Experience with different Brooks models
 

I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a Brooks saddle, since I've convinced myself I deserve it. I'm just interested in opinions between the B17, Pro, and Swift. Anybody out there tried one or more? Any preferred model and why?

I put lots of miles on both a B17 and a Swallow. When first getting into road biking I loved the B17 but my position was more upright and my average cadence was not that high. But once I adopted a more aggressive fit I found the B17 too wide and it interfered with my stroke. Then I tried a Swallow and it was much better. But when short rails of this saddle are combined with a steep angle of the seat tube of my bike I could not get the proper aft position needed. So, while both saddles really are comfortable there may be other factors that keep you from being able to use on.

I currently have a Team Pro and Colt. I've had a B17 in the past and didn't care for it. Could never get comfortable with it. Might have been the same thing that Jamesdak mentioned, or maybe I didn't give it a chance. The Team Pro seems a bit flatter on the top and the Colt more of a rounded shape.

It is all about the width of your backside relative to the width of the Brooks model. Fit really matters with these saddles. I have tried five different models.

The B17 is too wide for me. I can ride it, but it is not the most comfortable Brooks model for me.
The Swallow and Swift are too narrow for me. These saddles are TORTURE for me to ride. I've tried. I love their look. But they don't fit me.
The Team Pro, for me, is just right. Amazingly comfortable. True long-haul comfort.

If you can, it is wise to buy your Brooks from a retailer who allows you to return it within, say, 6 months for a full refund or exchange, even if used. Wallingford Bike Parts (wallbike.com) does that. The slight extra you pay for the saddle through them is definitely worth it if you're not sure a particular Brooks model will work for you. Their return policy on Brooks saddles sounds too good to be true, but it is not. Excellent service.

both the b-17 and the pro work for me. recently, i purchased one of the 90gm hong kong carbon wonders from ebay, just to see whether i could tolerate it now that 20 years have passed since my last venture into non brooks saddles. turns out this thing is really, really, narrow, but surprisingly i can ride it without too much difficulty. like they say "it disappears underneath you". trouble is it magically reappears 30 miles later.

as far as getting an objective opinion of the suitability of these various brooks saddles goes, you will probably never know until you purchase all three saddles, and ride them extensively until broken in (several thousand miles altogether i should think). should keep you busy for 5-10 years maybe. remember despite the price of brooks saddles bicycling is cheap when compared to most other recreations. real cheap.

B17 is too upright and wide for a road bike IMHO. Try the B17N. My favorite though is the swallow.

I loved my B17. Most comfortable seat I have ridden. Looks completely out of place on a modern road bike. "It's better to look good than to feel good."

I have two Team Pros and two B17N. The first B17N was more comfortable out of the box than the first Pro I had. Once I got used to them, it didn't make a lot of difference. The Pros are thicker and stiffer than the B17s.

To me, that's part of the appeal. Although my 2000 model steel Bianchi has been called "classic" and "old school" more than once. Might indeed look weird on a swoopy carbon bike.

It looked totally out of place on my Felt Z85. Did my first century on that bike with a B17. The only thing that did not hurt after was my butt. I have been thinking about getting another B17 and using it only for century rides. I love the old-school style of Brooks. Pretty much anything made from fine leather is cool in my book.

I started with a b17 on my mtb commuter with an upright position. Tried a swift when I got a road bike, but it was too narrow. I settled on the team pro. They have thicker leather and take a lot of miles to break in, but they fit me the best in an aggressive riding position. Eventually I switched over to the specialized toupe on my road bikes. I still have a team pro hanging on the wall in case I ever do some touring.

I have a B17 on my R500 and really like it. I rode a Team Pro in the late 70'd and 80's, it was a dream saddle for me. it is the only saddle I'd give up my B17 for.

I ride Team Pro, love it -- echoing previous posts, if you go with a B17, get the narrow version, B17N. Brooks lists saddle widths on their site...

If I could find a plastic saddle that worked as well or better for me, cheaper than Brooks, I'd ride it.

