Brookes Saddle - yeeha!!

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

Quoted message said:

Finally maaged to get me bum on a Brookes today. Entry level B17. Swapped

it

Quoted message said:

in the shop for me plastic pseudo gel saddle. Shop assistant warned me it would be painful, at
least initially. Decided to take it for a tentative

30

Quoted message said:

mile ride, in the rain...lots of rain. With the bike finally looking like a 'proper bike', I
tested my resolve

for

Quoted message said:

doing the LEJOG in a couple of weeks, after all, it'll probably rain for

my

Quoted message said:

entire attempt...there'll be this little grey cloud follow me all the way down ;-). So, new
leather saddle and lots of water. Got home and although I could no longer feel my fingers or
toes, me bum

was

Quoted message said:

singing the praises of the leather saddle. Barely noticed it !...if it's this comfortable brand
new, can't wait for it to get worn in ;-) Cheers, Dave (and his happy bum ;-)

Oh yes. I've got a titanium Brooks Swift on my bike. Lovely but took about forty hours of riding to
break in. Once it's broken in it's yours for life. I'm just about to fit a sprung Brooks saddle to
my not so good bike.

Nice to know they're still available. I have a "Brooks Professional" on my old Holdsworth racer and
it's still comfy after more then ..ahem ...years. I wonder why you don't see more around - I can't
really see how "technology" can make a plastic/leather saddle work any better?

Having said that, I have a modern plastic/leather saddle on my Marin mountain bike, as it's rather
more practical for wet, muddy conditions, but there are scratches and cuts on the leather covering
that the Brooks would shrug off....

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Finally maaged to get me bum on a Brookes today. Entry level B17.

Swapped

Quoted message said:

it

Quoted message said:

in the shop for me plastic pseudo gel saddle. Shop assistant warned me

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

would be painful, at least initially. Decided to take it for a tentative

30

Quoted message said:

mile ride, in the rain...lots of rain. With the bike finally looking like a 'proper bike', I
tested my resolve

for

Quoted message said:

doing the LEJOG in a couple of weeks, after all, it'll probably rain for

my

Quoted message said:

entire attempt...there'll be this little grey cloud follow me all the

way

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

down ;-). So, new leather saddle and lots of water. Got home and although I could no longer feel
my fingers or toes, me bum

was

Quoted message said:

singing the praises of the leather saddle. Barely noticed it !...if it's this comfortable brand
new, can't wait for it to get worn in ;-) Cheers, Dave (and his happy bum ;-)

Oh yes. I've got a titanium Brooks Swift on my bike. Lovely but took

about

Quoted message said:

forty hours of riding to break in. Once it's broken in it's yours for

life.

Quoted message said:

I'm just about to fit a sprung Brooks saddle to my not so good bike.

...bicycles with saddles - how quaint :-)

ok, I admit it I do have some of those too...

Geoff Bowles said:

Nice to know they're still available. I have a "Brooks Professional" on my old Holdsworth racer
and it's still comfy after more then ..ahem ...years. I wonder why you don't see more around - I
can't really see how "technology" can make a plastic/leather saddle work any better?

You don't see them around because you can't market stuff that isn't "sporty" and/or high tech to the
majority of UK cycle buyers. And even if you *could* do that, very few believe that a piece of kit
that looks as though you could use as a cricket bat could *possibly* be more comfortable than a
super-duper computer designed anatomical wonder saddle with trendy cutout and squidgy padding. But
as has been pointed out before, a Brooks is heavy, relatively expensive, almost always an extra
purchase and needs extra TLC compared to something modern, yet you *still* see a disproportionate
number of serious touring machinery running with them. And there's a good reason for that!

Quoted message said:

Having said that, I have a modern plastic/leather saddle on my Marin mountain bike, as it's rather
more practical for wet, muddy conditions, but there are scratches and cuts on the leather covering
that the Brooks would shrug off....

I thought that, but eventually just *had* to put a B17 on my MTB after a 25 mile ride on its
"comfort gel" predecessor left me barely able to walk. Haven't had any problems with it, you just
proofide the bottom as well as the top.

Not as comfy as the chair on my 'bent, but the B66 on my old tourer is easily the most comfortable
saddle I've used on any bike (like Dave's new B17, it was more comfortable out of the box and just
got better and better). And I've got the Brompton/Brooks on the Brommie as well. I did try one of
the Speccy "Body Geometry" things for 5 miles last year, bloody 'ell it were grim!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

You *did* put Proofide or some other kind of waterproofing on it, before riding in the rain, didn't
you? It's also a good idea to put some kind of waterproof cover (bin liner, grocery bag, purpose
made Carradice saddle cover) on a Brooks before riding in the rain.

