Brooks rubbing problem

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am almost happy with the B-17 standard saddle I bought. After about
100 miles, and lots of tweaking, I find it to be very comfy, except for
a problem of rubbing. It occurs at the back of each leg, just below my
butt. It feels like the edge of the chamois is rubbing on the skirt
of the saddle.

Sounds like you might be a candidate for drilling & lacing the skirt.
Usually, it's done to tighten up the middle of an old sagging saddle, but it
may help in your case.

Here's an example:

http://tinyurl.com/jt3vz

The project requires a drill and a baseball mitt lacing kit.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

-HW

On 14 Jun 2006 10:56:39 -0700, "[email hidden]" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I am almost happy with the B-17 standard saddle I bought. After about
100 miles, and lots of tweaking, I find it to be very comfy, except for
a problem of rubbing. It occurs at the back of each leg, just below my
butt. It feels like the edge of the chamois is rubbing on the skirt
of the saddle.

I would really like to be able to use this saddle, I like the way it
supports my butt, but the rubbing is a problem. Has anyone else had
this problem and solved it?

Perhaps you need a "narrow" ?

Quoted message said:

I am almost happy with the B-17 standard saddle I bought. After about
100 miles, and lots of tweaking, I find it to be very comfy, except for
a problem of rubbing. It occurs at the back of each leg, just below my
butt. It feels like the edge of the chamois is rubbing on the skirt
of the saddle.

I would really like to be able to use this saddle, I like the way it
supports my butt, but the rubbing is a problem. Has anyone else had
this problem and solved it?

Thanks.

Bill

Could the B17 be a little to wide and or flat topped for you. While
my honey colored B17 is really comfortable, it is black from the upper
thigh of my shorts rubbing it. The same thing on the outside of my
hip. I recently bought much narrower Brooks Swift for my other bike.
No rubbing at all on that saddle because it is narrow with a more
curved top so that little but my sit bones contact the saddle. The
Swift took a little gettting used to after using a B17 (at first I felt
perched on the saddle with my thighs and hips in the open air), but now
it is more comfotable for my narrow back end on long rides. Going back
to B17 feels like a am sitting in a leather chair now. Great for short
rides but I do begin to feel rubbing after 40 miles or so.

See Sheldon Brown's web site for the various Brooks saddles and thier
relative widths.

Wayne

To update my original post, upon closer examination, the rubbing is
against the "ridge" between the side skirt and the top of the saddle.
It is fairly pronounced on my B17 standard. I think if I laced the
saddle it would be too unforgiving on my soft parts. I almost wanted
to file the ridge down smooth, but I think that would ruin the saddle.

Do any other Brooks models have a less pronounced (or no) "ridge"
between top and side? Or maybe a narrower saddle would work for me.

Bill

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am almost happy with the B-17 standard saddle I bought. After about
100 miles, and lots of tweaking, I find it to be very comfy, except for
a problem of rubbing. It occurs at the back of each leg, just below my
butt. It feels like the edge of the chamois is rubbing on the skirt
of the saddle.

I would really like to be able to use this saddle, I like the way it
supports my butt, but the rubbing is a problem. Has anyone else had
this problem and solved it?

Thanks.

Bill

Quoted message said:

To update my original post, upon closer examination, the rubbing is
against the "ridge" between the side skirt and the top of the saddle.
It is fairly pronounced on my B17 standard. I think if I laced the
saddle it would be too unforgiving on my soft parts. I almost wanted
to file the ridge down smooth, but I think that would ruin the saddle.

Do any other Brooks models have a less pronounced (or no) "ridge"
between top and side? Or maybe a narrower saddle would work for me.

Bill

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am almost happy with the B-17 standard saddle I bought. After about
100 miles, and lots of tweaking, I find it to be very comfy, except for
a problem of rubbing. It occurs at the back of each leg, just below my
butt. It feels like the edge of the chamois is rubbing on the skirt
of the saddle.

I would really like to be able to use this saddle, I like the way it
supports my butt, but the rubbing is a problem. Has anyone else had
this problem and solved it?

Thanks.

Bill

As mentioned above, some models have a curved transition between the
top and sides. The curved models are considered more "racing" saddles
and are best for a less upright sitting position.

That said, your B17 should contiunue to break in and the rubbing will
be less of a proeblem as the leather edge between the top and side is
reformed by you body.

good luck

Quoted message said:

To update my original post, upon closer examination, the rubbing is
against the "ridge" between the side skirt and the top of the saddle.
It is fairly pronounced on my B17 standard. I think if I laced the
saddle it would be too unforgiving on my soft parts. I almost wanted
to file the ridge down smooth, but I think that would ruin the saddle.

Do any other Brooks models have a less pronounced (or no) "ridge"
between top and side? Or maybe a narrower saddle would work for me.

Sounds like a Team Professional is what you may want:

http://www.wallbike.com/TeamPro.html

It is narrower than B17, has no "ridges", but is not as narrow as the
Swift.

I have a Team Pro on one bike and a Swift on the other. Had Team Pro
for much longer, and so far it feels more comfortable than the Swift
(on Team Pro, I actually prefer to ride in non-padded shorts; with
Swift, not sure yet).

I ordered a Team Pro from Wallbike. I like their 6 month money back
guarantee.

