016 that I never used but kept it aside to try some day. I have about 250 miles on it and yesterday was the first day that my Fanny wasn’t sore after about 45 miles so it does take a while to get them worked in. The Pros don’t seem to take that long for me even though they are not broken in when I get them .

50PlusCycling

The Professional is a smaller saddle, the leather is harder, and it is meant to be used with cycling shorts. The B17 is longer, wider, with thinner leather, and can be ridden in reasonable comfort with ordinary clothes once broken in. I prefer the style of the Professional, the one with the larger rivets, it’s the best-looking saddle which Brooks have made.

squirtdad

You might want to check out the swift also, I ride a b17 on my upright position bike, and have used swift for a long time on my road bikes and have moved to Berthoud for for my "best" bike

TiHabanero

Test Ride Report

A quick test ride has confirmed my observations on the length of the saddle. It works just fine and no longer do I sit on the rivets. The length is only 10mm longer on the B17, but has made a world of difference. Very pleased with the outcome.