Stories about Brooks saddle needing a painful break in period are greatly exaggerated, IME. No break
in necessary on the B17 or the Colt for me.

Here's to many mile on the Brooks.
--
mark "Dave" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Finally maaged to get me bum on a Brookes today. Entry level B17. Swapped

it

Quoted message said:

in the shop for me plastic pseudo gel saddle. Shop assistant warned me it would be painful, at
least initially. Decided to take it for a tentative

30

Quoted message said:

mile ride, in the rain...lots of rain. With the bike finally looking like a 'proper bike', I
tested my resolve

for

Quoted message said:

doing the LEJOG in a couple of weeks, after all, it'll probably rain for

my

Quoted message said:

entire attempt...there'll be this little grey cloud follow me all the way down ;-). So, new
leather saddle and lots of water. Got home and although I could no longer feel my fingers or
toes, me bum

was

Quoted message said:

singing the praises of the leather saddle. Barely noticed it !...if it's this comfortable brand
new, can't wait for it to get worn in ;-) Cheers, Dave (and his happy bum ;-)

--------------E2DC69C922A3E1E3E50580F5 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

I agree, you'll need to look after your saddle in the wet. You can find out how to look after the
addle in the FAQs at www.brookssaddles.com.

I'm the happy owner of a B66 and two Conquests. They're all very comfortable and required minimal
breaking in.

TB

mark said:

You *did* put Proofide or some other kind of waterproofing on it, before riding in the rain,
didn't you? It's also a good idea to put some kind of waterproof cover (bin liner, grocery bag,
purpose made Carradice saddle cover) on a Brooks before riding in the rain.

Stories about Brooks saddle needing a painful break in period are greatly exaggerated, IME. No
break in necessary on the B17 or the Colt for me.

Here's to many mile on the Brooks.
--
mark "Dave" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Finally maaged to get me bum on a Brookes today. Entry level B17. Swapped

it

Quoted message said:

in the shop for me plastic pseudo gel saddle. Shop assistant warned me it would be painful, at
least initially. Decided to take it for a tentative

30

Quoted message said:

mile ride, in the rain...lots of rain. With the bike finally looking like a 'proper bike', I
tested my resolve

for

Quoted message said:

doing the LEJOG in a couple of weeks, after all, it'll probably rain for

my

Quoted message said:

entire attempt...there'll be this little grey cloud follow me all the way down ;-). So, new
leather saddle and lots of water. Got home and although I could no longer feel my fingers or
toes, me bum

was

Quoted message said:

singing the praises of the leather saddle. Barely noticed it !...if it's this comfortable brand
new, can't wait for it to get worn in ;-) Cheers, Dave (and his happy bum ;-)

--------------E2DC69C922A3E1E3E50580F5 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> I agree, you'll need to look
after your saddle in the wet. You can find out how to look after the addle in the FAQs at <a
href="brookssaddles.combrookssaddles.comOpen ↗">www.brookssaddles.com.</a><a
href="brookssaddles.combrookssaddles.comOpen ↗"></a>
<p>I'm the happy owner of a B66 and two Conquests. They're all very comfortable and required
minimal breaking in.
<q>TB
<r>mark wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE>You *did* put Proofide or some other kind of waterproofing on
it, before <br>riding in the rain, didn't you? It's also a good idea to put some kind of
<br>waterproof cover (bin liner, grocery bag, purpose made Carradice saddle <br>cover) on a
Brooks before riding in the rain.
<s>Stories about Brooks saddle needing a painful break in period are greatly <br>exaggerated, IME.
No break in necessary on the B17 or the Colt for
sa.
<t>Here's to many mile on the Brooks. <br>-- <br>mark <br>"Dave" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message <br><a href=""]news:[email hidden]">news:L2t9a.320$Py6.194-
@news-binary.blueyonder.co.uk</a>... <br>> Finally maaged to get me bum on a Brookes today. Entry
level B17. Swapped <br>it <br>> in the shop for me plastic pseudo gel saddle. Shop assistant
warned me it <br>> would be painful, at least initially. Decided to take it for a tentative
<br>30 <br>> mile ride, in the rain...lots of rain. <br>> With the bike finally looking like a
'proper bike', I tested my resolve <br>for <br>> doing the LEJOG in a couple of weeks, after all,
it'll probably rain for <br>my <br>> entire attempt...there'll be this little grey cloud follow
me all the way <br>> down ;-). <br>> So, new leather saddle and lots of water. <br>> Got home and
although I could no longer feel my fingers or toes, me bum <br>was <br>> singing the praises of
the leather saddle. Barely noticed it !...if it's <br>> this comfortable brand new, can't wait
for it to get worn in ;-) <br>> Cheers, <br>> Dave (and his happy bum ;-) <br>> <br>>
<br>></blockquote> </html>

--------------E2DC69C922A3E1E3E50580F5--

"Geoff Bowles" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:5pw9a.10346$Vx2.793568@wards...

