Brooks saddle quality slipping?

Gooserider said:

There's a post on Bike Forums from a rider who had to punch holes in his B17
and lace the sides together due to sag----at 2000 miles. I have a couple of
B17s that are several years old with more miles than that, and I have no
sagging or flaring whatsoever. As a matter of fact, the saddles are still
pretty firm. I'm not a lightweight, but another poster in that thread claims
to have flaring but weighs less than I do.

I've heard grumblings that Brooks' quality is slipping because of increased
demand, and posts like those make me think that may be the case. If Brooks
saddles are going to need to be laced together at 2000 miles I think they're
going to end up with a lot of ticked off customers.

Anybody experience sagging and flaring on a Brooks with such low miles?

My latest Brooks was the Champion Flyer (with the springs) from last
year.

It had a sag right out of the box, but my previous Champion Flyer
from a few years before that also had it. The seats were stiff
though, just with concave tops.

My last B17 purchase was maybe four years ago: pretty much flat
saddle top.

Not certain why one would go the lace route instead of just
tensioning the nose bolt. I've done this with both of the
Champion Flyers and a 12 year old B17 with excellent results.

I think the lace trick is sort of a last resort option.

SMH

"Stephen Harding" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:azr7j.5946$va7.892@trndny08...

Quoted message said:

Gooserider said:

There's a post on Bike Forums from a rider who had to punch holes in his
B17 and lace the sides together due to sag----at 2000 miles. I have a
couple of B17s that are several years old with more miles than that, and
I have no sagging or flaring whatsoever. As a matter of fact, the saddles
are still pretty firm. I'm not a lightweight, but another poster in that
thread claims to have flaring but weighs less than I do.

I've heard grumblings that Brooks' quality is slipping because of
increased demand, and posts like those make me think that may be the
case. If Brooks saddles are going to need to be laced together at 2000
miles I think they're going to end up with a lot of ticked off customers.

Anybody experience sagging and flaring on a Brooks with such low miles?

My latest Brooks was the Champion Flyer (with the springs) from last
year.

It had a sag right out of the box, but my previous Champion Flyer
from a few years before that also had it. The seats were stiff
though, just with concave tops.

My last B17 purchase was maybe four years ago: pretty much flat
saddle top.

Not certain why one would go the lace route instead of just
tensioning the nose bolt. I've done this with both of the
Champion Flyers and a 12 year old B17 with excellent results.

I think the lace trick is sort of a last resort option.

SMH

I have a B17 about 4 yrs old.
I've re-tensioned it with the nose bolt a few times.
Haven't had to lace it.
For sure I weigh more, dammit!

Anyhow that's my experience.

JP

Gooserider said:

There's a post on Bike Forums from a rider who had to punch holes in his B17
and lace the sides together due to sag----at 2000 miles. I have a couple of
B17s that are several years old with more miles than that, and I have no
sagging or flaring whatsoever. As a matter of fact, the saddles are still
pretty firm. I'm not a lightweight, but another poster in that thread claims
to have flaring but weighs less than I do.

I've heard grumblings that Brooks' quality is slipping because of increased
demand, and posts like those make me think that may be the case. If Brooks
saddles are going to need to be laced together at 2000 miles I think they're
going to end up with a lot of ticked off customers.

Anybody experience sagging and flaring on a Brooks with such low miles?

Skirt flare on my Flyer Champion got ugly after about five years of
all-weather daily use. It was purchased while Brooks was in limbo so
it was "old" stock. Yet it and a Brooks Pro purchased at the same
time are both of thinner leather than I remember from 70's era
Brooks. The clamps were definitely thinner material than the one I
have stashed.

I purchased an old unbranded English pattern leather saddle that was
perforated, at the factory, for lacing. It's thicker than the newer
Brooks and not sagged or flared. It appears to have been rarely used.
The dye came out easily and I laced it with natural leather strip
for the decorative effect. The empty holes looked wrong. I later
punched holes and laced the Flyer with dyed strip. It looks fine with
the added detail. Lacing has had no ill effects and improved both the
comfort and the look of the saddles. I don't think I'd use nylon
lacing though it might work too.

The leather in the latest Brooks branded saddles I've seen appears to
be equal thickness to the last of pre-aquisition Brooks.

Maybe modern cows don't produce the same quality leather as their
traditionally raised ancestors. I know lumber from super-trees tests
below its species previously published strength values.
--
zk

Gooserider said:

There's a post on Bike Forums from a rider who had to punch holes in his B17
and lace the sides together due to sag----at 2000 miles. I have a couple of
B17s that are several years old with more miles than that, and I have no
sagging or flaring whatsoever. As a matter of fact, the saddles are still
pretty firm. I'm not a lightweight, but another poster in that thread claims
to have flaring but weighs less than I do.

I've heard grumblings that Brooks' quality is slipping because of increased
demand, and posts like those make me think that may be the case. If Brooks
saddles are going to need to be laced together at 2000 miles I think they're
going to end up with a lot of ticked off customers.

Anybody experience sagging and flaring on a Brooks with such low miles?

--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My favorite thing is riding bicycles. I don't ride my bike because I think
I'm destroying the environment by driving my car. It's just a great way to
be outdoors."---Dr. Ron Paul, candidate for president 2008http://www.ronpaul2008.com

My first B-17 has about 5000 miles on it in 2 years and I just
recently adjusted its tension for the first time because of some
flaring. I rode it today and it's by far the most comfortable Brooks
in my fleet (I also have a B-17 with 1000 miles, a Team Professional
with about 500, and a Champion Flyer with about 300). None of the
others have shown signs of flaring, although it's early days for the
TP and CF. All came in the current tan boxes, but the TP lacks bag
loops, so I suspect it may have been made pre-Selle Royal.

Have they tried tightening the nose bolt? Did they do something stupid
like boiling it overnight in neatsfoot or motor oil?

I have a B17 on my tourer and a Cahmpion Flier on my MTB that are both
working fine.

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