The Brooks Prayer: "How long, O Lord, how long?"
labarum
Posts: 110
I treated myself to a Brooks Swift Titanium a couple of years ago while in Germany. I bought it VAT free and when the pound was high, so it was a good price.
Could I break it in? No.
I tried again last year on return to UK and after finding some Neatsfoot oil. After a 24 hour soak it was no better.
This year I took it off the shelf in the garage and dusted off the box. Kill or cure, I thought. I marinated it for another 36 hours.
It might just be softening up now.
Finding the right position, too, has proved difficult. I remember reading somewhere that (and this runs counter to all my manly instincts of self preservation) that men find find saddles comfortable level or nose tipped up, and women level or nose tipped down. Now isn't that that what you would expect?
So, I tried nose up. Yes, much better. What a crazy world. I will work with this saddle nose up for a bit. I need to be careful getting on (I mean mounting?), and leaning into the drops makes me very cautious of the treble cleff problem. I tried extra padding - a spare sock for extra safety this afternoon!
Am I heading in the right direction? Has anyone advice? Will it be worth the effort? When I was a teenager in the 1970s I had a road bike with a leather saddle of similar proportions to the Brooks swift, and I don't remember these problems.
My other saddle is a Specialised Body Geometry. Comfortable from the start, but beginning to wear.
Could I break it in? No.
I tried again last year on return to UK and after finding some Neatsfoot oil. After a 24 hour soak it was no better.
This year I took it off the shelf in the garage and dusted off the box. Kill or cure, I thought. I marinated it for another 36 hours.
It might just be softening up now.
Finding the right position, too, has proved difficult. I remember reading somewhere that (and this runs counter to all my manly instincts of self preservation) that men find find saddles comfortable level or nose tipped up, and women level or nose tipped down. Now isn't that that what you would expect?
So, I tried nose up. Yes, much better. What a crazy world. I will work with this saddle nose up for a bit. I need to be careful getting on (I mean mounting?), and leaning into the drops makes me very cautious of the treble cleff problem. I tried extra padding - a spare sock for extra safety this afternoon!
Am I heading in the right direction? Has anyone advice? Will it be worth the effort? When I was a teenager in the 1970s I had a road bike with a leather saddle of similar proportions to the Brooks swift, and I don't remember these problems.
My other saddle is a Specialised Body Geometry. Comfortable from the start, but beginning to wear.
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Comments
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I have a Brooks B17 Ti on my winter bike. It is the most comfortable saddle I own by far. Nose up is the way to break it in and just be patient. Your heading in the right direction once your ass and the seat get comfortable with each other you will never go back.
I was on my fixie the other day for slighly longer than normal, a 25mile commute, and it was so uncomfy I was dreaming of the Brooks saddle. I think I will have to shell out for abother one, probably copper rails this time as the Ti is too fancy for that bike.0 -
Thanks Aberdeen.
I do wonder if I should have bought the wider B17 for my custom built Reynolds Steel Audax, but, as I said, I had a leather saddle of similar proportions to the Swift when I was a teenager, and it seemed right. My Specialised Body Geometry saddle is the widest available, but the B17 is even wider. I also have an Adamo saddle, and that works quite well, though it does look odd on such a classically built bike.
http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/ ... kwell.html
I did put a lot of weight on a few years ago, but got grip and lost it. I am the same weight I was when I was 18, though I never was the skinny sort - 6ft3in tall and 14.5 stone.
You say nose up when breaking in. You mean as I get used to it I may want to drop the nose? That may solve the other issue! But the nose is up only 5, maybe 7 degrees.
Are extra Neatsfoot soakings worthwhile? I guess you can go too far with that.0 -
Maybe its just not for you?
Saddles are a very personal thing and not all saddles are suited to everyone.
If it had been sat on a shelf I'mn guessing you have another saddle?If you do and its comfortable why not just stick with it rather than putting yourself through anymore pain.0 -
My two Brooks have both "settled" after being ridden in the rain with the rear tyre giving the underside a bit of a splash. Perfect dimples each time.Half man, Half bike0
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Buy a saddle designed in the last 50 years.0
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My brother (a non-cyclist) bought one for his 2000 mile cycle tour up the coast of America in April. Swears by it. He didn't do anything too it. Said it 'moulded' to his a*se and didn't have any discomfort and he was riding about 80 - 100 miles a day.0
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Well, I'm still saying my prayers, but if they remain unanswered much longer it's back to the Specialised Body Geometry saddle!0
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I'll take it off you for a fiver then!Half man, Half bike0
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Get a Fizik Arione - I bought mine and fitted it and then rode 100miles on it no probs.
My mate has a Spesh BG saddle - to me - it feels like a brick - so its all individual isnt it ?0 -
The Selle An-Atomica is a Brooks beater - zero break in period, the comfiest saddle I have ever used!0
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Have the Swift with titanium rails. Pricey but very comfy after a few thousand miles and wasn't particularly uncomfortable breaking in. FWIW looks good, too.
Brooks don't recommend soaking them in oil so I followed their advice - figured they should know. Just a smear of their cream every now and then and keep the cover on when parked in the open.0