Quoted message said:

Nice to know they're still available. I have a "Brooks Professional" on my old Holdsworth racer
and it's still comfy after more then ..ahem ...years.

I

Quoted message said:

wonder why you don't see more around -

You see a lot more in Germany and Holland, where bikes are used extensively for practical transport.
In UK or France, where bikes are used mostly for sport (or wannabee sport), they are not as popular
because of their unfashionable look.

Dave said:

Finally maaged to get me bum on a Brookes today. Entry level B17.

Congratulations I didn't feel like a "real" cyclist until I fitted a Brookes saddle. Am I the only
one that actually looks at the bike when you pass it and admires the saddle and it's rapidly
arriving patina?

--
Marc Tabards, banners and signs for fundraising events and charities
jaceeprint.demon.co.ukjaceeprint.demon.co.ukOpen ↗

wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter said:

Quoted message said:

as though you could use as a cricket bat could *possibly* be more comfortable than a super-duper
computer designed anatomical wonder saddle with trendy cutout and squidgy padding.

Ah but my nether regions seem to adore my Terry's Liberator TiLite with trendy cut-out bit. Very
comfortable 🙂

My wife uses the same, after a terrible , wet, 25 mile off road ride where she could barely walk
afterwards...!

The Bonjela didn't help either! :-(

--
Marc Tabards, banners and signs for fundraising events and charities
jaceeprint.demon.co.ukjaceeprint.demon.co.ukOpen ↗

mark said:

You *did* put Proofide or some other kind of waterproofing on it, before riding in the rain,
didn't you? It's also a good idea to put some kind of waterproof cover (bin liner, grocery bag,
purpose made Carradice saddle cover) on a Brooks before riding in the rain.

Mine are all Proofide-ed but I've never bothered putting a cover on to ride it. Doesn't seem to have
done them any harm despite seeing a lot of rain over the years. I usually pop a carrier bag over the
saddle if I've parked in the rain, but would do that on a plastic saddle anyway simply as getting on
a wet seat is generally less fun than a dry one...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

marc said:

Congratulations I didn't feel like a "real" cyclist until I fitted a Brookes saddle. Am I the only
one that actually looks at the bike when you pass it and admires the saddle and it's rapidly
arriving patina?

The Brooks on the Brompton actually garners quite a bit of admiration all of its own when the bike's
sat in the corner of a pub and/or having the fold demonstrated to amazed and curious onlookers. It's
one of the brown ones, which do look rather good IMHO, and its presence seems to suggest to regular
cyclists that the Brompton really must be a "proper" bike despite appearances contrary to typical
received "wisdom".

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

The Brooks on the Brompton actually garners quite a bit of admiration all of its own when the
bike's sat in the corner of a pub and/or having the fold demonstrated to amazed and curious
onlookers. It's one of the brown ones, which do look rather good IMHO, and its presence seems to
suggest to regular cyclists that the Brompton really must be a "proper" bike despite appearances
contrary to typical received "wisdom".

As a non-leather-buying person I don't do Brooks but the Brompton- specific Brooks is very
impressive. It's not just the look but the excellently designed "handle" formed by the rails near
the nose of the saddle.

Colin

Colin Blackburn said:

As a non-leather-buying person I don't do Brooks but the Brompton- specific Brooks is very
impressive. It's not just the look but the excellently designed "handle" formed by the rails near
the nose of the saddle.

Though OTOH they do rather dig into one's shoulder if you're just hooking it over to carry up
stairs. Hey ho...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter said:

Quoted message said:

My wife uses the same, after a terrible , wet, 25 mile off road ride where she could barely walk
afterwards...!

The Bonjela didn't help either! :-(

Bonjela on the nether regions????? Ack! No!!! Bonjela is for mouth ulcers! Germolene, Savlon etc
for the nether regions.

We were casting around for something to take the pain away, mouth /nether regions both mucus
prouducing membranes,Bonjela numbs mouth so....

Quoted message said:

Oh no, not Bonjela on the nether regions - I'm sure that would make a body wince ;-)

It did! :-(

She screamed and levitated! :-(

By the way, what is the BEST Brookes saddle to have for touring purposes? Bought a Galaxy last May,
came with the Selle San Marco Rolls leather saddle. Now after about 1500 miles, I wish I had broken
in a good Brookes.

Used to have a Brookes Pro on an old Gitane Pro Tour de France. Very comfy, but no longer
have the bike.

Which one to buy?

