I was on a ride today, and part way through I felt something go 'ping', and my saddle started sagging. I got home and checked it out, and discovered the nose piece that holds the tension bolt on the saddle broke.
The saddle is a Brooks Team Professional with the titanium rails. I guess I've discovered that I shouldn't be using titanium saddles.
I bought it from wallbike, so hopefully they will warranty it.
This is my 2nd Brooks saddle that has broken on me. My first was a B-17N, which the frame cracked.
Weight is about 225, I'm guessing mileage is only 1000.
I notice a much more forgiving ride when I switched from steel railed Brooks to Ti and I weigh 150 or so. If my 150 can flex the rails, then I would agree 225 may break them. As a lighter rider I like the idea of heavier (and more powerful) riders needing heavier bikes :-)
Weight is about 225, I'm guessing mileage is only 1000.
I notice a much more forgiving ride when I switched from steel railed Brooks to Ti and I weigh 150 or so. If my 150 can flex the rails, then I would agree 225 may break them. As a lighter rider I like the idea of heavier (and more powerful) riders needing heavier bikes :-)
I took a risk on the Ti Brooks, because I had a Ti saddle a couple years ago (Terry Fly) and the rails never broke. The rails didn't break on the brooks either, it was the piece the tension bolt screws into. Near as I can tell, the rails are ok, they don't look bent or cracked.
I notice a much more forgiving ride when I switched from steel railed Brooks to Ti and I weigh 150 or so. If my 150 can flex the rails, then I would agree 225 may break them. As a lighter rider I like the idea of heavier (and more powerful) riders needing heavier bikes :-)
I agree that Ti railed B-17 seem more forgiving. That could just be perception on my part though.
I weigh 220 these days and ride a Ti B-17. It has 7,000 or so miles on it. I wonder if seat post clamp makes a difference. Usually I use two bolt, but with this saddle a I use a modern Campy single bolt. This reminds me to inspect the rails.
I notice a much more forgiving ride when I switched from steel railed Brooks to Ti and I weigh 150 or so. If my 150 can flex the rails, then I would agree 225 may break them. As a lighter rider I like the idea of heavier (and more powerful) riders needing heavier bikes :-)
I agree that Ti railed B-17 seem more forgiving. That could just be perception on my part though.
I weigh 220 these days and ride a Ti B-17. It has 7,000 or so miles on it. I wonder if seat post clamp makes a difference. Usually I use two bolt, but with this saddle a I use a modern Campy single bolt. This reminds me to inspect the rails.
Gary Jacobson Rosendale, NY
I recently had both rails break on a Brooks Professional. These were plated steel; there seems to be a crack in the rails which had corroded. I have had the saddle a few years but I would not expect Brooks to fail in this way. I rang them and they offered to look at it but I haven't got round to sending it in.
I weigh 11 stone 10 lbs (multiply by 14 if you want to get it in lbs).
-- Anthony Campbell - [email hidden] Microsoft-free zone - Using Linux Gnu-Debian http://www.acampbell.org.uk (blog, book reviews, on-line books and sceptical articles)
I weight about 190 these days, and have well over 15,000 miles on a Ti- railed Swift. So far, so good...
But I think a lot has to do with riding style as well as weight and mileage (on the saddle). Are you the kind of person who puts their weight onto their legs when approaching a known bump, or do you sit it out? If the latter, what kind of tires are you riding (I've never found a comfortable saddle for remaining seated while dealing with obstacles like RR tracks, etc).
I weight about 190 these days, and have well over 15,000 miles on a Ti- railed Swift. So far, so good...
But I think a lot has to do with riding style as well as weight and mileage (on the saddle). Are you the kind of person who puts their weight onto their legs when approaching a known bump, or do you sit it out? If the latter, what kind of tires are you riding (I've never found a comfortable saddle for remaining seated while dealing with obstacles like RR tracks, etc).
--------- Exactly, rise out of the seat on bumps. But if you ride at night a lot, sometimes you hit bumps unexpectantly. I use minimum 25 tires, that takes some load off the saddle too. My seat failures (2) were always with the binder bolt on the seatpost clamps, breaking. No, I can't ride standing up, I ended up walking. I have a new brooks, I thought it was bullet proof, but maybe nothing is.
I weight about 190 these days, and have well over 15,000 miles on a Ti- railed Swift. So far, so good...
But I think a lot has to do with riding style as well as weight and mileage (on the saddle). Are you the kind of person who puts their weight onto their legs when approaching a known bump, or do you sit it out? If the latter, what kind of tires are you riding (I've never found a comfortable saddle for remaining seated while dealing with obstacles like RR tracks, etc).
--------- Exactly, rise out of the seat on bumps. But if you ride at night a lot, sometimes you hit bumps unexpectantly. I use minimum 25 tires, that takes some load off the saddle too. My seat failures (2) were always with the binder bolt on the seatpost clamps, breaking. No, I can't ride standing up, I ended up walking. I have a new brooks, I thought it was bullet proof, but maybe nothing is.
I stand up a little when going over the bumps, so I don't think that is the problem. I also have 25 mm tires (Pro2 Race), which are really big compared to most of the 25mm tires I've seen.
