Jarrett2

I know, I know, its a personal thing.

After 18,000 miles, I'm ready to try a new saddle as the one I'm using is causing lots of chaffing after 60 miles of riding or so.

I was thinking about trying the Brooks Cambium C17. It seems a lot of people stick with Brooks as a final saddle.

What's working for you after 10,000 miles or more of long distance rides?

shelbyfv

My rides aren't longer than 100 miles, but the Terry Century Fly has been my choice for several years. My only experience with Brooks was a B17N years ago and it chaffed my thighs.

MRT2

Brooks B17 for the last 6,000 or so miles, with a brief interlude of perhaps 500 miles with a C17 Cambium. I much preferred the B17 and went back to it.

Jarrett2

What was the difference?

MRT2

The short version is, the B17 was more comfortable on rides of 2 hours or longer.

The longer version. Cambium is somewhat narrower than is the B17. No break in period with the Cambium, whereas at least 300 or 400 miles to break in the B17. But my broken in B17 feels great. The cambium feels OK, but I became aware of it after an hour, irritated after an hour and a half, and ready to get off the bike after 2 hours. The B17 feels good for rides of 4 hours or more, which is about my limit. Also, the B17 is somewhat slippery which, I suspect reduces friction. The Cambium has kind of an rough surface which keeps you in place, but I wonder if it also increases friction. I wanted to like the Cambium, but I had to admit for my riding style, the B17 just felt better.

Jarrett2

Gotcha, thanks.

Andrey

I use Terry Fly or Selle Anatomica on long distance rides. Brooks B17 does not work for me-ended up riding standing up for 200km on a 600km ride once. I also like Selle Italia Flite saddle a lot(I think Terry Fly is a very soft copy of that), never rode it over 200k though.

rgconner

I have always used Selle Italia saddles, usually the wider ones.

But I am a "light" clyde at @210

SethAZ 

Interesting stuff. I just picked up a Brooks B-17 saddle about three weeks ago, and have around 413 miles on it so far. It improved from "feels like I'm sitting on molded granite" on that first ride to where now it's noticeable softer, more conformant, and certainly more comfortable than the saddle it replaced. It's not perfectly comfortable yet. I've been putting the Proofide treatment on it regularly to help with break in. I suspect that when I've lost more weight this will prove to be a much more comfortable saddle, but I can tell it's already at the very least a noticeable improvement over what I had before. I am expecting that improvement to continue.

I do wonder if the B-17 was the right choice given how aggressive my current bike is, with the handlebars a good 3" or so below the saddle. My new bike (have ordered but not yet received it) will have a more comfortable geometry that may work better with the Brooks. It's possible I might like something a little narrow like a Berthoud, or the Brooks Team Pro better. Maybe I'll get a chance to try them someday.

jsigone

I think that Cambium are designed for bike fits with more bar/saddle drop. hence the narrower front end.

Personally on Fizik saddles right now and love them. Rode 565miles in 6 days on a Fizik Kurve. The carbon fiber/kevlar structure forms to me and flexes as needed from road/vibration input. The new bike came with is on there non CF Fizik but haven't had a issue yet. It took about 200-250 miles to break that one in.

seat drop is 4 inches or so on my CX bike that has the Kurve

Stormsedge

B17 Imperial here at ~200lbs give or take a donut.

mbusky

The b17 was not for my butt, but the b67 was the one I and my butt love. I ride upright on a mountain bike.

257 roberts

At 5' 10' 230lbs I'm very happy with my B17

xraydog

Was happy with my Selle SMP TRK until my rides got over 50 miles. I switched to a Rivet Imogene saddle about 2 months ago after hearing some positive reviews on bike touring sites. My Imogene was as comfortable out of the box as my Selle SMP and is keep getting better. Completed a century ride and sever 60-80 mile rides. Never once thought about the saddle on my rear end on these rides. I'm 6' and 265lbs.

Rivet will let you try out a saddle(s) for a few weeks for about $25/saddle. They even have a 364 day return policy. Give them a try if your looking at leather saddles

fietsbob

Berthoud, France, makes premium leather saddles too..

