kookookachooo

Question mark..? Which one do you guys prefer and where would be the cheapest place I could get one?

Ep3licious

this is prob a useless reply but
i actually liked both.

be patient and they pop up every so often for sub 50

tenzing211

B-17 all the way. I got mine a few years ago from Nashbar for around $55. Best piece of equipment I have ever purchased.

mavimao

I wouldn't recommend a B-17 if you spend a lot of time in the drops. I feel they're constructed more for upright positions.

jpdesjar

yes, the b17 is good for commuting and more upright riding
mine feels more comfortable since i put risers on

i have never ridden a turbo...i am curious about them
i may get one of the ta-bo saddles from that soma makes and see how it feels

PedallingATX

type "brooks b17" into google and there is one place selling them for 60 bucks. I have never owned one, but I know a ton of people that love them.

Another saddle to throw into the mix is the San Marco Rolls. I have one of those and LOVE it.

eogie

^^^^I second that comment about the Rolls. It's a very comfortable saddle and looks great.

kookookachooo

How about the proofhide? Is is necessary?

leooooo

Agreed.

Threw some cruiser bars on my ride and the B-17 felt a gazillion times better than when I was using drops.

jpdesjar

proofide is good for conditioning the leather
i put some on once a month or so...it may even be more seldom than that
i got a little tin of it and it should last a while...i soaked my saddle in the rain one time so i used proofide after that to protect it

NewJerseyKer

get Selle Turbo. That's good stuff

sunburst

Upright is relative. I've got B17 on two road bikes with drop bars, and one singlespeed with track bars. However, on all these, my saddle is close to level with the top of my bars. The B17 is the best saddle I've found, and on my carbon bike I tried six others.

The really unexpected thing, is the B17 does not seem to work on my more upright touring bike, and I gave it a few weeks before taking it off.

Ken Cox

I have two Brooks saddles: one a B17 and the other a Ti Swift.

They both provide the same interface between the riders bottom and the bike.

Pay no attention to this "commuter upright" stuff.

With one of my Brooks, I ride with the handlebars significantly lower than the saddle.

The Brooks has only one shortcoming for some riders, in that it has no "channel."

This lack of a channel can cause some chafing of the perineum for the first day or two, but with a little time or a little "bag balm" it quickly goes away.

I find most people who like to ride with a Brooks also set the saddle so level that it appears a little nose-up to the casual observer.

And, no, the Brooks doesn't "need" Proofhide, but all leather which suffers exposure to sun, rain and sweat will last longer and do its job better with a protective replenishing oil that will soak into the leather.

beethaniel

+1 on the Brooks, but all people are shaped different so not every saddle is goig to fit every rider. I do like the Brooks for the fact they are wider and the leather will soften with use, therefore creating a 'custom fit.'

I have Brooks saddles on all my bikes except for my tri/race bike, but would get a swift or swallow if I could afford one.

adriano 

brooks dont really custom fit do they? i would think they just break in and suspend you better.

beethaniel

Well, what I meant was that they will break in and mold to your butt/sit-bones, how much more 'custom' can you get?

adriano 

thats what i was thinking of. i was questioning if they just got softer while maintaining original form or if they actually molded to your bottom.

tenzing211

Yes! By all means use Proofide on your Brooks. Coat both top and bottom; buff polish the top, but leave the Proofide on the underside as is. The underside of the saddle is where all the road grime ends up anyway, so you'll want to protect it. Also, check E-Bay. There is a store in San Marcos Texas that sells all Brooks products at incredible prices. I purchased a Swift for about $150 at the end of last season. The Swift is on the good bike, the B-17 is on the back up bike.

Johnny Nemo

One will kill my @ss, one won't. Gee, which to choose?!

PedallingATX

Johnny--please be more specific haha. Which will kill your ass...?

667

Ya, they mold. That's one of the reasons why you should never buy a used Brooks.
The other reason is that used saddles are gross.

PedallingATX

Used saddles are gross, but nothing a little disinfectant can't fix haha. I feel grosser using used grip tape. Also, I just bought a bike that had B17 on it. It feels comfy under my tush, but I was thinking about tightening it a bit because it feels a little loose. Anyways, I can tell that it did mold a bit to the last owner, but not as much as it just stretches.

sunburst

Two of mine were used, one more so than the other. I'm very happy with all three.