Customer Reviews

Brooks Saddles B17 Standard Bicycle Saddle (Black Rails, Black)

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Classic Brooks B17 has a lot going for it. Mine is a Honey colored classic. It took me about 500 miles to break it in. I sped the process up with inundating in a substance I will not describe. I risked ruining the saddle, but the treatment seemed to set it in nicely. Be careful with advice to speed the break-in. You can ruin it. I'm a 165# male, FWIW.

The saddle for me, is very comfortable on the sit bones once it settles in. However, I recently changed my riding position, lowering my handlebar to a more aggressive stance, and I can no longer use it. I was recently 'fitted' by a professional to address other issues I was having on my bike.

Especially on the drops the Brooks caused problems. One one-hour ride and my 'taint, as they say, was screaming. It's a day after my ride and I still feel something a urologist could explain better than I. I've also had urological issues towards the ends of very long rides (60 miles and up) when your form and technique start to degrade.

I gave the saddle 4 stars since it is a classic and is still the last word for long distance riders whose handlebars are pretty much level with the top of the saddle, and who rarely need to use the drop position on their bike.

That said, using heavily padded shorts and bibs may exacerbate the soft tissue problems while improving sit-bone comfort.

Where is my saddle now? It's on my hybrid commuter where I "SIT" on the Brooks in a more upright position. If I had a Trek 520 or LHT, it would still be on my road bike.

It's not for everyone, but if it is for you, you will be one of the many many true believers. Just watch out for the 'taint!

Saddle selection is famously anecdotal. But the Brooks B-17 is certainly worth your time if you're a serious tourer. The saddle holds it's value very well, and even if you don't like it after-all, I doubt you'd sell it. I'm not selling it!

Happy trails.

After being away for about 8 years, don't ask me why, I decided to get back into cycling again, and bought a Trek 520, mostly for commuting, but plan to do some longer trips later. The saddle that came with the bike was so hard I hurt for a week after using it a few days, and stopped riding it. I looked into other saddles, found Brooks, and decided on the aged since I didn't want to ride a marathon to break it in. I have just installed it and I have only ridden a dozen miles on this saddle so far, and decided to write this now. There is no break in period, it feels great right from the start. I had to actually make myself think about the saddle I was sitting on, it was so comfortable from the get-go, that I almost forgot about it, which was good, as it allowed me to enjoy my ride more. This is one great all leather saddle, and I know I am going to enjoy it for many years to come. If and when I get another bike, I will order a Brooks before I even ride it.

The saddle comes with some leather string tied into the underside, like a shoelace, which as time goes on, you tighten it up a bit, plus a wrench to tighten the rear linear adjustment. You'll know when you get yours, but this adjustment needs very little at a time, if at all?

I bought the Proofride saddle dressing, or wax as I call it. You put it on the underside of the saddle and leave it, put a small amount on the sides and polish it off, but put none on the top. I do not know if this works, but even the bike shop said it was a good idea, so I will use it. Expensive for a small tin, but probably worth it.

One other thing, the saddle comes with a cover for when it rains, I didn't know this so it was a nice surprise as I wanted to get one. Glad I didn't order it ahead of time.

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.

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!

I purchased the Brooks B17 Standard Saddle to replace the gel seat that came with my 54" road bike. I weigh 235 pounds and the gel seat was never comfortable for more than a few miles. The Brooks B17 standard saddle was an immediate improvement over the gel covered plastic seat that came with the bike and has become even more comfortable over riding 500 miles in a span of 6 months. I look forward to years of comfortable riding from this quality Brooks saddle. Unlike a gel covered seat which compresses under your sit bones on to the plasic underside, causing a very stiff ride after a few miles, the B17 saddle supports your weight over a leather piece tensioned in between the saddle frame. Initially the tension is rather stiff however as you break the saddle in from riding, the leather gradually becomes more flexible and supports your sit bones as if in a spring-tensioned hammock. Since the leather is supporting your weight under tension, it's important to only use conditioning products that are intended for leather saddles (not standard leather care items) and apply as directed to avoid causing damage to the leather fibres. Also, never allow the saddle to get wet which would cause the leather to become brittle and strech.

