Alternative to Brooks B17
 

I have been using Brooks B17 saddles on both my road bike and my bike that’s permanently mounted on a trainer. I am happy with the Brooks saddles but always on the lookout for products that may be better, lighter, more comfortable, etc..

I realize that saddle choice is an extremely personal issue but I am wondering if there are others who were happy with their Brooks B17 but tried another saddle that they ended up liking more than their B17. I am not looking for a Brooks clone or some other leather saddle.

you could check out the Brooks Cambria line on non leather saddles.

not within what your are looking for as it is leather but i like my Berthoud even more than the brooks

Brooks C17. Its the B17, but one letter more.

Seriously though, there is no break-in period, no covering it due to moisture, no pointing it nose up 20deg, etc etc. And its the same effective dimensions as a B17.

Thanks for the reply but the very end of my original posting I said I was looking for a non-leather saddle. Unless I am mistaken pro models are leather.

Brooks Cambium
Same company, made of rubber infused cotton weave.

I ride in all conditions and apparently you aren't supposed to get leather wet or something.

I enjoy mine, they even have cutout versions.

Former Brooks user here. I like Selle Anatomical more. The cut out makes a huge difference.

I have tried alternatives to the B17, like Ideale, and a couple Japanese copies, but I didn’t like them as much. The Cambium doesn’t feel the same to me. As my grandfather used to say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” so I stick with the B17.

I wonder if it's possible to be better than a leather saddle (I'm only familiar with Brooks).

They're not overall perfect, but once formed to your body they are a perfect fit, if in exactly one position. Can any other material conform itself to your physique ?

A perfect fit is not necessarily comfortable, that depends on other things like leather tension, the ability of your body to receive the overall shape of the saddle and the sensitivity of the body parts involved. I've found that cushioned seats are more likely to cause pinching of my now old and thinner skin which can rapidly become a lesion if not addressed immediately. The firm smoothness of leather minimizes pinching (in that one perfect position).

The problem I have with my Brooks is that after several hours I start getting sore in that one best position and there aren't any alternative positions that are comfortable. The nose and rear of the saddle are hard as rock, so a lot worse than a padded saddle if you want to move around a bit for a break. Stopping and getting off the bike for five minutes helps a lot.

I have had a Brooks Cambium (C-17) for about 5 years and I am NOT happy with it. Firstly I can only get about 1-2 hours on it before the saddle becomes a ass hatchet. I tried in for a trainer saddle and that went down to a half hour. it is VERY prone to abrasion and a couple years in it started to get a "crack ?" at the front across the top where the metal support is underneath. This was on a gravel/touring bike and did get many miles off road but that doesn't excuse the poor comfort after only a couple hours. On the plus side the saddle looked great until it didn't and was thoroughly waterproof. I have 5 or 6 other saddles which are infinitely more comfortable and I just ordered a 3d printed one from China to try out.

I absolutely love my C15. I've ridden it for well over 10,000km and it's still in like-new condition, and I can ride it for hours and hours without any discomfort (longest ride on it was 302km and I didn't have any pain at all at the end). Guess that just goes to show that saddle choice is a very personal thing.

Another vote for Selle Anatomica. I had B17’s mounted on a few of my bikes thinking they would be the holy grail of saddles but could not get them to break in to my satisfaction. SA was exactly what I wanted.

I certainly is a personal thing. Unfortunately what I was expecting when making the purchase was something akin to the leather version which it was not. As far as longevity is concerned I am not alone as there is a plethora of photos around from people experiencing the same issue of the saddle failure in the nose. Either way while in service the saddle was adequate for what I used it for but my expectation of it being as good as one of their leather saddles was misplaced.

I am glad yours worked for you as the robustness of the material would make it ideal for touring in harsh conditions on or off road.

Rode a touring bike with a B17 until it died. First the saddle, which was replaced by another B17 and then the bike.

Currently riding a gravel bike with a Specialized Power saddle and a road bike, which used to have the same Specialized Power until it died in a crash, and which now has a Wiggle's inhouse brand saddle, the Prime Primavera (which is very similar, but lighter and possibly the design fits me slightly better).

The big cutout and fairly wide platform make for a saddle which is comfortable all day, for me. Both are slightly more comfortable than the B17 was.

Big part of saddle comfort is the overall fit of the bike, I could give myself saddle discomfort by raising it by half an inch, but I don't.

