Brooks saddle?

Once again I'm after advice. I need to replace my saddle; it's split
after a good few years of use and the buckets of sweat it had to endure
this summer. I'm sorely (ha ha) tempted by the Brooks Swift, even though
it costs the best part of 65 quid. Am I a victim of sales talk or are
these really as comfy/hard wearing as they are made out to be, or would
I be better off going for something more modern, like a Selle Italia
Flite or SDG Bel Air? Or maybe there's a something in the 20 - 30 quid
range that is just as good?
--
Julian

Julian writes:

Once again I'm after advice. I need to replace my saddle; it's split
after a good few years of use and the buckets of sweat it had to
endure this summer. I'm sorely (ha ha) tempted by the Brooks Swift,
even though it costs the best part of 65 quid. Am I a victim of sales
talk or are these really as comfy/hard wearing as they are made out to
be, or would I be better off going for something more modern, like a
Selle Italia Flite or SDG Bel Air? Or maybe there's a something in the
20 - 30 quid range that is just as good?

You either love of hate Brooks saddles: so much so that I wonder if
there are seriously bad ones araound, although I've never sat on
one. Personally I would not dream of having anything else on my
bikes. And if you look at the proportion of people who've ridden a lot
of miles who ride Brooks, it has to say something.

Some people say that 'they're hard to start with', and 'you have to
break them in'. Well, they are hard of course, and not just to start
with. But soft, in saddles, does not equal comfortable - rather the
opposite, on anything but a very short journey. I've never had a
Brooks which wasn't suprememly comfortable from brand new.

I think the only advice I'd give is get the one that fits your width
of pelvis. I personally use the 'Professional' model, which fits me.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Hobbit ringleader gives Sauron One in the Eye.

"Simon Brooke" wrote in message
. uk...
Julian writes:

Once again I'm after advice. I need to replace my saddle; it's split
after a good few years of use and the buckets of sweat it had to
endure this summer. I'm sorely (ha ha) tempted by the Brooks Swift,
even though it costs the best part of 65 quid. Am I a victim of sales
talk or are these really as comfy/hard wearing as they are made out to
be, or would I be better off going for something more modern, like a
Selle Italia Flite or SDG Bel Air? Or maybe there's a something in the
20 - 30 quid range that is just as good?

You either love of hate Brooks saddles: so much so that I wonder if
there are seriously bad ones araound, although I've never sat on
one. Personally I would not dream of having anything else on my
bikes. And if you look at the proportion of people who've ridden a lot
of miles who ride Brooks, it has to say something.

Some people say that 'they're hard to start with', and 'you have to
break them in'. Well, they are hard of course, and not just to start
with. But soft, in saddles, does not equal comfortable - rather the
opposite, on anything but a very short journey. I've never had a
Brooks which wasn't suprememly comfortable from brand new.

I think the only advice I'd give is get the one that fits your width
of pelvis. I personally use the 'Professional' model, which fits me.

Agree with all Simon says, I use a Brooks for longer rides, say of a few
hours, but for anything of less than 20 miles/1hour I am happy to use
saddles that aren't olde worlde Brooks ones.

"Julian" wrote in message
...
Once again I'm after advice. I need to replace my saddle; it's split
after a good few years of use and the buckets of sweat it had to endure
this summer. I'm sorely (ha ha) tempted by the Brooks Swift, even though
it costs the best part of 65 quid. Am I a victim of sales talk or are
these really as comfy/hard wearing as they are made out to be, or would
I be better off going for something more modern, like a Selle Italia
Flite or SDG Bel Air? Or maybe there's a something in the 20 - 30 quid
range that is just as good?
--
Julian

I went for the cheapest entry level model, 2nd ride I did on it was a
thousand mile end to end over ten days and probably done around a thousand
on it since, no problems, from day 1, to such an extent that I sometimes
forget I'm on a saddle ;-).....Unlike my previous saddle on the bike which
let me know I was on it EVERY SINGLE mile serious ouch

I always use leather as I could never get ANY synthetic saddle which was
comfortable for me.
I've a 16 years old Colt on one bike, I've used a few Conquests and a few
B17. The B17s are the best buy.

Julian wrote:

this summer. I'm sorely (ha ha) tempted by the Brooks Swift, even thoug=
h=20
it costs the best part of 65 quid. Am I a victim of sales talk or are=20
these really as comfy/hard wearing as they are made out to be, or would=
=20
I be better off going for something more modern

Depends on your particular bum, but as a very happy user of Brooks=20
saddles (B17, B66 and B-Brompton) I'd say that if you're more or less=20
the right shape you're unlikely to find anything significantly better=20
unless you're counting milligrammes.
The B17 is a fair chunk cheaper but still a superb saddle. Maybe look=20
there if =A365 is a bit daunting. As with *any* saddle, sit on it first =

is a Cunning Plan and see if it's more or less right. If a Brooks is=20
then it starts off hard but still comfortable. Over time it gets a=20
little softer and *very* comfortable[1]. If it's torture from the off=20
it's quite likely to stay that way, and I'd look elsewhere.

Pete.

[1] comfort is relative, my B66 is the most comfortable saddle I've ever =

used. But my recumbent is still an order of magnitude better.
--=20
Peter Clinch University of Dundee
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Gearóid Ó Laoi/Garry Lee" wrote in message
...
I always use leather as I could never get ANY synthetic saddle which was
comfortable for me.
I've a 16 years old Colt on one bike, I've used a few Conquests and a few
B17. The B17s are the best buy.



That's it!! thanks Garry (sorry, don't know how to do the fancy 'o' on my
keyboard), the B17.
Oh and I'm 6'1" and weigh 14 stone, if that's any help ;-)
Dave

Julian wrote:
Once again I'm after advice. I need to replace my saddle; it's split
after a good few years of use and the buckets of sweat it had to endure
this summer. I'm sorely (ha ha) tempted by the Brooks Swift, even though
it costs the best part of 65 quid. Am I a victim of sales talk or are
these really as comfy/hard wearing as they are made out to be, or would
I be better off going for something more modern, like a Selle Italia
Flite or SDG Bel Air? Or maybe there's a something in the 20 - 30 quid
range that is just as good?

I use one. It's pretty comfy after 1000 miles. I used neatsfoot oil on
mine when it was new, so expect a very long break-in period if you only
use Proofide. The weight is pretty awful - most people find a Flite
comfortable and that's what I'll get for the racing bike when it comes
back resprayed. Flites are 30 quid from Settle Cycles.

After 8500km on the Brooke's saddle that I bought for my workhorse bike, I
am not convinced by them. I bought it after reading rave reviews here and
elsewhere, and have to say the jury is still out. I honestly find it less
comofrtable than the previous Selle Italia, which I have "relegated" to my
offroad-bike. Perhaps it is not yet broken in?

"RicT" wrote in message
...
After 8500km on the Brooke's saddle that I bought for my workhorse bike, I
am not convinced by them. I bought it after reading rave reviews here and
elsewhere, and have to say the jury is still out. I honestly find it less
comofrtable than the previous Selle Italia, which I have "relegated" to my
offroad-bike. Perhaps it is not yet broken in?


Jury's still out after 8500kms ???...wow (can't think of anything else to
say ;-)
Dave.