Brooks B17 Standard Saddle Review

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Talk to anybody who takes riding a bike seriously and they will tell you one of the most important bike accessory decisions they made, one of the hardest bike accessory decisions they made, involved searching for the perfect bicycle seat.

Additionally most cyclists have a bevy of slightly used, some well-worn, tossed aside saddles that all promised tidings of comfort and painless miles, yet sadly they all fell short of the being the perfect bicycle seat. I fit among this "most cyclist" category, finding a mere one or two saddles that sufficed, but not one that ever really fit the bill. Up until I tried the Brooks B-17 saddle, that is.

Brooks B-17 Saddle Review

I had read and heard repeatedly cyclists praising the Brooks B-17 saddle, but having tried so many other name brands that were also highly praised, I was reluctant to invest in yet another "hopeful" (especially since Brooks saddles have a reputation for starting out rather "hard" and require a long "breaking-in" period.)

Boy am I glad I bit the bullet and ordered one anyway. After about 100 miles on my Brooks B-17 saddle, I am a firsthand believer. Let me tell you why:

Though hard to the touch, the Brooks B-17 saddle felt so incredibly comfortable that I didn't even feel where my sit bones and the saddle met. After having adjusted the seat positioning for my height and riding style, I found that much of my weight was actually shifted off of my backside and transferred to my arms. The result was less weight planted directly on the saddle, making my ride much more comfortable. As well, the Brooks B-17 saddle is wider than the norm for today's standards, and I found the added width aided in support of my backside.

The added bonus here is that even though the seat was so comfortable initially, I know it will only get better once the actual break in period has been met. That's the nice thing about Brooks saddles - since they are designed to conform to one's backside, the result is comfort designed especially for you.

Although the Brooks B-17 saddle is firm, I noticed that it absorbed "road shock" when I encountered a rather rough patch of pavement. I am not sure if it is due the suspended leather, the high rails, or a combination of the two, I just know that it was a very welcome change for me.

Another point to note is that the nose section of the Brooks B-17 saddle is more narrow than most other saddles offered in today's market. Being as the Brooks nose remains narrow through its length and tapers somewhat abruptly where it meets the rear part of the seat, I found the sudden transition more accommodating for my inner thigh area. Other saddles seem to have longer tapering transitions between the nose and rear of the saddle, which has resulted in painful chaffing of my inner thigh. It was such a welcome change not to suffer this with the Brooks saddle!

Plus I noticed that I did not slip in this saddle, or feel the need to reposition myself as I have with other seats. (Perhaps it was due in part to the fact that I did not sweat in this saddle as I do in vinyl ones; leather being more weather friendly. Perhaps it was due to the set of holes punched along the seats nose which seemed to allow air to pass over my crotch area during my rides. Either way, it was great!)

Conclusion

My verdict? Hands down, the Brooks B-17 is the best ride I have had, period. Sure you will hear people complain that the Brooks saddle is too hard, too uncomfortable, but you can't surmise that with your eyes, or with your hands. Of course it is hard; it is designed to be. But not on your backside. Try it. If adjusted properly, I am willing to bet you will not be disappointed. I wasn't. And I can promise you I will ride the Brooks B-17 saddle for a long time to come.

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Brooks Saddles B17 Standard Bicycle Saddle (Black Rails, Black)
	Manufacturer: Brooks Saddles Customer Rating:   List Price: $99.00 Sale Price: $83.44 Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Now
Product Description
Brooks Saddles B17 Standard is our flagship model, ideal for long distance sports touring, trekking and atb use. It has been on the market for over 100 years, being featured in as early as the 1898 catalogue. The Standard models feature black steel rails and the black leather seat features tubular steel rivets. The saddle weighs 525 grams
Product Details
Black Steel Rails Flagship Model Tubular Steel Rivets Wider Seat Ideal for Touring or Trekking
Customer Reviews
ALWAYS THE BEST   Review Date: February 29, 2008 Reviewer: Marc I. Berrenson, Woodland Hills, CA United States I have a variation on the classic B-17. Mine has springs, since I'm over-the-hill and need the extra cushioning for my tushe. Brooks, hands down, makes the best saddles, and always has. This sort of quality is very had to find these days. Not as "svelte" as the racing saddles that are out there, but very comfortable. The all purpose B-17   Review Date: November 20, 2009 Reviewer: R. F. Harrison, Honolulu, HI I simply love my Brooks B-17s. Currently I have two and a third is on the way. I use them on my daily commuter bike, an old mountain bike converted a single speed town bike and my Bike Friday New World Tourist which has been to Mexico, the Bay Area, and most recently, Las Vegas. The one I've on order will grace the Rivendell Quickbeam being built even as I write. Why the B-17? Unfortunately the saddles supplied with most bikes are uncomfortable plastic shells with some padding thrown on them. The plastic shell has no give and the padding eventually bunches up and creases giving the saddle some very uncomfortable spots. A leather saddle, the Brooks B-17, on the other hand will conform to the shape of the rider over time. And, because the leather is support in back and front, the saddle itself acts somewhat like a hammock to support the rider comfortably. I've never needed to use specialized riding shorts on my Brooks, even for long 50+ mile rides. I routinely do a 60 mile ride from Honolulu to Kailua and back and never experience problems. In addition, my daily commuting, 10-15 miles a day depending on errands, is done in work clothes for the most part and again, I've never experienced problems. Some folks have say that during the break-in period these saddles can be uncomfortable. Personally I've never found that to be true. Yes, they are more comfortable when they are broken-in, but I think they are better to beging with than most of the stock saddles that have come with my various bikes of the years. That break-in period will vary of course, depending on the rider. I've found that my Brooks become quite comfortable after just a couple of weeks which would be somewhere between 200-350 miles depending on my enthusiasm. Again, they are comfortable for me to begin with though. I'd not hestitate to do a longer ride on a new one. However, to be on the safe side, I generally put new saddles on my commuter to break them in more easily. I'm a clydesdale (230lb right now) so your mileage may vary on break-in. I haven't used Brooks Proofide on my saddles to season them, preferring a product called Obenauf's LP as recommended by Rivendell Bicycle Works. Brooks Saddles have been around for a long time. There's a reason for that. They are simply excellent. Aloha!