I tried a B17 standard and it wasn't too comfortable. I returned it to wallbike. My handlebars are a bit shorter than my saddle, and I mostly ride in the drops. I've heard that other brooks are more comfortable for this style of riding. I've especially heard this about team pros. What about the swift? There's some good deals for the swift with steel rails (i.e. affordable) that caught my eye. I've read a bit in the archives, but none comparing these three saddles.

Should I try a new brooks or something different all together?

I don't own one but my assumption (and this is true of all quality leather goods ) as well as what I've derived from various reviews: it needs to be broken in!

Best of luck

the swift will be a big difference in width. I'd say go for the Pro since it's a little wider than the swift but more narrow than a B17, and if that don't work then go for the swift.

b17 standard is great...once it's broken in [properly].

I have a B17 and want the team pro. Its a huge upgrade if you ride lower.

i have a pro and love it. still haven't broken it in all the way, but i haven't gone on any long rides really either. that said, it's a great shape and size for riding drops and tops of bars. great saddle.

Explain this, I'm confused

brooks is murder.

Of course it is. You can't get the hide off otherwise.

I have good luck with the team professional.

I much prefer the team pro to the B-17. I haven't tried a swift.

+1

I've got a Team Pro and a prototype B17 Imperial Narrow. It has a cutout in the center and seems to help a little bit with numbness while riding in the drops.

Keep in mind it's really not that bad even with the Team Pro. The numbness is very occasional and only happens after spending 15-20 minutes in the drops straight.

Az

Any numbness after any amount of time in a saddle is no good.

You might just not have a Brooks-shaped rear-end.

Where exactly was it uncomfortable?

Unnecessary.
People don't give you crap for being vegan.

That being said, Brook are great saddles. I haven't tried anything other than a B-17, but I may throw a team pro or a swift on my road bike (that's right, a bike with gears and dead cow) when I build it up again this weekend.

I preferred my B17 when it was brand new and rock solid. Anatomy and personal preference makes discussing saddles on the internet mostly useless. You just have to keep searching until you find something comfortable.

Or it may be that some folks just need to tilt the saddle a little.

I must be built a little differently as all my bikes typically end up with the saddle tilted nose down about 5 degrees. But for me this tilt is needed to put the pressure onto the sit bones and not onto the soft area where it's bad to have it. But the key is that we are all built different and if the saddle needs to tilt to avoid this pressure then tilt the darned thing.

Yeah, Brooks may just not be for me. I would like to try another, differently shaped model out though, and really be sure so that I'm not second guessing myself. Maybe I will try the Swift or Team Pro.

I have a B17 and a Ti Swift.

With any new saddle, one has to find a new fore and aft position for the saddle because of the different shapes of the saddles.
If a Brooks still feels uncomfortable after a week of everyday riding, look a the point at which the "waist" of the saddle gets wider and becomes the support for your "sit bones."
Try moving the saddle fore or aft a little and experiment.
Also, tilt the nose of the saddle up a little bit so that the nose becomes level with the butt of the saddle.

If a properly fitted Brooks doesn't feel good, nothing will.
Don't give up.
Reposition or change the tilt, and experiment, experiment, experiment.

Regarding break-in, I greased and oiled both of my Brooks saddles way more than most people recommend, and it has worked well for me.
I rode through last winter during solid wet and nasty weather and both saddles look and feel brand new.