Brooks fitting problem
05-29-13 | 07:53 PM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 17,197
Likes: 761
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: 1980 Masi, 1984 Mondonico, 1984 Trek 610, 1980 Woodrup Giro, 2005 Mondonico Futura Leggera ELOS, 1967 PX10E, 1971 Peugeot UO-8
I won't find a seatpost with more setback, unfortunately. 73 or 74° seat tube, 90s MTB frame (long for a road bike, short for an MTB). Something like 3 cm seatback it would seem. I would like to go to a 2-bolt seatpost for finer adjustments but it only exists with 0 setback for a 27.0 seatpost (not 27.2... I want to kill the guy who made that stupid design choice).
As far as fit, It was good with my previous saddle (selle italia "randonneur", not in the catalog... a less padded (but with softer padding) Flite, a tiny tiny bit more curved, but a very flexible shell. But sit bones comfort was not up to Brooks by a very far margin, shorts or no shorts. Flite kills my sit bones, but is king for multi positions. The shell does not flex for a second and it relies on padding: I don't like it.) But I need to bring the handlebars closer and a bit higher to accomodate the short rails of the Brooks, my previous saddle was a good 2cm further back. Putting the Brooks further back would kill me as it would mean leaning more, thus putting more pressure on the perineum area. And the Brooks it already too small in the sitting area, I'd like to sit on the rivets to alleviate pressure on my perinea...
Weight either has to go to the pedals, hands, sit bones or soft parts anyway. I try to put in on the pedals but after some time... It ends up somewhere else.
I was really wondering if a Swift or Swallow could keep, **mid-term (>5000km MINIMUM)**, a non hammocky shape (weight 150lb/71kg, average fitness) and if any Brooks could offer "multiple" positions, like a cm front or back, or if their point was to be "locked" in a "sweet spot" by design...
Or if a plastic saddle could mimic the flex of a Brooks (more the Swift than the Flyer I find way too soft). Will have a look tomorrow at Fizik Arione/Antares saddles, but their "wing flex" seems good on paper... But I see on video reviews the guy flexing it with hands and I just think "is that what he calls flexing?". My Italia flexes more. Rido R2 saddle seems to be made of a supple shell, but also lots of padding. Their Rlt is meant to be "hard". Don't want that. And I fear that, as good as making a big bump for the sit bones seems good, it would utilmately mean i'd want to slide on it, and rest on my crotch.
And if Brooks had any chance, what were the differences between a Swallow and Swift. Even the Team Pro seems too hammocky for me. And the Flyer/B17 is too large anyway, imho, the Swift already fits me way better. Well, if there is something like a flat leather saddle that sags very minimally...
Thanks,
Nicolas
As far as fit, It was good with my previous saddle (selle italia "randonneur", not in the catalog... a less padded (but with softer padding) Flite, a tiny tiny bit more curved, but a very flexible shell. But sit bones comfort was not up to Brooks by a very far margin, shorts or no shorts. Flite kills my sit bones, but is king for multi positions. The shell does not flex for a second and it relies on padding: I don't like it.) But I need to bring the handlebars closer and a bit higher to accomodate the short rails of the Brooks, my previous saddle was a good 2cm further back. Putting the Brooks further back would kill me as it would mean leaning more, thus putting more pressure on the perineum area. And the Brooks it already too small in the sitting area, I'd like to sit on the rivets to alleviate pressure on my perinea...
Weight either has to go to the pedals, hands, sit bones or soft parts anyway. I try to put in on the pedals but after some time... It ends up somewhere else.
I was really wondering if a Swift or Swallow could keep, **mid-term (>5000km MINIMUM)**, a non hammocky shape (weight 150lb/71kg, average fitness) and if any Brooks could offer "multiple" positions, like a cm front or back, or if their point was to be "locked" in a "sweet spot" by design...
Or if a plastic saddle could mimic the flex of a Brooks (more the Swift than the Flyer I find way too soft). Will have a look tomorrow at Fizik Arione/Antares saddles, but their "wing flex" seems good on paper... But I see on video reviews the guy flexing it with hands and I just think "is that what he calls flexing?". My Italia flexes more. Rido R2 saddle seems to be made of a supple shell, but also lots of padding. Their Rlt is meant to be "hard". Don't want that. And I fear that, as good as making a big bump for the sit bones seems good, it would utilmately mean i'd want to slide on it, and rest on my crotch.
And if Brooks had any chance, what were the differences between a Swallow and Swift. Even the Team Pro seems too hammocky for me. And the Flyer/B17 is too large anyway, imho, the Swift already fits me way better. Well, if there is something like a flat leather saddle that sags very minimally...
Thanks,
Nicolas
I have a 73 degree frame and I need the deep-setback Nitto to get my B17 (or any Brooks) set back enough. One of the big advantages of the Selle AnAtomica is that the rails allow much more setback with a low-setback or zero-setback post.
06-01-13 | 08:34 AM
#27
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 161
Likes: 1
For what it's worth, after checking on the internet, I did found a "modern" alternative to Brooks saddle. And it was in the Fizik lineup I didn't completely checked.
It is called the Fizik Kurve line, available in their 3 shapes, and is a suspended carbon saddle. So a lot like a Brooks, but with a modern "flat" or semi flat shape.
Price is completely insane, but there is a still utterly expensive but less so one in the local classifieds I will have to give a try.
I would also have to try the Antares and Antares VS as well as Aliante and Aliante VS to see if it works better for me...
It is called the Fizik Kurve line, available in their 3 shapes, and is a suspended carbon saddle. So a lot like a Brooks, but with a modern "flat" or semi flat shape.
Price is completely insane, but there is a still utterly expensive but less so one in the local classifieds I will have to give a try.
I would also have to try the Antares and Antares VS as well as Aliante and Aliante VS to see if it works better for me...
