The Company
Brooks are an old, somewhat traditional British Company. Established in 1866, they still manufacture in the UK. Unlike many competitors where parts are manufactured abroad and assembled in the UK, Brooks manufacture everything apart from the saddle tensioner bolts from raw materials. ... Read review
Advantages: Unparralleled comfort, very durable, retro British cool Disadvantages: weight, needs looking after, break in period, price
'''The Company'''
Brooks are an old, somewhat traditional British Company. Established in 1866, they still manufacture in the UK. Unlike many competitors where parts are manufactured abroad and assembled in the UK, Brooks manufacture everything apart from the saddle tensioner bolts from raw materials.
'''Leather saddles? Aren’t they uncomfy?'''
Well yes and no. Yes to start with, but most definitely not once ... ...
'''The Brooks Experience'''
The B17 comes in a variety of different flavours, including a narrow or a standard version, copper or normal rivets, a variety of different colours and even a titanium railed version. I opted for the narrow version, which is supposedly for more sportive riders. I went for the narrow simply because the width was closest to what I ride already.
Brooks are an old, somewhat traditional British Company. Established in 1866, they still manufacture in the UK. Unlike many competitors where parts are manufactured abroad and assembled in the UK, Brooks manufacture everything apart from the saddle tensioner bolts from raw materials.
Leather saddles? Aren’t they uncomfy?
Well yes and no. Yes to start with, but most definitely not once they are broken in. A broken in leather saddle will typically offer better comfort than a plastic saddle. A standard plastic saddle is comprised of a hard plastic shell, which is supported by the saddle rails. To provide comfort, padding is glued to the plastic shell. This is covered by a thin synthetic or leather cover. Manufacturers will use a standard model to decide how thick and where to place the padding, so that the saddle will fit the most people. This is why you might find a particular saddle is a glorified bottom torture device, while your mate thinks it’s like a sofa.
For a leather saddle, the rails act like a frame. The leather is riveted to this frame and then stretched from front to back. The leather sheet acts more like a hammock. When new the thick leather sheet is quite stiff and has little give. During the break in process the leather stretches most at the points of highest pressure. Usually this is where the sit bones contact the saddle, which is why on a broken in saddle you will usually see two dimples. Over time the leather moulds to perfectly to your shape, providing you with pressure relief precisely where you need it. Over time the padding on a plastic saddle will compress, making it less comfortable. This won’t happen to a leather saddle. Along as it is looked after, it should remain comfortable throughout it’s life. If anything leather saddles get more comfortable as they get older.
The Brooks Experience
The B17 comes in a variety of different flavours, including a narrow or a standard version, copper or normal rivets, a variety of different colours and even a titanium railed version. I opted for the narrow version, which is supposedly for more sportive riders. I went for the narrow simply because the width was closest to what I ride already.
The saddle arrived in a rather neat looking box. I thought for a minute I was getting an expensive pair of shoes rather than a saddle. Out of the box there was a small dent in the leather near one of the rivets, but it looked to be part of the leather rather than a manufacturing fault. Otherwise the saddle looked to be well made and free from defects.
The new saddle was indeed very stiff and very hard. I used the Sheldon Brown neatsfoot oil trick. I turned the saddle upside down in a sheet of tinfoil, and then poured neatsfoot oil over the saddle. Left it for about 30 minutes, removed the excess oil, and wiped it dry. This helps soften the leather and speeds up the breaking in process.
I kept the first few rides short as the saddle was rather hard and uncomfortable. I had to play around with the saddle position. The saddle does not have a cutaway section, which was very noticeable to start with. I actually had to alter bar position so that I sat more upright on the bike, as the sensation was rather unpleasant. At the end of the first week and 25 miles, I rode the saddle home, which takes around 45mins. It was OK, not comfortable but not too painful either. By the end of the second week it was much better. I could ride the 15 mins from the train to work and back again and it was OK. Longer rides were uncomfy for the first bit, and then would settle down. By the end of the month the saddle was significantly more comfortable than the old worn out plastic seat it replaced.
3 months on the saddle had 2 pronounced dimples where my sit bones go, the discomfort due to the lack of a cutaway section had disappeared. I could happily ride for 45 minutes without a padded insert without discomfort.
9 months on saddle comfort is truly excellent. I ride on average a 100 miles a week on this saddle without any noticeable saddle soreness, and I never bother wearing a padded insert. Brooks saddles really do get more comfortable with age. The saddle still looks pretty good. Some of the leather has dulled, I think mostly due to the heavy-duty nylon/cordura cycling trousers I wear.
It can’t be all good can it?
Well for starters is the price. £55 for the narrow version, with a more reasonable £45 for the standard. £60 for the Special with copper rivets and an eye-watering wallet busting £145 for the titanium railed version.
The high price is offset by the fact that a well-looked after leather saddle should be more durable than a plastic saddle. There is after all no padding to get compressed, and 5mm thick leather should last a lot longer than the thin covers on a plastic saddle. The key point here though is well-looked after. Leather is not particularly weather proof. Rain and mud can cause leather to dry out, harden and crack. It’s not a saddle well suited to year round off-road conditions, and it doesn’t thrive on neglect.
The saddle is heavy, weighing in around 500g for the standard version. Even the titanium version weighs 410g. Cross country MTB saddles are typically around 300g or less. Road bike saddles are around 200g mark or less. This is not a saddle for weight weenies.
One little tip. Don’t wear light coloured shorts or trousers, unless you want an amusing dark patch, which looks just like you didn’t make it to the loo on time. The leather dye is not colour fast, particularly when subjected to the rubbing motion of your legs, nor if it gets damp.
And my view?
It’s British, it’s cool in a retro way, and it’s damn comfortable. Definitely worth the asking price, the extra grams and a polish with some proofhide every now and again. Oh and cycling shorts are black for a reason!
