I'm giving up on my Brooks Cambium: a rant and a question.
06-23-17, 10:39 AM
#51
Banned
Selle Anatomica.. you can get them without the center hole-slot.
[B17, went first, then the seat post, in my case]
Selle Royale of Italy, owns Brooks, the Italians introduced the Fashion... multiple leather colours.
My 75 team pro was made when they only had 1 color a black-brown..
Italy is where they make the Cambium line.. Fizik is another brand of theirs.. (AFAIK)
[B17, went first, then the seat post, in my case]
Selle Royale of Italy, owns Brooks, the Italians introduced the Fashion... multiple leather colours.
My 75 team pro was made when they only had 1 color a black-brown..
Italy is where they make the Cambium line.. Fizik is another brand of theirs.. (AFAIK)
Last edited by fietsbob; 06-23-17 at 10:50 AM.
06-23-17, 10:52 AM
#52
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Selle Anatomica.. you can get them without the center hole-slot.
[B17, went first, then the seat post, in my case]
Selle Royale of Italy, owns Brooks, the Italians introduced the Fashion... multiple leather colours.
My 75 team pro was made when they only had 1 color a black-brown..
Italy is where they make the Cambium line.. Fizik is another brand of theirs.. (AFAIK)
[B17, went first, then the seat post, in my case]
Selle Royale of Italy, owns Brooks, the Italians introduced the Fashion... multiple leather colours.
My 75 team pro was made when they only had 1 color a black-brown..
Italy is where they make the Cambium line.. Fizik is another brand of theirs.. (AFAIK)
06-23-17, 10:56 AM
#53
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You should have no trouble selling your saddles. If you'd like to do that here, you can pay a very small annual fee (I think it's $10) for an upgraded membership, which allows you to post to the marketplace.
There is also a saddle swap thread here for exactly this type of situation... it's very possible that someone has a like-new saddle they don't like that would be perfect for you, and many people are eager to try out the C17. Here's a link: https://www.bikeforums.net/sale/164168-saddle-swap.html
Good luck!
There is also a saddle swap thread here for exactly this type of situation... it's very possible that someone has a like-new saddle they don't like that would be perfect for you, and many people are eager to try out the C17. Here's a link: https://www.bikeforums.net/sale/164168-saddle-swap.html
Good luck!
06-23-17, 11:06 AM
#54
Banned
Selle Anatomica? I tried one*, I just did not like it.. my back side got the deciding vote..
my locally used bikes now have Fizik vitesse saddles, so they are OK with rain showers..
I'm not doing much long day rides..
* early on , I chatted back & forth with one of the people who got the company started, he passed on a few years back.
a Davis double guy.. 200 mile day rides, out of Fairfield Cal... raised in NorCal we had places known..
A friend, locally , found the weather resistant leather tanning process had them stretch/ sag more than He liked...
seen they have an alternative leather option, to pick, now..
...
my locally used bikes now have Fizik vitesse saddles, so they are OK with rain showers..
I'm not doing much long day rides..
* early on , I chatted back & forth with one of the people who got the company started, he passed on a few years back.
a Davis double guy.. 200 mile day rides, out of Fairfield Cal... raised in NorCal we had places known..
A friend, locally , found the weather resistant leather tanning process had them stretch/ sag more than He liked...
seen they have an alternative leather option, to pick, now..
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 06-24-17 at 08:40 AM.
06-23-17, 11:22 PM
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Please allow me to weigh in.
I've been considering the C17 to replace the SQlabs saddle I purchased for my ECR. I have a B17 that I swap around on a couple of bikes as I'm building and testing them, and that is currently on my ECR at this time. I went through the SQlabs sitbone-fitting process, and that saddle just never felt good, so back with the B17. I originally went with SQlabs because I got duped by their sales hype and their comfort claims. I wanted a non-leather saddle because I didn't want to fuss with it on The Divide. Now it looks like currently I'll be rolling with the B17, but my quest for the waterproof yet comfortable saddle for that bike continues.
Flat saddles seem to do well by me. I am of the opinion, that saddle-maker need to focus on cupping your arse rather than creating bumps for your sitbones to ride upon. Tourers want to ride in their saddles fixed and securely, and not feel like they have to precisely rest their bones upon two padded bumps in order for their rumps not to cry out in pain.
Look at wooden chairs for a moment. Would you rather sit on one that is completely flat, or sit on one that the chairmaker dished-out ever so slightly? