I heard that a leather saddle is the way to go. Once you break it in and formed to your butt nothing compares. Is this true?

In a word, YES. I have 4000 miles on my Brooks B17. The absolute best thing I've purchased for my bike.

I love my Brooks B72, and am keeping an eye out for a B66. I was skeptical at first, but now any other saddle feels funny to me. You do have to be a little more conscientious about how you care for one, compared to a regular saddle, but it's a small price to pay.

yes it's true, that why more touring cyclist ride on Brooks then any other saddle.

I have ridden Brook saddle since 1946 and can say that Brook saddles, or no other saddle has to be broken in. It is your butt that is broken in to the saddle. Brook saddles are one of those things you either love or hate, there is no in between. I love them and have two spare in my home. They require some maintenance. I dress the top with neutral Kiwi shoe polish and the underside with Brook's Proofide. I have given up on many other reputable saddles over the years.

yup. I just snagged my third B-17 ... now I've got one on all three bikes!!

Brooks All The Way. Four bikes = Four Brooks.

Since '46? Wow Robert! I'm impressed. Now these Brook saddles are made in England, right? I like the look of those saddles. But I notice that "Performance" doesn't list any "leather saddles" on thier web page. (Anyway thier on "probation" for a little while.) I suppose any local bike shop carries Brooks though. Do you suppose if I bought one and didn't like it I'd be able to get my money back?

Robert, I'm sorry but I've ridden Brooks saddles back in the 70's then stopped in the 80's and 90's then bought a Swift about 2 years ago and they DO break into your butt. Sure your butt has to do some of the breaking in, but the saddle does most of it, just like a pair of leather shoes. Haven't you noticed the dimples on your Brooks saddle caused by your sit bones? Todays modern racing saddle will never have those dimples because they never break in, they might wear out, but not break in-it's your butt that has to do all the breaking in. And its for those reasons that most tourist ride Brooks more then any other saddle combined.

Your response was a response that seemed ignorant; correct me if I'm wrong, but this has led me to believe you don't really own any Brooks and never have, because if you had owned a Brooks you would have known about the dimples.

Yes, from these nice folks.....
http://www.wallbike.com/

Aside from Titanium rails, does anyone know what the difference between the Brooks B-17 S, the Team Pro S, and the Finesse might be?

Stacy

Google Brooks saddles and search on this forum. Then you decide. And yeah, nothing compares.

I gotta get me the Honey Style b17 I decided. Also Wallbike is now in my "favorites".
Now if I find one on ebay, say around 40 bucks, and its used, will it conform to my rump? Or once its broke in its broken in and theres nothing I can do about it.

I won't touch 'em. I don't doubt the comfort once you get one broken in, but I'm perfectly happy with the comfort of my current and other saddles and am quite happy not to have to freak out about the rain, which I ride in a lot. Brooks are nice, but not perfect.

Freak out in the rain? I've ridden my Brooks' in rain plenty of times with no worries.

Quality leather saddles are great! BOTH the saddle, AND yout backside get broken with use... The saddle gets softer and stretches, and your butt toughens up to the task of breaking in the saddle. Once that's done (couple of hundred miles; not years), a leather saddle that's adjusted properly (old 2 bolt seatposts are best for that), and the right width for you, will become a good friend. My butt loves both the B-17 Standard and the Pro. The B-17N is a bit narrow for me. The B-17 Champion Special looks very nice with copper plated rails & the big copper rivets... I've got one I just stuck on a bike & haven't yet ridden. I'm sure I'll love it too. Bit of advice: rub a light coat of Proofhide on top the night before you ride, and buff off in the morning. Do that every other ride 'till you notice the saddle starting to break in, then stop with the Proofhide except for once or twice a year. If you ride in lots of rain, forget leather altogether or be prepared to ride with a trash bag on the saddle...

Dubin I put it on my work boots and my saddle once a year rain snow salt not a problem.... Brooks is a saddle the rest are seats.