Customer Reviews

Brooks Saddles Flyer Bicycle Saddle (Men's)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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I Purchased a Brooks Champion Flyer saddle (Black) mid-May 2010.

I've read all the reviews I could get my hands on regarding Brooks saddles, and felt it was something I wanted to try. You have a LARGE contingent of those who swear by them with religious furor and a much smaller contingent who are disgusted that theirs never broke in and gave up.

Thus I felt it was a bit of a gamble. So far I am guardedly pleased. I have about 200 miles on the saddle so far, it appears to be breaking in quite nicely. One gent told me that his brooks to 1000 miles to break in but that it was comfortable after that. Brooks says that their saddles typically take about 300 Kilometers to break in. I'm a 43 year-old male 5' 9" 215lbs.

I've been a Specialized brand loyalist for most of the last decade, and in many respects I still am, I still recommend Specialized Milano type especially for men overwhelmingly. Because of out of box comfort for the price, perhaps a couple K on the Brooks will change that but not yet.

When I first opened the box and felt of the saddle I was worried I'd made a mistake, it feels way too hard to be comfortable when you handle it. I was determined to try so I installed it and found it considerably more comfortable than it looked but not as comfortable as some of the specialized saddles I've used right away.

I made the smart move of packing the larger Allen wrenches in my bike bag think I'd have to make quite a few adjustments to the Brooks and I was correct. In the past with other saddles, I'd moved it a half inch here, a quarter-inch there, etc. I was usually happy with 2 or 3 adjustments. I've made at least 6 adjustments to the Brooks to slowly bring it into where I was happy with the ride, not pitching myself too far forward, etc. The adjustments tend to be more frequent and smaller. The last adjustment I made was to move it 1/8 of an inch forward and yes I really could feel a difference.

The saddle seems to disappear under me when I ride it and I rarely notice or think about it on that bike, I take this as a good thing and that I am on the right track.

I was not prepared for the slippery factor, the saddle is a bit slippery due to the shiny leather, if you're used to synthetic saddles with the grippy fabric on them this will surprise you. I'm not sure the slippery tendency is good for off-road riders, they may opt to stay away from brooks for this reason, or at least try someone else's Brooks before you buy. Speaking for myself, I'm keeping my specialized saddle on the mountain bike. This is not a factor for me on the road bike as I'm using it purely on the road bike for long commutes and some touring.

I'm following Brooks care instructions to the letter, if you buy online be sure to order some Brooks "Proof hide" I forgot to do this and now there is a shortage of the stuff here in town. Luckily a local shop called "Old Spokes Home" put some proof hide on there for me, no charge. That will cover me until I can buy my own tin.

I have noticed some spring squeak on my flyer but this was only for a brief period after a rain. Seems to be gone now, don't know if it will return. The springy feel is not very noticeable unless you pogo up and down deliberately. I feel the springs do take some of the bumps out.

I rode up beside a gent on a surley LHT during my commute one day who had the same Brooks flyer only in brown, he's had his for a lot longer and says "I love it".

So after 200 miles, I'm happy and will probably stick with it. It seems to be getting increasingly comfortable. I feel I can recommend this saddle to the dedicated male touring or longer distance commuting cyclist. (my commute is 20 miles each way). I cannot recommend this saddle to cyclists who only rides the occasional weekend ride, or the off-road cyclist. I suggest that these folks look to Specialized Milano. Women should seek out saddle reviews written by women IMHO.

-Roger

The Brooks Champion Flyer is my fourth Brooks bicycle saddle. My first lasted twenty years. I bought the Champion Flyer for a hardtail mountain bike that I have been using as my around-town, utility bike.
Pros: The saddle is perfectly designed, constructed, and finished. It is absolute art, even in the standard-rivet model. The springs are firm, even for me at 220 lbs, so riding efficiency is not diminished. The springs do absorb both small vibrations and the occasional bigger impact. The result is that you feel less fatigued after a longer (10+ mile) ride than you would without the springs.
The saddle fits standard bicycle rails.
Brooks saddles, once broken-in, are custom-fit comfortable, and will never disappoint you.
The saddle comes with a spanner wrench for tightening. This becomes more important after break-in, to keep the leather taut.
Cons: This saddle doesn't come with a tin of the proofhide saddle dressing.

I have a Brooks Champion Flyer that I've been riding for a couple of years on a cyclocross frame. Got a great deal on a lugged steel road frame and put on a Brooks B17 to save a little weight. The B17 is lighter and prettier (especially the one with copper rivets) but I decided to put on the Champion Flyer to see how it felt on the road bike. OMG! What a difference! The Champion Flyer turned the road bike into a limo. Absorbs all the little bumps and greatly softens the big ones. It's way more comfortable than the B17 and worth the extra 10 ozs, particularly if you have a somewhat upright riding position.

Here in Chicagoland, we have really rough roads. The common recommendation for a Brooks saddle for my bike was to go with the tried-and-true B-17. But I'm glad I got this one instead. My first 30 mile ride on my Specialized TriCross left me with VERY sore sit bones, and a painful perineal (prostate) area. That was all it took to make me start seriously considering Brooks.

This saddle is perfect for a bike that will be used on roads and trails that can be a little rough. It is ideal for bikes whose handlebars are about the same height as the saddle. Looking at the photo, one would think that it would be a very bouncy ride. But the springs are stiff. When riding, you don't even realize it is sprung, but it takes the sharp jolt off of the bumps you feel going into your bottom and back.

I'm too happy to carry around the extra weight of the springs. (less than a pound) It means I will ride more, and lose MORE than the one pound from my belly. Why count ounces when we are pounds overweight ourselves? If you're already very thin and have a lightweight bike, it may not be worth it to you. Give this a serious thought before going with the masses and getting a B-17.

