Fredo76

Selle SMP TRK

big john

I toured cross country on an Avocet. Used them for everything back then. I'm one of the Brooks haters. Now I use Selle Italia Flite gel.

Darth Lefty 

I have been trying for a few years to love an SMP saddle on my MTB but I really just don't. The model is called Extra, I think, it was a cheaper version of the Hell / Well saddle. I think they spend all their effort on the fancy $300 versions. I've hung onto it for so long because it matches my color scheme

Atlas Shrugged

Specialized Mirror 3D-printed saddles are amazing and very well received. Definitely worthy of your consideration. Brooks worked well back in the day, but once I tried a Cinelli Unicanitor saddle I never looked back from a modern approach to saddle construction.

melissam

I have been using Brooks saddles for the past 15 years, but every now and then I like to try something else. I've been "auditioning" a Selle SMP VT30c on my trainer bike, and so far so good. Selle SMP has a saddle selector that will give you recommendations based on your sit bone width and riding style, which is how I picked the VT30c.

As bike fitters, Colby Pearce and Steve Hogg are huge proponents of the Selle SMP saddles. Here's a couple of links:
https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com...ll-about-smps/
https://www.colbypearce.com/smp-primer/

Of course, with all things, especially bike saddles, your mileage may vary.

frogman

Only if you want an anatomical saddle.

adlai

I’ve used a number of saddles. First off, the claim that a leather Brooks without a cutout is good is preposterous. They suck to be honest. The claim that leather conforms to you if you just sit on it for hundreds of hours first is ridiculous. If you sat on foam it would eventually conform, just like a pair of old sneakers you can see where the foam is compressed.

the best saddles I’ve used had cutouts. Sprung saddles are good, so are suspension seatposts. I do like the rubber saddles a lot. My favorite is the selle anatomica rubber saddle with a cutout.

Rubber saddles without a cutout suck. One of the worst is a brooks Cambrian c15 without a cutout.

generally though a cheap saddle with foam and a leather covering will be fine, better than a leather brooks. But putting springs on the saddle helps a ton

PDKL45

Strangely enough, they sort of have. It used to be that the centerline of the saddle would be the hide's natural centerline from along the spine of the animal and thus there was natural stiffening and durability effect, where the saddle would resist "hammocking" for longer and could be adjusted for stretch less often. Modern saddles are not cut the same and thus do not last as long. Apparently; I am not a saddle expert and am repeating something I was told by a bike mechanic.

Erzulis Boat 

Brooks has changed the leather so asking for new commentary is appropriate.

fishboat

..this would be new to me at least and of interest to many here on BF..do you have any references or data that indicates this is true, or is this a belief based on second/third-hand info you heard or read on the web somewhere?

I searched the web for a bit(basic web search as well as a broad search to target all forums, not specific to BF) and so far I see nothing to suggest any changes.

Erzulis Boat 

Different cow.

PDKL45

Knowing the guy who told me, I'd look to Jan Heine and bike quarterly/Rene Herse blogs etc. Or some other randonneuring Francophile subtly trying to get in digs at Brooks to once and for all prove the superiority of Giles Berthoud saddles.

Greyhounds

Berthoud and Ideale. Yeah, both are French, but they're both phenomenal saddles! Of course, YMMV.

jgwilliams

Absolutely. I used a Brooks B17 for years and never found it comfortable. Since then I've had Fizik, Specialized and Fabrik saddles, all of which I have far preferred.

staehpj1

For me pretty much every other saddle I have tried was better. I owned one many decades ago and it was just okay when new. I liked it less and less as it broke in. I am not very fussy about saddles and would not mind all that much riding the saddles that came with my bikes even for a coast to coast tour (I did used the cheapie that came with a $600 bike for the Trans America), but my preference is a saddle from the WTB Volt series. Really of the saddles I have used other than some 1950s type stuff the Brooks is about the only one I won't ride again. Why would I? It wasn't very comfortable even when at its best and went downhill from there. It is fairly expensive. It is heavy. It requires more TLC than most saddles.

Wildwood 

Yes, I concur. I have traded away 2 B17s (over a decade ago) - new one I could not break-in, second came on a bike nearly new and quickly traded.

Butt,...I was recently gifted an Imperial B17 with cutout and laced skirts. Rather than disappoint my daughter, I laced the skirts rather tightly and rode without a problem after about a 5 mile warm-up period. Not a lot of miles for an update but the leather 'seems' to be different. OR, maybe cycling shorts have gotten better. B17 is a bit wide for my bones. Pro or older B15 suit me.

I also 2nd earlier praise for Selle Anatomica - if leather works for you. A long cutout and softer leather is the one I like.

Selle SMP has a good design for me - find the model with the amount of padding you may prefer. Rode it for 500+miles across WA state.
Selle Italia has long and narrow, mostly split rail, lightweight model I ride and like. Several years old. I found it affordably in an LBS "Used Saddles" bin, but not a loaded touring saddle = no loopholes for a bag.

I don't tour and seldom spend all day in the saddle, so I am less picky.

Eusam

I have a variety of different saddles on my bikes, but most of my long rides are on WTB or Berthoud saddles. I think my Berthoud Aspin is my favorite for long distances, but the WTB SL8 is a close second. I have not tried a Brooks, mostly because they seem to be prone to getting stolen, and I've seen a lot of pictures of badly hammocked, torn, or broken saddles. The berthoud is less recognizable, and you can easily replace the frame or rails if they break.
I spent quite a while trying out different saddle sizes before I figured out my saddle shape preferences (narrow, and mostly flat). My strategy was to go to bike co-ops, get a few cheap used saddles of different shapes from the used saddle bin they inevitably have, and then ride around on them. Once you have the shape figured out, then you can go get a fancy new one if you want. This technique doesn't work well for leather saddles, but it's pretty low risk.