Should I get a Brooks saddle?

Itsfixed

Hi all

Just wondering if any of you have experienced using a Brooks saddle over any length of time and would you recommend it?

I'm building up an old but nice Mercian road bike frame and want to spec suitably retro-ish bits, so the Brooks saddle would really look the part. The bike will be used for longish spins and occasionally the 26-mile round commute to work (on the sunny days when i have the energy).

I tried one very briefly years ago on my brother's bike, a basic B17, and thought it was as hard as nails, but of course he and others maintain that you need to 'break' it in before it gets comfortable.

Any thoughts?

Trojan

I just broke mine in and then replaced it with a new one - d'oh

A Mercian is too sweet a frame to put a plastic saddle on - you know what you have to do.

po0k

Pimp his roide?

Itsfixed

Trojan wrote:

I just broke mine in and then replaced it with a new one - d'oh

A Mercian is too sweet a frame to put a plastic saddle on - you know what you have to do.

I'll all for going over the budget to get a decent saddle, Trojan, but how long did it take you to break it in? Did you have to endure backside tenderness on the first few rides?

I'm still sceptical but i love the looks.

beans

I am currently getting to grips with a Brooks B17 which had been broken in nicely by it's previous owner (^ see Trojan's post ^).

I have 200-odd miles on it and found it comfortable from the get-go. It takes a fair bit of 'dialling in' to get the fit just right, any pitch up or down and things aren't so cosy - my arse has been a bit tender from riding it to work during the early days, only really noticed this off the bike though.

That said, since I found the right balance of height, pitch and fore-aft position, there's been less pain. You don't notice the saddle at all when you're on it, and I've replaced my suspension seatpost with a rigid post. Long rides on a chamois are comfy out.

Judging from Brooks lore, I would expect the fit and so comfort to increase with miles ridden. The B17 is perfect for my bike, a hybrid being used as a commuter and weekend century-trainer. It's also a good fit for my sit-bits, nice width without being too cumbersome etc.

I have a Mercian in the pipeline, and shall be looking to kit it out with a Brooks Swift

Itsfixed

thanks for the replies, beans and trojan

only concern now would be weight - they're a bit heavier than the average plastic saddle aren't they?

Mucco

Itsfixed wrote:

thanks for the replies, beans and trojan

only concern now would be weight - they're a bit heavier than the average plastic saddle aren't they?

They're not that heavy. You can get Ti rails if you're into weight saving!

M

beans

I was riding a Selle San Marco at 220g, the B17 comes in at 540g

Shaymoboy

I think a brooks is worth it if you are planning a lot of cycling.

A bit expensive all the same.

S