But the canvas topped, rubber saddles have their fans.. new is the synthetic topped version, as well..


I have a 40+ year old Brooks team professional used on several multi month bike tours.. FWIW..





...

squirtdad

I don't do the same mileage at all, but FWIW:

For me a B17 works with a a more upright position,

Ffor a more saddle to bar drop the Swift works for me.

A B17n-imperial did not work at all.

and I still use a Selle italia turbo.

b17 upright



swift saddle to bar drop

Jason9142002

I love the B17. Can't say I've done 100 mile rides but I love the way it feels compared to other saddles I've owned.

RECfromPA

My bike (touring style bike) with the Brooks saddle is a little more upright (similar in look to @squirtdad's green bike), but I still lean a bit, not bolt upright.

I liked the B17 saddle a lot, but I love the Brooks Flyer. I haven't done more than 40 miles on either, but believe I could.

Jason9142002

I was also looking at that saddle.

SethAZ 

I really wish I had access to the Swift, the Berthoud saddles, etc. It was a tossup between the B17 and the Brooks Team Pro when I bought the B17, and it's possible I would have liked the Team Pro better. It's hard to know since I don't have it.

I've got around 600-700 miles on my B17 now. The first couple of rides it felt like I was riding on molded granite, but it's softened up enough now that it's considerably more comfortable than that. It's noticeably more comfortable than the saddle I was riding previously (that came with this bike, some Sella model from 2003). In that sense I know I got my money's worth, because it's definitely more comfortable than what I had before.

I still get the feeling though that this is a little wide for me. I've got some considerable drop from my seat to my handlebars, and everything I read from others says the B17 is more suited to upright riding. I actually picked up this saddle while waiting for my new bike (Lynskey R260) to show up, which I still don't have. So I've been riding this saddle on my current bike. The Lynskey will be a more upright position compared to my current bike, with the bike's geometry having the handlebars closer to level with the saddle than my current bike, so it's likely that the experience of riding this saddle may change once it's on the new bike.

I do feel like I can feel the frame at the back of the saddle if I have my ass too far back on it. It seems like there's a sweet spot where I move my butt back too far and feel the frame pushing into my butt bones, then I move forward on it just a smidge and it just sort of disappears and feels really nice, though possibly still just a tad wider than I would like.

jpescatore

I'm 5'10", 230 lbs and on my Trek 520 I had a Selle Italia Gel Flow Max that was great on long rides, probably have 5,000 miles on it. Over the years I've moved to narrower, harder seats and found I like them better on long rides (60 - 80 miles, very occasionally a century) - most of my rides are rolling hills to hills.

Bought a new Domane and found that seat on the new bike caused thigh chafing, tried several out with the bike fitter and they loaned me a funky looking Selle SMP Hybrid. I now have about 500 miles on that with 4 60+ mile rides and really like the feel and no chafing. I also like the funky shape: droopy nose makes it easier getting back on the seat after stops without, the dip in the middle gives a nice "backstop" when pushing hard climbing hills.

Jarrett2

I bought the Brooks Cambium 17 and did a 1.5 hour ride with it.

It was the most comfortable road saddle right out of the box I've ever used. But it was still a bit uncomfortable compared to the one I've been using the last 10,000 miles or so.

But as soon as I got off the bike, the pain stopped. No chafing.

I did a 2 hour ride with my old saddle last night and had some chafing afterward. Not sure why one causes chafing and the other doesn't.

It's making think mid ride discomfort is better than post ride pain. I'm going to give the Brooks a longer test this weekend.

Jarrett2

2 hour test ride on the Brooks this weekend and that was enough to seal the deal for me.

I'm going to switch to the Brooks Cambium C17 on both of my Black Mountain Cycles bikes.

Thanks for all of the input.

DrIsotope

Two hours is virtually nothing. Saddles let you know if the relationship will last once you pass the 5 hour mark. For two hours I could ride a saddle I hate (like anything Fizik makes) and be fine.

And in case people have forgotten: Brooks saddles do not break in. They break you in.

Jarrett2

I don't do 5 continuous hours of riding much anymore. I'll ride all day, but usually in 2-3 hour chunks before stopping for a break.