Cheers all Bryan

Dave said:

Finally maaged to get me bum on a Brookes today. Entry level B17. Swapped it in the shop for me
plastic pseudo gel saddle. Shop assistant warned me it would be painful, at least initially.
Decided to take it for a tentative 30 mile ride, in the rain...lots of rain. With the bike finally
looking like a 'proper bike', I tested my resolve for doing the LEJOG in a couple of weeks, after
all, it'll probably rain for my entire attempt...there'll be this little grey cloud follow me all
the way down ;-). So, new leather saddle and lots of water. Got home and although I could no longer
feel my fingers or toes, me bum was singing the praises of the leather saddle. Barely noticed it
!...if it's this comfortable brand new, can't wait for it to get worn in ;-) Cheers, Dave (and his
happy bum ;-)

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

Quoted message said:

wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter said:

Ah but my nether regions seem to adore my Terry's Liberator TiLite with

trendy

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

cut-out bit. Very comfortable 🙂

A good high tech saddle is certainly much better than a typical one. My flatmate has a Terry
saddle with a hole, and I must say I was quite impressed when I tried it. But not as impressed as
with my Brooks saddles.

It's difficult to say how good something *really* is without using the alternatives. I thought the
gel saddle on my old tourer was really good because it was much better than the one it replaced,
but it's a fraction of the comfort of the B66 on it now (though of course saddles are personal
things: I doubt a Brooks will work for everyone).

And one must be wary of using absolutes when describing comfort. Though you say your saddle is
"Very comfortable 🙂", you still say you see it as a no-brainer to wear padded shorts on even a
short trundle as they make such a big comfort difference to you... A *truly* comfortable mount
wouldn't need that (and yes, I wear padded shorts for any long trip (say, > 10 miles) on a Brooks,
but I never bother on the 'bent).

Pete.
--

Haven't got round to wearing padded shorts yet as I never did in me yoof, so I know it's possible to
get pure comfort from the right saddle, i.e, get off after a long ride to find you are not suffering
from a singing ring in any shape or form ;-) - hence the joy with the Brookes. I can just feel it's
'right' after the first jaunt. It can only get better (more joy :-)...and as daft as it sounds, I
think the 'breathability' of leather helps. Ultimately, all the hitech saddles in the world have
some form of non-breathable plastic between your bum and the outside world. I know you don't really
'breath through your bum', but I just feel it's relevant ;-) cheers, Dave.

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

Quoted message said:

...bicycles with saddles - how quaint :-)

ok, I admit it I do have some of those too...

Bikes without saddles - how perverted ;-)

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

Quoted message said:

mark said:

You *did* put Proofide or some other kind of waterproofing on it, before riding in the rain,
didn't you? It's also a good idea to put some kind

of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

waterproof cover (bin liner, grocery bag, purpose made Carradice saddle cover) on a Brooks
before riding in the rain.

Mine are all Proofide-ed but I've never bothered putting a cover on to ride it. Doesn't seem to
have done them any harm despite seeing a lot of rain over the years. I usually pop a carrier bag
over the saddle if I've parked in the rain, but would do that on a plastic saddle anyway simply as
getting on a wet seat is generally less fun than a dry one...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells
Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Nah mate, rufty-tufty wolves lad. I had a Brookes on my BSA Sportsman when I were a lad. Never
realised that saddles were supposed to hurt, such was the comfort of that saddle. Also never
realised you were supposed to care for such products, so that saddle saw it all and never
complained once. I did buy some proofide with this saddle, and was advised to put the saddle in a
very low oven for a while after applying the substance. Apparently this is what they used to do
when they raced, in the good old days. I asked about taking the saddle out in t'rain with no
treatment and was told it'd be fine, just get some on once it's dried off. Haven't been out on it
today but have spent a good few minutes looking at it and dribbling (Homer stylee;-) - not onto the
saddle I hasten to add...and thanked my wife a lot as she's bought it me for my birthday (sad, I
know, but....) Cheers, Dave.

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

Quoted message said:

By the way, what is the BEST Brookes saddle to have for touring purposes? Bought a Galaxy last
May, came with the Selle San Marco Rolls leather saddle. Now after about 1500 miles, I wish I had
broken in a good Brookes.

Used to have a Brookes Pro on an old Gitane Pro Tour de France. Very comfy, but no longer have
the bike.

Which one to buy?

The one that's the same shape as your bum.

Brooks saddles improve with riding (aka breaking in), unlike plastic saddles, but the closer they
are to right in the beginning, the better they'll be. I've done a 400k on a brand-new Professional
with no problems, but I don't get on with a Colt or Swift at all.

Another recommendation is to keep a comfy saddle when you sell the rest of the bike - you can always
get something cheap to give away if necessary.

Andrew