should i go Brooks??

Triangle Kebab
Triangle Kebab Posts: 85
edited June 2013 in Road beginners
I hear a lot of people say that a Brooks saddle is simply superb, i'm thinking of getting one, but it seems quite a bit of cash to fork out for something that may not work for me. Does anyone know if i can "borrow" one from shops? and also which of the Brooks models is most suited to a road bike?
Thanks

Comments

  • declan1
    declan1 Posts: 2,470
    I tried one, and it was seriously uncomfortable. I know you're meant to wear them in and everything, but I would try a few modern saddles and find one you like. Will look MUCH better too, in addition to saving up to 500g in weight...

    Road - Dolan Preffisio
    MTB - On-One Inbred

    I have no idea what's going on here.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Team Pro, Swift or Swallow look OK on a road bike. Relatively heavy though unless you go for the Ti railed ones, in which case they are eye-wateringly expensive.

    I went for a B17 Special in honey with copper plated rails and big hand-beaten rivets. Superbly comfortable from the word go, and a thing of great beauty, but as has been mentioned it did add half a kilo to the weight of the bike.
  • blackhands
    blackhands Posts: 950
    I've got on eI've had since about 1960 and it's very comfortable. I don't know about the quality of the latest one. They are heavy though.
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    They work for some people's bums, they cause grief to others.

    I am not a believer in the whole 'breaking in' thing - they either work for you from day one, or they aren't for you.

    I have a Ti Swift on the audax bike and it's lovely. I do some big miles on it without issues. I've had it around 5 years and they cost quite a bit back then - nowadays, you have to sell a kidney. Even the ti ones are still pretty hefty - these are not weight weenie saddles!

    I have B17 Specials on a couple of other bikes - but both of those have a more upright seating position that suits the B17 better for me.

    They are great - if your behind fits one. I have one bike without a Brooks on - my commuter fixed wheel - has a Charge Spoon on it. I find that uncomfy after around 30km on it. But I don't really want a Brooks on a bike I leave in town a lot!
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    declan1 wrote:
    I tried one, and it was seriously uncomfortable. I know you're meant to wear them in and everything, but I would try a few modern saddles and find one you like. Will look MUCH better too, in addition to saving up to 500g in weight...
    A standard (not titanium rail) Brooks B-17 weighs 520 grams. Please tell us more about your comfortable 20 gram saddle. I am dying to hear...
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • declan1
    declan1 Posts: 2,470
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    declan1 wrote:
    up to 500g
    A standard (not titanium rail) Brooks B-17 weighs 520 grams. Please tell us more about your comfortable 20 gram saddle. I am dying to hear...

    ...

    Road - Dolan Preffisio
    MTB - On-One Inbred

    I have no idea what's going on here.
  • crankycrank
    crankycrank Posts: 1,830
    Saw this link (here?) awhile back. Explains the Brooks line well and everything you need to know short of actually riding on one. http://swhs.home.xs4all.nl/fiets/tests/ ... ex_en.html
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    declan1 wrote:
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    declan1 wrote:
    up to 500g
    A standard (not titanium rail) Brooks B-17 weighs 520 grams. Please tell us more about your comfortable 20 gram saddle. I am dying to hear...

    ...

    If the OP is considering a Brooks I'd imagine comfort is of greater importance than <500g extra weight on his bike. I'm firmly of the belief that you're much better off finding a saddle you could sit on all day than worry about a bit of extra weight. Unless you're a pro/elite rider the easiest 500g to lose is probably on your own body (certainly in my own case).

    For what it's worth, I love the B-17 on my tourer. It feels like an armchair compared to my Antares.
  • southdownswolf
    southdownswolf Posts: 1,525
    Another fan of the B17. Completed my JOGLE sat on it, very comfy it was too.
    http://www.stuartmole.co.uk/
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    declan1 wrote:
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    declan1 wrote:
    up to 500g
    A standard (not titanium rail) Brooks B-17 weighs 520 grams. Please tell us more about your comfortable 20 gram saddle. I am dying to hear...

    ...
    Exactly - up to 500 grams. Let's see the example of the 500 gram weight savings.

    It is so wearisome these gross exaggerations of how much 'heavy' bicycle components weigh and how many hundreds of vital grams one can slash from the overall weight of a bicycle. There is no way known you're going to save 500 grams off your saddle weight by forgoing a Brooks B-17 saddle - hell, the titanium model B-17 weighs 410 grams. Do the math.
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    Do the maths.

    Fixed that for you :wink:
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    Rolf F wrote:
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    Do the maths.

