Question for brooks saddle owners

Cienciano

Ok, so I'm new enough to cycling so excuse me if this has been asked a million times.

But I wanted to upgrade my stock saddle. Most bike saddles have a perineum cut out. Brooks (B17) don't. But people say the brooks is the most comfortable. How is a saddle without this basic comfort feature considered the most comfortable saddle?

Jimoslimos

Cienciano wrote: »

Ok, so I'm new enough to cycling so excuse me if this has been asked a million times.

But I wanted to upgrade my stock saddle. Most bike saddles have a perineum cut out. Brooks (B17) don't. But people say the brooks is the most comfortable. How is a saddle without this basic comfort feature considered the most comfortable saddle?

I have a Brooks B17 on my Brompton and find it quite good. Mind you I'm only doing about an hour on it a day so results might vary depending on your riding style and distance. Took a while to "break-in" as well. It's definitely an upgrade on the stock Brompton saddle (for me anyway).

Never tried a cut-out, but saddles are very much down to the individual. No guarantee you'd find it any more comfortable.

Cienciano

Yeah, definitely down to the individual. At least they look cool even if it turns out they don't suit you which is probably more important.

Wishbone Ash

Cienciano wrote: »

Most bike saddles have a perineum cut out...

Most saddles??? In years of cycling in groups, I'd say about 1% have a cut out.

I used a B17 for a few years. Very comfortable but I don't need that level of comfort. (BTW they take a lot of 'breaking in'.)

dub 24

So I'm what you call a slow rider average 20/25km . A 80 km + cycle means I'm out for 5 hrs + with saddle time around 3 hrs + . I use a Brooks saddle and find it very comfortable, with no issues of discomfort. As everybody has said they take a while to break in but once done they are brilliant.
Cheers
Dub

Mefistofelino

B17 Carved is the cut-out version of the saddle


https://www.brooksengland.com/en_eu/b17-carved.html

magicbastarder

I put 1k or 2k onto my Brooks and found that it's very comfortable for shorter rides, say under an hour or two, but is ever so slightly too wide for me so longer rides it'd start to get a little chafey.

Wishbone Ash

OP - I should have said that you're welcome to try out my B17 for a few weeks if you're interested in seeing what they are like. It's not being used at the moment but would be broken into my shape.

Cienciano wrote: »

....At least they look cool even....

I think it depends on the bike. They don't really look right with modern carbon fibre.

smacl

I moved onto the Brooks B17 some years back after trying a range of saddles and find it the only one I can tolerate on all day cycles. I've also got a Brooks C17 on the turbo bike which is good, looks a bit more modern and is a bit lighter but, for me at least, not quite as comfy. I'd a Brooks Flyer on the hybrid which was also super comfy but weighed a fair bit. It is a very personal thing, two of the three Brooks saddles I currently have were bought from other boardsies who didn't get on with them.

ARX

I have a B17 on my touring bike and it's very comfortable, to the point that I never thought about it. It was comfortable from the start, it didn't need breaking in.

Don't go mad with the Proofide though. AFAIR the Brooks website gave contradictory advice on the use of Proofide. I think it may soften the leather and make it 'sink' where your sit bones are, which is not what you want. That happened to my first B17 so I bought a second and just put a thin smear on the exposed edge of the leather at the base, nowhere else, and it was just fine.

You have to keep them dry though; apparently riding a leather saddle wet can damage it, so it may not be the best choice for a commuter bike.

My bike is a drop bar tourer with a relatively upright sitting position. How it would be on a road bike I couldn't say, but they make other saddles.

phelixoflaherty

https://lovelybike.blogspot.com/search/label/saddles?m=1

Cienciano

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Most saddles??? In years of cycling in groups, I'd say about 1% have a cut out.

Fair enough, just going on what's for sale on a few websites, wouldn't know what's in use in the real world.
Cheers for the loan offer, reckon I'll use it stock saddle for a bit longer and if I decide on a brooks I'll just buy one

Jonesy101

I dont have an issue ever of pernium pain on long cycles using a regular saddle, but ive been using a Brooks for 5 yrs commuting every day for abt 30 mins each way and its great. Looks amazing! I keep it out of the rain when parked at work. Ive seen some v badly rain and sun damaged Brooks out there, maybe its because its leather or maybe that would happen to all saddles even plastic/rubber ones.

Planet X

.............and after Brooks saddles, you might possibly move to a Gilles Berthoud saddle. I did and would never buy a Brooks again....:)