takeonafrica

Hi,
I'm planning a long distance bike tour for next summer and am currently sorting out the bike and equipment I need.
I'm considering getting a Brooks saddle since I've heard good reviews about these.
I presume I'd be best going for one of the touring/trekking saddles, but which one?

There's the B17 (either standard or titanium), the flyer and flyer special.

I presume I should go for the ladies version since i'm female. What I'm not sure about is whether or not a sprung saddle (i.e. the flyer) is a good idea?
And presumably as titanium is light, this is better if you take cost out of the equation.

Any help appreciated.
Thanks, Helen

Torrilin

A Brooks is very much a love it or hate it item. I love mine, but they don't suit everyone.

The versions sold as female specific aren't. They have a somewhat shorter nose, but are otherwise the same top as a "male" saddle. Depending on your riding style, the shorter nose might be harmful or beneficial. I've run into a few women who curse the idea of a shorter nose endlessly, and find it quite dangerous. I rather like it, since I get poked less at stops. They're also useful for riding in a skirt, but I don't think most women tour on a step through and in skirts these days .

The real bit that matters is how wide or narrow a saddle you need... and that's where Brooks shines. If you have very wide sit bones, you need a wide saddle to support them. Brooks makes some of the widest saddles available. The models you're listing are all the same width. There are about 3 or so model types that are wider, and at least one narrower model.

Springs tend to work best on bikes where the rider is fairly upright. Some people find a tourer is upright enough to need springs, others find unsprung works fine. If your bike tends to leave you feeling jolted, trying springs is a good idea.

I would start by visiting a shop that can check your sit bone width. IIRC both Trek and Specialized shops can. That way you have a starting point for what saddle width you need. If that isn't an option, I'd strongly recommend test riding a Brooks before committing to one. Masi, Raleigh and several other manufacturers have bikes that come with a stock Brooks.

kpfeif

I know you asked about the Brooks, but I just put this saddle on my roadie and love it: https://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=NP07386

San Marco women's Glamour Arrowhead. Very comfortable, I liked] it better than the Selle Italia women's saddle I replaced - too much padding on that one. This one is the right shape, cutouts in the right spots, and firm enough to ride all day. A lot cheaper and lighter than a Brooks, too.

Machka 

I'm a woman, and I use the Brooks B17 Standard, not the women's specific one.

In the photo below ... the well-used Brooks has about 40,000 kms on it. The new Brooks has about 1/4 of a km on it. I love my Brooks so much that I've started breaking in a second one.

.

takeonafrica

Thanks for the clarifications and advice all - it's a lot clearer now.
Based on this I suspect I may prefer the B17 standard - I have always used a mens saddle so may well find the shorter womens version less preferable. That said, I've found somewhere that stocks Brooks saddles so I'll be going there soon to try them out.

Thanks again, Helen