Hi all,

I'm in the market for a new saddle for my Cannondale T-700. I've been drooling over Brook's saddles for awhile and just wanted to pick some of your brains a bit.

I'm 5'11, weigh about 160lbs when I'm down to cycling weight. (170 now). I have a Nitto Technomic stem that puts my handlebars pretty close to saddle height. I can run the bars above my saddle but am still dialing in my fit. (just got the bike a few weeks ago).

I've been eyeing up the B17 Imperial, as I prefer saddles with perninial cut outs. However due to planning on spending hours on this bike, and it being an aluminum frame, I was wondering if I should look at a sprung model such as the flyer. Really wish they offered the B17 imperial in Honey also.

Also does anyone have any advice on the best place to order Brooks from? I can't find them locally. I've seen them @ Harris's and heard decent things about wiggle.co.uk.

How much saddle to bar drop? How wide are your sit bones? These are the important things to consider first.

Nice plush tires will do more than a spring in your seat. YMMV though.

Currently less than an inch of saddle to bar drop. Going to raise them a bit though, felt to low this morning. Not sure on my sit bones, but I am a fairly skinny framed guy.

I'm already running 700x35 Avocet Cross tires, not sure I'd want to go more plush than 700x35s!

How much you weigh will not have any effect on your sit bones... They are what they are. If you have a Specialized dealer in your area you can maybe do a fitting. You should be pretty comfortable with 35's. It will ride different loaded than unloaded. So try it loaded like when your touring to really see if you even need to worry about the ride being harsh. I think you will find it's going to be pretty plush.

If you buy a standard B17 in honey, send it to Selle Anatomica for the Brooks Upgrade

It may be a little more expensive than buying from the UK, but buy from Wallingford Bike. They have an unconditional, no questions asked 6 month return policy on Brooks saddles (that were purchased new). As well, if you give them a call, they are extremely helpful in picking the correct saddle for you. They don't want to take the return if you end up getting the wrong saddle for you, as they sell them used on eBay afterward (at a lower price). I believe paying for quality goes a bit deeper than just the manufacture, but also the retailer.

I recently purchased a new B-17 on eBay and saved about $30. Cheapest price I could find..

I first bought a Champion Flyer (B17 with springs) for my touring bike. Then I bought a "fast bike", and after suffering with a "racer-type" saddle that was on it, I bought a B-17 for it. My opnion is that the B17 is at least as comfortable as the Flyer. I can't perceive any extra benefit afforded by the springs, and they're heavy. I'm probably going to put the B-17 on the tourer before this summer's tour, just to save weight.

Those are the only two Brooks saddles I have experience with. I'm 6'4", weigh 195, and have a narrow build, if that adds anything to your database.

After my experience, I'd say anyone having sore-butt troubles owes it to themself to at least try a Brooks. If they buy it from WallBike and it doesn't work out, they can return it.

I/we (my wife) have only used the Champion Flyer and can say that we are never going to change them. The springs do work, but because they are so strong, only on hard bumps. I think 35c tires and a sprung saddle is the way to go for comfort specialy when one inevitably ends up cycling offroad for while.
But if I was to cycle fast(er) and only on a paved road I think I'd go with the B17.

I'm 6-4, 210. Champion Flyer on the touring bike, B17 on the fixed gear. Both are the most comfortable saddles I've ever ridden, and I've ridden a lot of them. The Flyer is heavy, but it does soak up big bumps, like when inattention puts you into a pothole. For the kind of high frequency "buzz" that aluminum frames can produce, I don't think the springs make a difference. For me, the advantage of springs is that it probably makes big hits easier on the bike, especially the spokes. Kind of like getting out of the saddle before going over a bump. On the other hand, it may just be hooey. I like my saddles, they're both well broken in and I'm keeping them. Both honey, and the B17 is the one with the hand-hammered copper rivets. If something as pedestrian and functional as a saddle can be called art, that saddle is it.

+1 Wallingford.

Anyone have any experience with the Team Professional? I picked up a gently-used one recently but haven't yet had a chance to take it on a longer ride.

I've got one on my single speed. I bought a Team Pro new back in 2004 and it's been a nice comfortable saddle for long distance riding. This model is the pre-soften model I have. The leather on this saddle is noticeably more forgiving compared to my regular Professional saddle.

+1 on the Team Pro. Great saddle.

awesome, thanks

I wouldn't worry so much about the cut out. In my experience, it seems to matter less for leather saddles. I'm perfectly comfortable without one.

If your seat is posted at or above your handlebars I'd recommend the Brooks Pro. I have a relatively new model on my Bridgestone T700, and an A '73 on my Falcon San Remo. They require some bum conditioning, but I wouldn't trade 'em up for anything. A little Brooks proofhide and some thumbwork go a long ways toward limbering them up... With Saran Wrap you can saturate the top with proofhide for about a half an hour, then wipe clean. I leave the undersides alone so that they wick moisture properly.

Thanks for the info guys - and sorry for the zombie thread rebooting!

Just ordered a Champion Flyer (black) + Proofride from Wallingford Bike. So far very impressed with Wallingford. I nabbed the Maintenance kit from them and they automatically refunded me $13 since the saddle comes with a spanner already. Wanted to do this sooner but the tax returns finally hit!

I ride a touring bike with a saddle to bar drop of maybe 0.5 inches. The brooks b17 standard is extremely comfortable -- even more now that it is broken in.

I used the same saddle with a bike where the bars and saddle were closer together and I was more upright...not nearly as comfortable.

I found the b17 standard is best if you have a "somewhat" aggressive position vs. upright.

Well I'll try the Flyer out for a few months. Right now my saddle is roughly equal with the bars (thank you Nitto Technomic!), and with the cross levers installed I find myself riding on the tops most of the time, so fairly upright. Maybe I've been spoiled by my steel road bike, but I'm excited to give the sprung saddle a try on the Aluminum frame.

Heh. And here my B-17 is on a step-through granny bike. Works fine. And I'm female too... For pretty much every saddle "rule" I've seen, there's someone who just sorta smashes it flat .

You can saturate the top with Proofide for ever but it will never penetrate the pressure rolled finish in the least. You can easily check this by scratching the surface. Proofide will only provide a temporary waterproofing effect at most when applied to the saddle top.

my $.02 is that you're all nuts, or have iron nuts. I'm riding a VO #6 on my city bike and it reminds me of the experience I had with an Ideale 90 from 30yrs ago. Sure I can sit on it and ride but after 6mo it's not getting as comfortable as my Concor or any of the plastic/foam saddles with cut-outs that are fine from day one.

should have bought a Brooks

my 4 saddles in regular use are all great, 2 B17's, a team pro, and a champion flyer. In my opinion, the springs are unecessary weight... the B17s are amazingly comfy on their own and from day one.

Interestingly, and one major reason I'm absolutely a leather saddle believer, is that all four of my saddles have the same deeper left side butt-dimple- a sign that they really have formed to my body. Whatever, they work for me.