The only thing I used to assist the saddle break-in is Brooks Heritage Saddles Proofide Leather Dressing. It's important to follow the manufacturers directions on Brooks Website and not over-apply the Proofide saddle conditioner. Only apply the Proofide lightly to the underside and top part of the saddle a few times during the break-in period. After 500 miles or so you will see a noticeable difference in the saddle flexibility and from then on, only a tiny amount of Proofide applied to the top part of the saddle every 3-6 months is all that's necessary for saddle maintenance. Eventually you will need to adjust the tension of the saddle after the leather starts to loose it's support, so it's nice that a specially made Brooks saddle tension wrench was included with the saddle. One other thing to note is that proper seat adjustment will make a crucial difference in the comfort of your Brooks saddle. After break-in once the saddle starts to become more flexible, the seat angle should be adjusted to a slightly downward angle to compensate for the rear of the saddle (where your sit bones are) being lower than the front.

Brooks B-17 Standard Saddle:

My first leather saddle, and quite comfortable I must say. The craftsmanship is impeccable, and you can tell that the folks at Brooks have looked over every aspect of the design with a careful eye.
I've put about 150 miles onto it so far, and no signs of any change in the leather... but I don't expect this "break in" to really happen until I reach at least 300 to 400 miles.
So I bought this saddle to accompany my Surly Longhaultrucker as I bike across America this summer with a friend. On some of the two to three hour training rides I've been doing I have been very pleased with the level of comfort provided by this saddle.
As I mentioned in my title, it can be somewhat difficult to find the "sweet" spot where the saddle works best. For me this was simply a matter of trial and error... and don't worry about breaking in your Brooks in the wrong position because you have to put in at least 300 miles before you will see results...
Spend the 100 bucks for a saddle that will last you for the next 30 years and will also make long distance rides enjoyable

For an avid or even a part time biker this is an excellent seat. Had no trouble installing or adjusting the seat. There was no need to buy any tools, it came with a wrench. Would highly recommend it.

These are just phenomenal. Mine, green with copper, took about 120-200 miles to break in. I'd tell you exactly when but I forgot about it, found myself focused on my legs, gears, and flying down the river bike path. When I finally realized that I still had a saddle, that I wasn't miraculously suspended, hovering, nor floating above my bike, I was impressed.
I know people are different. Bikes, riding positions, styles, and expectations differ. You might not like it.
Mine started out a little stiff, I did put some proofide (buy some to go with it!) on it. I wish someone had coerced me to get one years ago. JUST GET ONE.
If you still aren't sure there are sellers on a popular auction site that will guarantee you will like it or your money back. Only bad thing is you'll pay at least 50% more than here. But really, even then, if you find the most comfy saddle in world it will be worth it.
Also there didn't seem to be any one explaining why these are so comfortable: They support your weight on your sit bones not on soft tissue. Hope this this helps;)

Much has already been said about this classic saddle, so I will keep my comment brief. The thing that really stands out to me about this saddle is the shape. It's wide enough in the back and narrow enough in the front and the radius of the major curves is just right. If you've ever hit a bump on a saddle that's too narrow in the back, you'll be able to imagine what it might be like to be split in two. And, if you've ever ridden a saddle that's too wide in the front for any length of time, the word "chafing" isn't an adequate description of what has happened to you.

This is hands down the best saddle made and a 150 years of making them they got it down right. Once you get it dialed in you will wonder why you ever used any other saddle on your bike. No road vibrations, no pain in the butt, nothing but nice and smooth. How does it work? It's kinda like sitting on the head of a drum. The saddle flexes over every bump in the road and after a time it starts to form to the shape of your sit bones. Comfortable with no teeth rattling ride. Hand made in England and not rolled off some assembly line in China so its worth every penny.