Anyone riding on a Brooks saddle?

[CodyDog]

My research seems to show me that the B67 model is for upright and the B17 model for more forward position. What would you consider the Rad Rover position to be? To me it seems to fall in the middle. Any comment's would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[JRA]

Do a search for Brooks on here. Other threads already that may answer you question.

 

[Reid]

Lots of Brooks stuff here in the saddle thread

 

[CodyDog]

Lots of Brooks stuff here in the saddle thread

Thanks Reid.

 

[CodyDog]

Do a search for Brooks on here. Other threads already that may answer you question.

Thanks JRA. There's some good stuff. I was hoping to hook in a Rad user per my OP.

 

[christob]

I had the B67 on my ebike (not a Rad Rover) -- my bike (with my handlebar + saddle position) is just shy of a full upright / cruiser position (ie, I can sit basically straight upright, if I only touch the handlebars with my fingertips... if I grip the handlebars for normal riding, my back is of course, required to angle forward slightly. Not sure how that geometry compares with the Rad, but I found the B67 (with padded cycle shorts) pretty comfy overall for my riding posture.

 

[CodyDog]

I had the B67 on my ebike (not a Rad Rover) -- my bike (with my handlebar + saddle position) is just shy of a full upright / cruiser position (ie, I can sit basically straight upright, if I only touch the handlebars with my fingertips... if I grip the handlebars for normal riding, my back is of course, required to angle forward slightly. Not sure how that geometry compares with the Rad, but I found the B67 (with padded cycle shorts) pretty comfy overall for my riding posture.

Thanks Chris, that is helpful.

 

[Reid]

I wrote to the Dutch author of this site,

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

He is really quite remarkable. The Dutch have been said, by others, to possess the highest intelligence of humans today.

Such claims are to be weighed by how a saddle fits, in our cases! Or assets! (grin).

Wouder may apply to this thread. I hope he does. He has a great deal of Brooks experience.

And remarkably, despite its being a defective design or execution, I am entirely satisifed with my Brooks Swift. I laced it, that's why I am happy with it. I laced it because of Wouder's advice re: another model of Brooks saddle. He has sort of made me a Brooks fan (I had two Brooks saddles long ago and did not know how to make them work. Now I know how to make a Brooks fit very quickly and surely.)

Thanks, Wouder!

I have a bony butt I thought required a padded saddle. But today I ride in comfort without a padded saddle, without padded shorts. I ride on thin nylon track pants good for daily use everywhere with plain boxer briefs, and while the Brooks Swift =definitely is not padded=, it is perfectly comfortable, because I made the Brooks saddle mold to my sit bones and such. Thanks, Wouder!

 

[rexel1]

I’ve got a B67 with a Suntour suspension post. It’s the only saddle I’ve ever used that I can ride really long distances on. Firm but really supportive. I ride with a fairly sporty stance. I found most saddles, whether on my ebike or normal bikes, far too narrow.

 

[CodyDog]

Well I ordered a Brooks B67 this afternoon, should arrive Saturday!

 

[Reid]

Reid,

You may quote anything from my emails if you think it's useful, I'm not
at the moment going to write on that site. I'm not a self-promotor
(which I know is a mistake in professional life, but I just don't like
to do it), and similarly I let my site stand for itself. Any comments or
suggestions about what should be added or questions, are welcome for that.
the B67 that a guy there asked about, for
me it works also for fast riding with saddle height at approx. handlebar
height, as I mentioned on my saddle page, and I only ever had a problem
with alternating between B66S (women's saddle) and B17. I think the
width of the saddle is not that big of an issue for fast riding as then
you tend to go more forward to the nose of the saddle anyway. With the
B66S perhaps this doesn't work, and the angle of the leather top getting
wider may have been the issue, which I mentioned on my site. So for men,
surely the B17 is better for cases when the saddle height is the same as
the handlebar height, but the B68 (no longer made) or B67 will likely
work too, as it does for me. The lower the saddle, the wider it can be,
esp. for comfort, and then the B67 works very nicely.

As I mentioned also on my site, important point for leather vs plastic:
If a plastic saddle doesn't feel right, it likely never will, a leather
saddle will form a soft area supporting the sit bones, so here the
saddle will usually get better. Only the saddles that tend to sag are
problematic (Conquest/Conqueror, Swift)

Wouter

https://swhs.home.xs4all.nl/fiets/index_en.html

By lacing my saddle while it was yet new and un-sagged my Swift will never sag.

It cannot sag because its shallow sides cannot now splay outwardly.

Now, if experience proves me wrong, I will say so in an edit to this posting.

But Wouter and some thought have convinced me that simple things really are as they appear. I will avoid riding it wet, and carry the rain cover for it always, but as it is dry, and laced with just two zip ties through holes simply made with a sharp, slender awl, this Swift cannot ever sag:

When first ridden, I had soaked the new saddle in tepid water for about 15 minutes to allow it to conform quickly with my sit bones, which it did. But the sides also splayed out and the top stretched and sagged. I came home after a 5 mile ride, bandaged the saddle with an elastic wrap while it dried, and thought. I removed the sag by tightening the adjuster bolt. And the next day I did what had to be done: poked holes with the awl. And while I could have used shoelace, I had none. I had zip ties. And they are super easy to install and tension just-so, and so I think I will retain them.

