Simko

Hey people, need help with some saddle advice.

Ive got an old cannondale bike, i think its a 3.0
(im on the left)


anyways, the saddle currently on the bike is KILLING me rear end after about 2.5 hours, I see tons of people recommend the brooks models, and im sold, and determined to order one, or put one on my holiday wishlist.

My questions is, is the B17 a suitable saddle for a road bike riding position? or is it meant for a beach cruising upright positioned bike? Im almost always on the tops and hoods, and almost never ride the drops, I basically do a decent cruise on my own or with a friend, im not into competitive racing or anything like that.

looking forward to your advice

-Aaron

10 Wheels

Saddles are like shoes for a long walk.
They need to fit real well.
Your shoes won't fit my feet.
Stand up more when you ride.

Randochap

Here we go again with saddle advice.

The B-17 is a very nice saddle. If it works for you, you'll love it. If it doesn't, you'll hate it. Saddles are a personal thing, according to use, position and butt architecture.

I own a B-17 and I've had a Pro for 32 years. Both have seen extensive use. The B-17 I've had for 2 years was comfy right out of the box.

For me, and many others, the B-17 is a good long-distance saddle, regardless of saddle height to bar relationship.

If you spend all your time on the tops though, is it possible your bars are too low?

Simko

could be the bars, however ive used the same saddle on 2 other bikes, so im not sure, unless i had very similar configs. I didnt mean to ask "is the b17 a good saddle" im sure its great for some purposes,not as great for others, i just want to make sure that if i order one, im getting the right model for this type of riding.

to be honest, if i get one soon, i will only be riding it in the basement on the trainer until spring comes around.

Randochap

If you don't have access to a shop in Ont. that'll let you try order from one of the distributors that has a return policy.

Raiden

I love mine, but two notes: 1) it weighs about as much as a boat anchor (I don't think you're so concerned with that), and 2) I find it REALLY uncomfortable to ride wearing padded cycling shorts- I generally wear cargo shorts or something similar.

George

I didn't want to put the B17 on my road bike so I went with the Brooks Swift. The Swift is a real nice saddle, but I think the B17 is just a touch better. Just for the heck of it I turned the Fizik Aliante upside down and set it on top of my B17 and it's almost the same size. Because of the rivets on the
B17. Then I put it next to it and looked from the side and it has the same shape as well. I'm still not done testing it, but I think the Aliante is going to work. So I have the Swift on my Roubaix and the Aliante on my Look and the B17 on my Jamis. If the Aliante doesn't work, I'm going with the Swift on the Look. Good luck with your choice.

Simko

i wear padded bibs when riding, does anyone have similar experience with uncomfortable? i thought brooks saddles were meant to be used with padded shorts.

Raiden

Did they have padded shorts in the 19th century?

It's just my experience, is all. I've heard it from other riders, as well.

JoeB14

I have B17's on both my road bikes. Very comfortable-as one other poster said "comfortable right out of the box".

Buy it from wallbike.com-they have a return policy-I believe it is 6 months money back if not satisfied.

NormanF

Yes. The narrower racing saddles sold by Brooks don't support your butt too much. For real world road bike riding, its either the B-17 or its sprung version with the same top, the Flyer.

ericm979

I personally think that Brooks saddles are an answer to a question no one asked (unless the question is "how heavy and espensive can we make a saddle and still get people to buy it"). They belong on vintage bikes, not on modern ones. And the chorus of "get a Brooks" whenever anyone posts a saddle question just makes it worse.... like there is only one shape of butt in the world. It's like if you were a runner and any time you asked a question about shoes, people would be telling you that Earth Shoes are the only shoes that work, anything else will cause your feet to fall off.

OTOH, I am comfortable on modern racing saddles. If for whatever reason, the only saddle that worked for me was a Brooks, I'd get one. But it'd be the last thing I tried before giving up and getting a recumbent.

ken_sturrock

I used to have a B-17 on my road bike but switched it out for a Swallow. The B-17 is now atop a more upright city bicycle. I like both saddles a lot and ride them both with all sorts of clothing. I think that the narrower and smaller Swallow feels a bit better with the drop bars and also looks a little neater on the road bike. The B-17 works great on the town bicycle.