I have now made the transistion away from Brooks saddles and don't believe I will go back. Three basic reasons...well four actually:
- Rain sensitivity
- Weight
- Leather stretch...retensioning...rarely a problem
- Perineal pressure when riding with forward torso angle

That said, for years, I could never find a saddle I like better than a Brooks. Enter Specialized. I learned that much of my appreciation for Brooks saddles was due to the width of my sit bones. I am wide hipped apparently. I now ride a Specialized Toupe and Romin in size 155. No pain and better overall comfort than either the B.17 or Pro...racier Brooks saddles are too narrow for me.

So I believe we have a new era really in saddle technology. It took over a hundred years but that time has arrived. A plastic saddle that is as if not more comfortable than a Brooks...hard shell like a Brooks but with flex and in particular, light, not sensitive to water and with a cut out for relief when in the drops. Huey, if you like the hard carbon shell saddle which makes sense because in my experience a firm shell aka Brooks is best for comfort...consider a wider variant...like one of the Specialized saddles.

My 125 gram Selle Italia SLR is leather, too.

I am sort of in the same camp I guess. Love my Brooks for the first 5000-6000 miles of my cycling but as I got fitter and rode more aggressively the shortcoming came out. I did always worry about the saddles getting wet but that was easy to handle by always having a plastic bag and rubber bands ready to cover the saddle. I had tried a Fizik Aliante about a year and a half ago and found it just ago. Then later I tried again and with a proper fit it was heaven. Now I run this saddle on both my road bikes with the same or better comfort I used to get on a Brooks.

No. The saddle part of your Selle Italia SLR is plastic...and an unyielding plastic to boot. It has a leather cover. There's a difference.

First off everyone is different. I rode the Fizik Arione for a year of pure misery and the Alliante for six months of almost as much misery.
Brooks B-17 is a good saddle but for a racing position and a new light weight bike it is just plain clunky. Rode one for ten years of touring back in the seventies.
The Brook Swift and Swallow look great on a racing bike and are comfortable, but the leather is too thin. I had a Swift for 2 years and the second year I had to constantly adjust it tighter due to streatch and sag. I am six foot and 175-180 and that may have been part of the problem. Had to throw it away after 2 years. An expensive mistake.
Brooks Pro- saddle perfection. I had been riding the Specialized Romin for a couple of years but developed severe pain under my right hip bone ( same side as a hip replacement via a posterior approach- this was likely the cause of the pain and not any inherent design flaw of the Specialized). Out of no other options I bought a new Brooks Pro and I kid you not, my very first ride on this rock hard new saddle was completely pain free. And the comfort just keeps getting better.
Couple of myths. The break in is much less than some allege. My saddle was great from day one and keeps getting better if that makes any sense.
Rain is not an issue. I ride rain, snow, salt, mud and just care for it as suggested by the company. I do not even bother with the plastic cover.
This saddle is like a living thing, it gets better and looks better with age. Same goes for the leather bar tape.

PS, my ride is a Merlin Lunaris CF/ TI bike with an aggressive set up and significant saddle to handle bar drop.

I had a Team Pro and loved it until I rode 50 miles in a steady rain and it changed from a saddle to a hammock. This doesn't happen for some people (see above), but it happened to me. I've replaced it with a San Marco Regal, which is leather covered with a plastic (or something) base.

I've got several B17s on a variety of bikes. It's a fine saddle when your bars are almost level with the saddle. Nice and comfortable once broken in.

I had a Professional on my Mercian but it had a tear in the leather near the nose when I got the bike and lasted about 1,000 km before it was replaced. I have replaced the Pro with a B17N Imperial (with cutout) as I got a good deal on it. I don't have a huge saddle/bar drop. Both were/are more comfortable in the drops than the hoods due to their narrower width. Probably a better Brooks for a bike with more saddle/bar drop.

I have a generic CF/Plastic/Vinyl saddle with cutout on my titanium Eclispe. It is just as comfortable as the Brooks B17N when in the drops. It's not as comfortable riding on the hoods due to it's narrowish width. I again have my bike set up without a large saddle to bar drop, although when my slush fund allows I'll get a lower rise stem to drop the bar down.

I also have a B66 and two B72s on bikes with a very upright riding position. They are great for that. I'm a big fan of Brooks saddles.;)

One thing to note with Brooks saddles it that they tend to have less fore/aft adjustment available than modern shell saddles.