rpowell24's Full Review: Brooks B17 Special / Copper Saddle
I first started biking to and from work as a way to get some extra exercise and to save on gas money but soon started to really get into it as a hobby and eventually began riding in races like the Hell of the North ride and a club century ride. After these races and long rides I was often really sore and it took me a few days to be able to ride again. Talking to some fellow riders, I decided that a new and better saddle would make for a more comfortable ride as well as enhance my performance.
After going through many saddles (buying from LBS and selling on eBay at a loss) I finally decided to give the traditional Brooks B17 a try. I have always steered away from the Brooks saddles because they are very heavy and start off very hard, but decided to give it one more try.
The saddle came in a great box, that had a very classic look. Lots of muted earthy colors and vintage typesets. I think part of the brooks appeal is the history of the saddle, they're quality handmade and haven't changed since the late 19th century. Because it is important to maintain and protect the saddle to ensure the best performance, inside the box also came a rain cover and an owners manual full of history and a guide for taking care of the saddle.
The actual saddle also has a very vintage, quality look. It is dark green colored genuine leather with coppered rivets and a bevelled edge which is great becuase it prevents my bike shorts from catching.
The first thing I did with this saddle was condition it according to the care guide with Brooks Proofide. The process was pretty straight forward and worked pretty well.
I initially setup my saddle on my bike on the trainer in order to give it a trial run and work out the kinks on my fit. I set it up about 2 cm below where my old saddle was used a level to make sure it was actually level (tip to tail).
Within the first two minutes I knew something was wrong, I felt like all my weight was on my arms. This saddle is VERY slick. I had to tilt my saddle pretty far back, so that the tip was about 4-5 cm higher. After this adjustment the saddle felt much better, but still pretty hard.
Over the next week of trainer rides I was able to further refine the setup, but I pretty much stuck with my setup after the first ride.
The Saddle is getting better with every ride, I can feel it breaking in and forming to my sit bones. I am now getting ready for the LOTOJA (Logan to Jackson 209 mile ride) this fall and I am confidant that with my Brooks Saddle it will be my best ride yet.
I bought my saddle for $140 which is a more expensive saddle but I believe it was deffinately worth the cost since it will last a long time and is quality craftsmanship. Other Brooks brand saddles run from $90 for their most basic styles and up to $500 for their special edition saddles.
Back by popular demand, the Brooks line of saddles are the most requested item that you our customers are asking for. TheClassic B17 is an all leather...More at eBay
Special Color British Racing Green, the perfect mate to your Classic BRG Falcon or Mercian. TheClassic B17 is an all leather cover with brass rivets p...More at eBay
Special Color British Racing Green, the perfect mate to your Classic BRG Falcon or Mercian. The "Classic" B17 bike saddle is an all leather cover with...More at Bike Nashbar
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2010 Shopping.com, Inc.