You can see pictures of this on my TriCross at the following URL:
[...]

So far, I only have about 50 miles on this saddle. It is just starting to get broken in, but even out of the box, it was more comfortable than the stock gel saddle that came with my bike. I can only imagine how good it will be in another couple hundred miles.

Don't forget to also buy a tin of Brooks Proofide along with the saddle. It will speed up break-in and waterproof the saddle.

I was unsure whether or not I would like the look and the feel of having a sprung saddle. With this saddle, I like both of these attributes. The springs are just the right tension. The only down side to the springs are the weight. I think that it is probably worth it though, as long as you are not putting this saddle on a racing bike.

While leather saddles do need some break in to show how comfortable they really are, even new, my Brooks Flyer was great. Impeccable construction, and very thick high quality leather make Brooks saddles the standard bearer against which others are compared.

A few points if you are considering this saddle:

1. It is heavy, so if you are a weight weenie, this isn't for you. This isn't a saddle for most kinds of competitive cycling. It added a couple of pounds to my bike, which is a ton in the world of bicycles.
2. A properly sprung saddle (which the Brooks Flyer is!) will take the edge off sharp and jarring bumps, but isn't the same as having suspension. Gravel will still feel bumpy, but it won't beat you up and leave you numb and tingly, like a hard, light, competition saddle can. It really works!
3. While most bikes come with either a giant gushy gel saddle or a small hard competition style saddle, few people will actually like these saddles best for what most people do with their bikes. Gel saddles feel great for a five minute test ride in the parking lot or in your hands in the store, but counter-intuitively, will not feel comfortable after a long ride for most people. The Brooks Flyer, on the other hand, is a great saddle for most people who commute, run errands, take weekend recreational rides, ride centuries, ride in multi-day charity events, take long scenic rides down back roads, etc...
4. You will either love or hate how it looks. This is just your taste. Me, personally, it looks great on my commuter rig, a Surly Cross Check, and would be a must if you have a nice old lugged steel frame from the bike boom.

In short, I think there is enough variability in the human posterior that a few people will not find the Brooks Flyer comfortable in the long run, but most will for most of the riding they do.

This stiff leather Brooks saddle makes no sense to me. It is comfortable. What I can't figure out is why. I have tried several padded bike seats and was miserable. I listened to other riders and at least 3 told me to try a Brooks and I finally bought this one with rear springs through Amazon. The leather feels wonderful to the touch but stiff.

The damn thing is wonderfully comfortable. How come all kinds of padded and gel seats and seats with openings down the middle are torture and this ancient stiff leather seat is wonderful?

I am using it on my "go to the store" very upright bike with baskets on the front and back. I am a male and don't know what female riders might like.

I had heard that Brooks Leather Saddles were the most comfortable seats, but required a couple hundred miles to break in. The Flyer with it's springs fit my needs perfect. After initially ordering a honey flyer, I discovered the pre-aged laced version. Along with the Flyer I order an extra seat post so I could exchange seats if my rear go to sore. I'm pleased to say I have not had to swap to the padded seat at all. The pre-aged Flyer took a little getting used to, but once I got the height right and sit way back on the seat, it is felling great. The instructions that come with the seat also advise sitting back as far as possible. The wear-in helps to make slight indentations in the leather from your "sit bones".
Be aware that you can not get the Pre-shrunk wet, like leaving it out in the rain. The leather is soften to the point that the seat comes with laces to taught it up if needed. You may also need to adjust it after a few years. This package comes with a wrench for tightening and a cover to keep it dry while your not riding. I'm very pleased with the look, and feel of this classic saddle. You won't be disappointed in the springs, they provide a nice ride. My bike is an Electra Townie 7D.

I bought this saddle mostly out of curiosity from all the hype, and partly because of where, and how, it is manufactured. I was in the process of refurbishing an old steel framed Fuji Touring Series bicycle, so I decided to replace the existing saddle with the Brooks Flyer. Having seen one in person, I knew the saddle surface was hard.

However, when the pitch of the saddle is properly adjusted (level for me), I didn't notice the saddle hardness. The springs do manage to take out road vibration and help to absorb larger shocks. And as other reviewers have noted, the saddle is slippery, which can be dangerous if the saddle pitch is too great. On my first test ride, the saddle was pitched to far forward. I reached down to change gears and almost slid entirely off the saddle. I came close to losing control of the bike and crashing. So, if you buy, just be aware of this possibility.

One of the things I don't like about this saddle is the extra maintenance required. You'll need to periodically condition it with oil and adjust the tension bold to keep the leather taut. Call me lazy.

In the future I would consider purchasing another Brooks Saddle, but it would have to be out of a desire to add extra style to a bicycle and I would also have to be willing to part with the extra cash. From experience I know that I can get the same performance out of saddles costing one third to one half as much. And Brooks Saddles may well last longer, but after 30 years of cycling, I've never had a saddle wear out.

I have to say i was extemly hesitant to make such a perchase do to the price of this item. I have purchased other seats and they were not worth what i had paid for them. They as well had agreat deal of good things said about them as well, it always seems that way about a product however doesnt it. That being said, when my brooks had arrived, i had noticed the detail that was put into the packaging. NO slop job there, then when i had opend it, and examed the saddle, i was more than pleasantly surprised in the craftmenship. If people were to take that kind of care in things all the time, it would be amazing. Brooks saddles are NOT cheaply made, they are made extremly well. I had purchased this towards the end of winter, so it was shipped to me in extrem cold, after a couple of hours of being in the box one could see the quility of the leather. This saddle is worth every penny. Not to mentioned, it felt way nicer just sitting on it and a short 5 mile ride. I cant wait to take this on my first tour. Thanks Brooks.