Like others have said though - you'll either love the brooks or you'll hate it...

-Ken

Simko

ok, with all these comments, would everyone recommend i buy used saddles for a lower price until i find one that i love?

desertdork

Really? The OP did ask for opinions on the suitability and personal experiences of the B17 as a road saddle. From what I read, all of the posters tried to offer helpful information. You may think a Brooks is too heavy, too expensive, or wrong for anything but a vintage ride, but those factors are of little or zero importance for a non-racer seeking more comfort on longer rides. Besides, a Brooks doesn't add that much weight, it's actually cheap when its longevity is considered, and looks are subjective.

Hank244

As a beginner, I rode a B17 (for a thousand miles). It worked well until I began riding in the drops. I would recommend only if you ride the hoods and like a more upright position.

ken_sturrock

Well, it's hard to say (pun intended). One of the benefits of a leather saddle is that it will, slowly (sometimes very slowly), conform to your shape. In that regard, they're kind of personal. Having said that, I've met several people who loved old beat-up leather saddles that they found on antiques since they were already broken in.

I guess it comes down to "how used is used?" and "how cheap is used?" If you could find some Brooks evangelist that would let you take a spin on their bicycle it might help your decision making process. Also, as noted earlier, there are some stores that offer a return policy. I bought my Swallow from Wallingford and they have a return policy.

There are also lower priced Chinese-made leather saddles from places like Velo Orange. I have a couple of Velo Orange saddles and I like them. As expected, they aren't as well made as a Brooks and, compared to a B-17, they aren't much cheaper but if your heart is set on a Swallow then they are a cheaper and similarly shaped alternative to the Brooks. In the end (pun intended) though, I feel that it's better to buy the genuine article.

-Ken

Second Mouse

I've had a couple of B17s on a bike I use for the trainer and longer (2+ hour) rides. Very comfy, several centuries, no problems. Even works in the drops, which goes against what most others will tell you.

Also have a cheap E3 Form saddle from Performance or Nashbar on a bike that's used for training and crits. Also very comfy for shorter rides, but it does start to make its presence known after a couple of hours.

BigBlueToe

I put a Brooks Champion Flyer (a B-17 with springs) on my tourer. It was pretty great, although after a week of 50-60 mile days my butt had a little pain - not too bad, but it was there.

When I built up an Allez frame for a "fast bike" I tried to stick with more conventional "fast bike looking" stuff. I had a narrow Nashbar seat on it first - it was supposed to be comfortable - but after 30 miles my butt was killing me. Then I tried a Specialized Avatar. I got my sit bones measured and everything. It was a little better, but after 30 it was starting to hurt and by 40 it was getting pretty painful.

I had a century coming up and started to panic. I finally put the Champion Flyer on the Allez the week before the century. What a difference! 45 miles and no pain! I did the century with no pain. After I put the brown Champion Flyer back on my LHT and ordered a black B-17 for the Allez. It has been comfortable right out of the box and I have yet to feel any butt pain, even in back-to-back century weekends. I think it might even be more comfortable than the Champion Flyer! I may have to put it on my LHT before my next tour!

I know a B-17 doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me and my "road bike position."

RFC

After trying many brands of saddles over the years, I have come to the conclusion that my favorite and most comfortable brands are Brooks (B-17's and Pro's) and Fizik (and the Fizik Clones). Yes, saddles are very much a matter of personal preference and some how these two designs work for me.

Generally, for me, the Fizik designs work best for me when I'm getting low (i.e. +10cm drop to top) or on a traditional tri type setup.

The Brooks are best for less drop (~5-7cm), for example on my Litespeed Appalachian set up for the long haul:

George

I was going to buy the Pro, but it didn't have enough setback room, with the short rails

mmmdonuts

You and your riding partner should have your liver function checked.