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-   -   B66 for touring? (https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/428051-b66-touring.html)

cadimaki 06-10-08 05:19 AM

B66 for touring?
 
Hello all,
I know it's been discussed a lot and I searched previous posts to find the answer, but I still have to ask opinions of Brooks users.
Yesterday I got a Brooks B66. I plan to use it for touring. Since my touring-commuting bike has no suspensions, I thought it'd be good idea to have a sprung saddle. But after I got the B66, I red some reviews about B66 being more a saddle for city use and the real "tourers" are B17 and the Flyer. The heavy weight and the old style two-rail connection of it made me think as well.
What do you think, is B66 a good saddle for touring or should I try to change it with a B17 or a Flyer instead?
Since I have two bikes, I could actually get the B17 as a second saddle as well.
So I'd like to hear your opinions: Should I keep the B66, change it with something else or get another saddle for my tourer and use the B66 with my mountain/hybrid bike (which has front suspension if it matters).
Thanks in advance
cadimaki

becnal 06-10-08 05:30 AM

B66 is great for touring. Put your mind at ease.

jurjan 06-10-08 06:37 AM

euhhmm, you've already bought the B66, why don't you first try if you like it,
before rushing off to buy another saddle which you (or may not) like better, just because 'they' say it's the 'real touring(trademark?)' saddle?

this is of course dependent on it actually fitting on the bike.... (but why buy something that doesn't fit?)
enjoy.

bwgride 06-10-08 08:43 AM

I use the B67 (in fact, I have three of them), which is the B66 with a different seat post clamp/rails. I've toured on it and find it a good seat for me.

Bekologist 06-10-08 10:37 AM

with the B66 you should mount it on an old fashioned straight seatpost and a double rail saddle clamp.

Unless you are touring on a vintage schwinn, your bike likely came with a single rail seatpost.

drewcifer 06-10-08 10:46 AM

all brooks saddles are great for touring. the difference between the b66 and the b17 is that the b66 is a lot wider and is appropriate for a more upright position. The b17 is more of a standard width saddle for a bike set up with drop bars.

so if youre running an upright bar or you have the bars set above the height of your seat, the b66 is a good choice. if youre running drop bars below the saddle then you will be more comfortable on a b17

baldman 06-10-08 11:23 AM

I have a B67 (same seat, different rails) on my LHT and LOVE it. Just did a 1 week 550 mile ride and my butt felt as good on the last day as it did on the first.

I couldn't be happier with it.

cadimaki 06-11-08 01:36 AM

Thank you very much for all the comments.

I put the saddle on my bike yesterday night and made a test ride. It really felt great. I realized how uncomfortable my previous saddle was. After just a short ride on B66, I couldn't see any negative point. I just have to do some minimal changes like cutting the new seatpost like half an inch etc. The sprungs are acting like a suspension and giving me a quite smooth ride. I wonder about the break in period and how it will be thereafter.

And the upright posture seems to be good for sightseeing on tour. I am not sure how it'd feel to ride like this for hours but it surely helps me getting deep full breaths with actively using my diaphram while riding.

I still do think about ordering a b17 for my other bike (a hardtail mtb), but I feel like the B66 will be on my touring set up.


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