Thanks to all for your input.

Bill

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

To update my original post, upon closer examination, the rubbing is
against the "ridge" between the side skirt and the top of the saddle.
It is fairly pronounced on my B17 standard. I think if I laced the
saddle it would be too unforgiving on my soft parts. I almost wanted
to file the ridge down smooth, but I think that would ruin the saddle.

Do any other Brooks models have a less pronounced (or no) "ridge"
between top and side? Or maybe a narrower saddle would work for me.

Sounds like a Team Professional is what you may want:

http://www.wallbike.com/TeamPro.html

It is narrower than B17, has no "ridges", but is not as narrow as the
Swift.

I have a Team Pro on one bike and a Swift on the other. Had Team Pro
for much longer, and so far it feels more comfortable than the Swift
(on Team Pro, I actually prefer to ride in non-padded shorts; with
Swift, not sure yet).

Quoted message said:

I ordered a Team Pro from Wallbike. I like their 6 month money back
guarantee.

Since you are going to be stuck w/ the B17 while the new one is coming,
why not try 'Porflide' (IIRC it's name, it's the oil/ softener that one
applies to leather saddles) It's supposed to be applied to the under
side, but in this case it can't be due to the frame near the point of
contact, then also apply some to the top side.
If you don't have it, you are going to need it for the new saddle.

Also, it's probably too late now, butt (pun intended) have you tried
the Specialized butt width test or it's home spun version? (Which I've
not been able to get a measurement from) Seems to me that getting this
measurement could be of value to anyone buying a new saddle.

When I 1st read you're post, my first thought was that your saddle was
too narrow, due to the pressure on the outside of the saddle on the
frame support area.

My 3 cents worth, John

Actually I am going back to my Koobi Silver until the Team Pro arrives.
The Koobi is okay for about 2 hours, after that my sitbones ache. It
seems to put all my weight on my sitbones, whereas the B17 spread out
my weight on my butt muscles. The Koobi does not cause any rubbing,
however.

I have not tried the sitbone test, but I am thin and I believe I have
narrow sitbones.

Bill

john said:

Quoted message said:

I ordered a Team Pro from Wallbike. I like their 6 month money back
guarantee.

Since you are going to be stuck w/ the B17 while the new one is coming,
why not try 'Porflide' (IIRC it's name, it's the oil/ softener that one
applies to leather saddles) It's supposed to be applied to the under
side, but in this case it can't be due to the frame near the point of
contact, then also apply some to the top side.
If you don't have it, you are going to need it for the new saddle.

Also, it's probably too late now, butt (pun intended) have you tried
the Specialized butt width test or it's home spun version? (Which I've
not been able to get a measurement from) Seems to me that getting this
measurement could be of value to anyone buying a new saddle.

When I 1st read you're post, my first thought was that your saddle was
too narrow, due to the pressure on the outside of the saddle on the
frame support area.

My 3 cents worth, John

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted post said:

To update my original post, upon closer examination, the rubbing is
against the "ridge" between the side skirt and the top of the saddle.
It is fairly pronounced on my B17 standard. I think if I laced the
saddle it would be too unforgiving on my soft parts. I almost wanted
to file the ridge down smooth, but I think that would ruin the saddle.

Do any other Brooks models have a less pronounced (or no) "ridge"
between top and side? Or maybe a narrower saddle would work for me.

Bill

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am almost happy with the B-17 standard saddle I bought. After about
100 miles, and lots of tweaking, I find it to be very comfy, except for
a problem of rubbing. It occurs at the back of each leg, just below my
butt. It feels like the edge of the chamois is rubbing on the skirt
of the saddle.

I would really like to be able to use this saddle, I like the way it
supports my butt, but the rubbing is a problem. Has anyone else had
this problem and solved it?

Thanks.

Bill

I have a B17N (the narrow version), which I think is almost as narrow as
the swift. I was having rubbing problems, about in the same place as
your description. I tightened the tension bolt in the nose of the
saddle, which solved the problem for me.

It doesn't take much adjustment - go no further than 1/4 a turn and try
it out. You can ruin the saddle if you go too far.

Quoted message said:

To update my original post, upon closer examination, the rubbing is
against the "ridge" between the side skirt and the top of the saddle.
It is fairly pronounced on my B17 standard. I think if I laced the
saddle it would be too unforgiving on my soft parts. I almost wanted
to file the ridge down smooth, but I think that would ruin the saddle.

You don't want to file it (that would leave a rough surface finish).
Instead you want to reform the leather, by using a smooth metal tool
while the leather is dressed with either Brooks own Proofide or
something similar. For serious reworking and reshaping of leather, you
could try the Lon Haldeman trick of soaking overnight in 10W-30 motor
oil... but you may not need to be so extreme. A generous amount of
Proofide top and bottom, or something similar, and perhaps something
like the rounded end of the handle of a metal dinner knife, or a
hammer, might be enough.

Or, as other have suggested, perhaps adjust the tension nut, or get the
Team Pro.
o

On 15 Jun 2006 12:24:54 -0700, "[email hidden]" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I ordered a Team Pro from Wallbike. I like their 6 month money back
guarantee.

Let us know how you get on - I'm also thinking of replacing my B17
with a Team Pro.