Anyone riding on a Brooks saddle?

[rannyv]

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!

I thought the highest intelligence award went to Ashkenazi jews. And I am neither Dutch nor Jewish and of entirely average intelligence.

A couple of things to keep in mind about following cycling advice from those in The Netherlands. Firstly, they cycle for transportation and for the most part, find doing it for recreation rather odd. They don't wear helmets or a cycling costume. Second, Holland is pretty flat and windy and they have an excellent cycling infrastructure, so the bikes they use would not work particularly well for most of us. They are upright, rather heavy and often use roller brakes which are great for low maintenance, but not good for stopping where higher speeds or hills are a factor.

 

[tomjasz]

I thought the highest intelligence award went to Ashkenazi jews. And I am neither Dutch nor Jewish and of entirely average intelligence.

A couple of things to keep in mind about following cycling advice from those in The Netherlands. Firstly, they cycle for transportation and for the most part, find doing it for recreation rather odd. They don't wear helmets or a cycling costume. Second, Holland is pretty flat and windy and they have an excellent cycling infrastructure, so the bikes they use would not work particularly well for most of us. They are upright, rather heavy and often use roller brakes which are great for low maintenance, but not good for stopping where higher speeds or hills are a factor.

Almost true....VBG
Their upright bikes make the best eBikes IME. Riding upright, for me, puts me in the perfect position for a full view of traffic around me. No leaning over handlebars with more of a head down position like road or hybrid bikes.

 

[larry-new]

Just got in my B17 Imperial, and a short five mile ride led me to remember my first Brooks, thirty or more years ago...Was it comfortable? No, but not as uncomfortable as my current try, one for whom I had to put on a gel pad almost immediately. Money wasted. $50.

Here's a handmade item, holding butts for over 100 years on this very model. It will break in just as shoes do, and provide many happy miles. Ten year guarantee. $100.

 

[larry-new]

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!

There was a time, on my first Brooks and Gitane, when I was in my twenties, when I'd head out on a Saturday morning around 6a.m. and go around one of the Finger Lakes...about 100 mi., and be home by noon or so, sore, but never off the bike, just standing in the pedals here and there. Sunday, I'd do the same around another lake.

Now, in my seventies, and away from that kind of riding for a long time, it's patently ridiculous to imagine I could ever do that again. Ridiculous, but not impossible...I'd settle for a good 60 miles, once...and limp to the hot tub the second day...but we can dream, can't we?

 

[larry-new]

27 miles today on the new B17...all in the saddle, except standing up on the pedals a few times. It felt hard, but not painful. Also easy to move fore and aft a bit for new positions..but actually, I didn't pay attention to it all that much...it worked as it should.

9/19 - 33 miles today...absolutely no pain, and this saddle is just starting to break in...about four applications of Proofide, bottom and top.