Recommendations on Brooks saddles

Qbiker29

I'm looking for help for a brooks leather saddle or similar saddle. Saddles have been very difficult for me. I'm 5'10.5" 154lbs my sit bones measure at 130mm I have been using a specialized toupe 155mm and its been the best so far but for much longer rides I would like a leather saddle. I have tried many saddles and most the issues were to narrow of width. I purchased a brooks team pro and loved the feel but found that my sit bones were placed on the rivets causing issues so I returned it. I have sate on a brooks b17 and it felt good but it was on a different bike. The team pro measures at 160 but with the rivets it seems like its 145-150 mm width. I ride a gravel and endurance road bike with a 2 inch bar drop but I can go up or down. I think a leather saddle would be very nice for gravel riding and for 100+ road rides/light touring rides.

My question is for recommendations on the brooks b17, team pro s (Women's models), Imperial versions. I also want to know if there are other leather options out there. I used the sell anatomical and found the cutout uncomfortable and the saddle wasn't wide enough. I sat on a b17 and liked the feel but it wasn't on my bikes. I worry that the brooks B17 may be uncomfortable with bar drop and I worry about the cutout making the saddle to flexible like the selle anatomica. I am unsure if the team pro s is wide enough.

I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

Thigh_burn

I can't help on the specific saddles you mention, but I do ride on a C17 and have done for a few years. It's the Cambium version of the B17. Personally I find it very comfortable. It's quite heavy and not the most svelte, but has been comfortable over longish distances.

mercia_man

Saddles are very personal so recommendations should be taken with caution. However, I have used B17 standard size with no cutouts on both my flat bar tandem (steel rails and small rivets) and drop bar tourer (titanium rails and large copper rivets) and it is easily the most comfortable saddle I have ever used for long multi-day rides. The B17 has stood the test of time and is the most popular leather saddle ever made.

Another leather saddle worth considering is Gilles Berthoud. A friend has one and it looks and feels really good. I haven’t ridden it for any distance though. Spa Cycles are good for leather saddles including their own brand. Brooks Cambium are a totally different product to their leather range.

pblakeney

Try speaking to your local dealer, if there is one.
They can usually arrange test saddles to ensure you get the right one.

Qbiker29

Thanks this is all very helpful I think I'm going to go for the b17 standard model. Ill look at the other saddles. I believe I tried a c17 but think I would need the c19.

I wish I had a different body style. I seem to always be in the in-between of a medium and large frame bike (top tube just right on a medium but too long on a large)(Head tube to short on a medium but perfect on a large) and I have wider than normal sit bones but if I go to wide then I chafe. Im sure the brooks b17 will solve some of my issues.