The Swift has very shallow sides. Which look nice. But if the Swift saddle gets wet the leather becomes stretchable and with such shallow sides, those short sides give very little I-beam support to the top, and worse, they splay outwardly, even more destroying the support for the top.

Brooks saddles such as the B17 always have deep sides, presumably to always provide support for the top against hummocking.

 

[Curious George]

My favorite saddle is a Brooks B17. You know...the “regular” one. I switched to one a while back on my regular bike and have not looked back. I usually ride 4 or more times a week for 20 to 30 miles with an occasional longer trek. My new E bike, an Amego Infinite, came with a Velo Gel thingy. I decided to give it a chance. After a couple of days and a 100+ miles my butt area felt like it was abused by the “bat” from the Walking Dead. I bought another Brooks for that bike and even though it’s not broken in.... it is a quantum leap better. Based on past experience this will only improve over time as the saddle breaks in.

Oh....I just use Proofide on the saddle and I ride in a pretty upright position.

 

[CodyDog]

I’ve got a B67 with a Suntour suspension post. It’s the only saddle I’ve ever used that I can ride really long distances on. Firm but really supportive. I ride with a fairly sporty stance. I found most saddles, whether on my ebike or normal bikes, far too narrow.

Thanks Rexel1.

 

[CodyDog]

https://swhs.home.xs4all.nl/fiets/index_en.html

By lacing my saddle while it was yet new and un-sagged my Swift will never sag.

It cannot sag because its shallow sides cannot now splay outwardly.

Now, if experience proves me wrong, I will say so in an edit to this posting.

But Wouter and some thought have convinced me that simple things really are as they appear. I will avoid riding it wet, and carry the rain cover for it always, but as it is dry, and laced with just two zip ties through holes simply made with a sharp, slender awl, this Swift cannot ever sag:

View attachment 23595
View attachment 23596
When first ridden, I had soaked the new saddle in tepid water for about 15 minutes to allow it to conform quickly with my sit bones, which it did. But the sides also splayed out and the top stretched and sagged. I came home after a 5 mile ride, bandaged the saddle with an elastic wrap while it dried, and thought. I removed the sag by tightening the adjuster bolt. And the next day I did what had to be done: poked holes with the awl. And while I could have used shoelace, I had none. I had zip ties. And they are super easy to install and tension just-so, and so I think I will retain them.

The Swift has very shallow sides. Which look nice. But if the Swift saddle gets wet the leather becomes stretchable and with such shallow sides, those short sides give very little I-beam support to the top, and worse, they splay outwardly, even more destroying the support for the top.

Brooks saddles such as the B17 always have deep sides, presumably to always provide support for the top against hummocking.

Thanks for the information Reid.

 

[Over50]

I'm a couple of hundred miles into my first Brooks (B17). It came with my Riese and Muller. I expected to not like it but I've been surprised. I like it better than my other saddles. I gave it a first treatment with a quality saddle soap and a second with Brooks Proofide. Tightened the laces a bit and have tightened the tension only slightly. Combined with the Thudbuster ST its been quite nice so far. I also bought the rain cover for the saddle (Amazon I think).

 

[PowerMe]

I have a Brooks B17S (the women's version of the B17) that has about 300mi on it. It's okay for about 10 mi then I'm sore. I tried another/padded seat and I could only ride for 10 mi on that before my butt was sore. So this is about my butt and needing to get off the bike and walk and stretch and toughen up my sit bones. I don't think I'll ever be one of those who can ride 25 miles at a time without taking some serious breaks. Those of you who ride for 30 to 50 miles at a time must have the super bike-conditioned butts!

 

[CodyDog]

I'm a couple of hundred miles into my first Brooks (B17). It came with my Riese and Muller. I expected to not like it but I've been surprised. I like it better than my other saddles. I gave it a first treatment with a quality saddle soap and a second with Brooks Proofide. Tightened the laces a bit and have tightened the tension only slightly. Combined with the Thudbuster ST its been quite nice so far. I also bought the rain cover for the saddle (Amazon I think).

Thanks for the reply over 50.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Sheldon Brown has the best notes on leather saddles I have seen.

If you can find a leather saddle that fits your butt, if you break in the saddle properly, and if you care for it properly you will love your leather saddle. If one or more of the above are not true you may as well sit on an axe head.

The challenge for most of us mere mortals is figuring out what "properly" means in terms of breaking in and care. For breaking in that involves applying various treatments to the saddle that will soften the leather enough that it will conform to your shape but not so much that the leather stretches out and sags. If the leather stretches and sags past a certain point the saddle is unrecoverable so you do need to exercise a modicum of caution.

Proper care mainly involves not getting the saddle wet, which again causes the leather to stretch and sag. Also, you need to be careful to not allow the leather to dry out in the sun or if you live in a low-humidity environment.

One downside of a Brooks saddle is that most leather treatments will eventually discolor your clothing. So it is highly recommended to wear black shorts or pants with your Brooks saddle.

 

[tomjasz]

Mine.

 

[CodyDog]

Mine.

Nice model Thomas!