Brooks B17 Special

StanwaySteve62
StanwaySteve62 Posts: 702
edited September 2010 in Road buying advice
Just ordered one in honey to go on my new red Allez.
I've done over 2000 miles this year and still suffer even after 10 miles ( decent shorts as well)
Guess modern seats just compress under my 17stone bulk :D
Will let you know how I get on

Comments

  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Yeah let us know how long it takes to break it in eh Steve? ouch!
  • StanwaySteve62
    StanwaySteve62 Posts: 702
    My weight will prob help the break in period although all the research i did seems to dispel the break in period ( a bit)
  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    Am a Brooks fan, B17 special in green/copper, Team Pro and Swallow Ti. I don't think B17 is suitable for a road bike, at least from my own experience. Team Pro good for tourer, Swallow for roadie (to do with angle of your back/sit bones relative to saddle)
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • tatanab
    tatanab Posts: 1,283
    I think Father Jack is right. If you have the modern "roadie" position with bars way below the saddle then you might find the B17 is too wide. I ride in a much more upright position with the top of the bars barely an inch below the saddle. I find the B17 fine for this and have recently taken to a Swift which I find superb.

    Breaking in - having ridden Rolls for years, Brooks some years before that, about 6 years ago I bought a B17 Special expecting some initial comfort issues. They never happened. With the saddle set absolutely level, I found it firm and decidedly different to start with. After 100 miles of use it was unquestionably comfortable, and after 300 I stopped noticing it at all it was so good.
  • StanwaySteve62
    StanwaySteve62 Posts: 702
    Arghhh
    So stick with B17s or go with Brooks B17 Narrow Saddle or Brooks Team Pro Chrome Saddle?
  • StanwaySteve62
    StanwaySteve62 Posts: 702
    Well, I was going to have one sent but going to make a detour tomoro and go to the shop instead
  • tigerben
    tigerben Posts: 233
    +1 for the swift.. I have one on both of my bikes.

    In my experience breaking them in was not a problem - I used plenty of the proofride cream(?) in the first couple of weeks and was sitting comfy in no time. Not the lightest of saddles but certainly very comfy.
  • StanwaySteve62
    StanwaySteve62 Posts: 702
    Well, went for the B17 special and early signs are good.
    Did 35 miles this morning and is defo better in the sitbone area although is tough in the perinnials.
    Seems a saddle that you need to tinker the angle and postion though.
    Bottome line is that on my previous saddles when i got sore i had nowhere to go, on the brooks you can just sit up for a bit, relieve the front garden and let the back garden sink(relatively) into the main bulk of the seat

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