    Fixed that for you :wink:
    Nice thought, but no fix. Both 'math' and 'maths' are grammatically correct, with math being more common in North America and elsewhere and maths being more common in England. There's nothing in it.
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    I had a Brooks for a while once and flogged it (on here fwiw) as it looked ridiculous having a big chunky leather saddle on a modern road bike, and it wasn't that comfortable tbh and I didn't fancy spending a few months waiting for it to settle in. A nicer looking more comfortable saddle for less money? Do the maths.
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    Nice thought, but no fix. Both 'math' and 'maths' are grammatically correct, with math being more common in North America and elsewhere and maths being more common in England. There's nothing in it.
    Except that we're in England, so there is. Have a nice day y'all now.
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    CiB wrote:
    I had a Brooks for a while once and flogged it (on here fwiw) as it looked ridiculous having a big chunky leather saddle on a modern road bike, and it wasn't that comfortable tbh and I didn't fancy spending a few months waiting for it to settle in. A nicer looking more comfortable saddle for less money? Do the maths.
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    Nice thought, but no fix. Both 'math' and 'maths' are grammatically correct, with math being more common in North America and elsewhere and maths being more common in England. There's nothing in it.
    Except that we're in England, so there is. Have a nice day y'all now.
    Hmmm. Me thinks that thou might not understand too well what the www. part of the web address stands for. Those first two Ws? World Wide...
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • RiderUk
    RiderUk Posts: 71
    I have the Brooks B17 copper special on my single speed Cinelli,early day's yet but very comfortable.
    Still in the breaking in process and using Brooks proofide as per the instructions.
    It's a thing of beauty......
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    RiderUk wrote:
    I have the Brooks B17 copper special on my single speed Cinelli,early day's yet but very comfortable.
    Still in the breaking in process and using Brooks proofide as per the instructions.
    It's a thing of beauty......
    The copper special is my favourite. I have been riding Brooks saddles for over 30 years and I love them.
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • RiderUk
    RiderUk Posts: 71
    Hoopdriver - That's good to hear. :D
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    RiderUk wrote:
    Hoopdriver - That's good to hear. :D
    I'm glad you're glad
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    The B17 is good for touring and if you have quite an upright position on your road bike. Good for BIG distances, but unnecessary for people doing the odd 100 miler. They do look a little ridiculous on anything but an old steel road bike or tourer though. I had one on a road bike when I was an audaxer and it was mostly very comfortable, but I found it extremely uncomfortable when I used the drops (probably due to the slightly nose up position you need to stop your bum sliding forward on it).

    Not so long ago they were about £25 and worth a punt. Now they're just too expensive. The lighter and sleeker looking models are ridiculously expensive.
    More problems but still living....
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    amaferanga wrote:
    The B17 is good for touring and if you have quite an upright position on your road bike. Good for BIG distances, but unnecessary for people doing the odd 100 miler. They do look a little ridiculous on anything but an old steel road bike or tourer though. I had one on a road bike when I was an audaxer and it was mostly very comfortable, but I found it extremely uncomfortable when I used the drops (probably due to the slightly nose up position you need to stop your bum sliding forward on it).

    Not so long ago they were about £25 and worth a punt. Now they're just too expensive. The lighter and sleeker looking models are ridiculously expensive.
    Much as I like Brooks saddles I have to agree with you on the cost thing. THey are just too expensive these days. I have them on my bikes - which are all steel framed ones, it must be said - and I am glad they last a long, long time because I would sure hate to have to replace them.
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • rrsodl
    rrsodl Posts: 486
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    amaferanga wrote:
    The B17 is good for touring and if you have quite an upright position on your road bike. Good for BIG distances, but unnecessary for people doing the odd 100 miler. They do look a little ridiculous on anything but an old steel road bike or tourer though. I had one on a road bike when I was an audaxer and it was mostly very comfortable, but I found it extremely uncomfortable when I used the drops (probably due to the slightly nose up position you need to stop your bum sliding forward on it).

    Not so long ago they were about £25 and worth a punt. Now they're just too expensive. The lighter and sleeker looking models are ridiculously expensive.
    Much as I like Brooks saddles I have to agree with you on the cost thing. THey are just too expensive these days. I have them on my bikes - which are all steel framed ones, it must be said - and I am glad they last a long, long time because I would sure hate to have to replace them.

    Until you find the right saddle you will always take a gamble with saddles. I tried at least 5 saddles before I bought a brooks. For years I kept thinking that I would find something lighter. I regret that cause I could have prevented the discomfort.

    I have a few Brooks saddles, two of which are surplus to requirements and for sale on this link http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40091&t=12927779 I have two Swallow saddles on the road bikes and there is no other saddle that compares to that, not even the B17. We are all different and I know the B17 is the favourite choice of many but no so much for me. I sold mine, maybe the B17 narrow is a better choice for me.

    Yes, they are expensive but the last many years and they are beautiful.

    They do need a breaking in period. Some people don't get on with them, the same way they don't get on with other saddles.
  • RiderUk
    RiderUk Posts: 71
    Today I road a tad over 30 miles on my new bike,which is fitted with a Brooks B17 saddle.
    I also wear Altura Pro Gel cycle shorts, no problems whatsoever and is so comfortable.
    The saddle is fitted to a steel frame, fixed gear, single speed, retro design track bike and looks just perfect.
    Tonight I shall be mainly polishing my saddle. :D

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