So far, I have really done well with the C17 on my old MTB with touring bars. I’ve had it for several months and done many rides on it. I ride on trails that are always dusty or muddy so I would prefer not to abuse a leather saddle with those conditions.

I tried the carved C15 on the road bike and it may be too narrow and/or maybe too flexible. Doesn’t seem as well suited. It’s just a matter of bothering to swap the C17 to the road bike and try it out, I suppose.

Otto

And that is the key. The majority of people with saddle issues like perineum pain, can fix those issues by dropping the saddle height slightly. I have personally helped people with the issue over the years and though they initially resist, saying they have the height set "correctly," they are very happy once they drop the height and are pain free, and actually spin better as well. I had issues with my Brooks for quite a while. My saddle height was set, "correctly," or so I thought. I dropped the saddle height on tour one year, finally going that last 5-10mm, I had been resisting, and suddenly had saddle nirvana. After that 70 mile days on tour were absolutely nothing in regards to seat comfort, and was able to do it again the next day, and the next day.

Near the end of this summer I found that my Brooks saddle fit better than it ever had before, and I attributed that to my body somehow conforming itself better to the saddle after riding more than I'd done in the past. But I had also lowered it while trying out different things to increase my cadence. So it may very well be that my saddle became so much more comfortable because I had lowered it.

I've been all in on Sella Anatomica for many years and like both mine. I'm a grandpa. comfort rider and appreciate it

Same. Selle Anatomica saddles effectively require no break-in, out of the box, and the -2 series are competitive weightwise; the 1s are fairly heavy. I see they've leveled prices, the 1s used to be less expensive. I find both very comfortable.

My caution is creaking--all seem to make noise, usually emanating from the nose. Adjustment bolt has a plastic washer intended to stop that but it's not completely effective, in my experience. They also stretch and occasionally need tightening. Simple process with an alan wrench.

As to the Brooks comparison, while Brooks in theory eventually break-in I'm not convinced that ever happens; rather, the saddle breaks the rider in.

Ideale still exists, my long-gone Motobecane had one and their current models seem very high quality. Another domestic US maker in addition to Selle Anatomica is Rivet--their products look lovely but I have no personal experience, have just spoken with the owner.

https://rivetcycleworks.com/

The Brooks definitely breaks in, the leather becomes more complaint. The Selle is a fantastic saddle, very comfortable, but, it does not last as long as the Brooks, generally speaking. The Selle though needs virtually no break in, and is comfortable. The Brooks works for riders of all weights, but Selle offers different models for different weights. Riders need to be sure to get the model made for their weight, that will help ensure comfort and durability.

I have releathered one of my SAs, replacing the X-series leather with one for the H-series, which is theoretically less stretchy. I weighed the two skins and they were within a couple grams, so guess the middle layer is a similar, less stretchy material. Feels the same riding.

Because the 2 series use Chicago screws and not rivets, this is a user-friendly process.

My sole Brooks is still rocklike by comparison, maybe time will change that.

If you like a B17's shape, and looking for a synthetic, I'd look at something straightforward like this: https://www.selleitalia.com/novus-en...-tm-superflow/

I rode the Brooks team pro saddles for many years. They were always comfortable to me, even new. I have the Cambium and will return to leather eventually.

Got by for many years with B17 but over the last 10 or so it is Selle Anatomica by faithfully keeping the narrowest portion of the slot at the recommended 1/4".

I have 1 B17 and 2 C17's. all three are good for at least a 100 miles before I start thinking about them. On the C17's one is the special which has the organic cotton top. I actually think that one is a little softer but not enough to really make a difference. I think it looks better. I wish they were lighter weight but 80 miles into a long ride I doubt the extra 3 or 4 ounces is making any difference.I have moved the B17 to my barely gets ridden bike but it sure feels good when I jump on it.

I'm a big fan of the B.17, but the other saddles I've had and liked a lot are:

Selle Italia Turbomatic (Turbo shape with little rubber bumpers where the frame met the shell.)
Selle San Marco Concor (Great on mountain bikes, because of the "duck tail" shape, which was great for long, slow, grinding climbs.)
Selle San Marco Rolls (Close to, maybe even tied with, the B.17 for a drop-bar road bike saddle.)

All that said, every body is different, and there's no cheap way to find what yours likes best. There are some that seem to work for a lot of people, but for every saddle that "everyone loves", there's gonna be a minority report of "total ass hatchet... I called for a ride home, and had taken it off the bike becore they got there." Also, your position on the bike will matter as well, as will how hard you tend to ride.

--Shannon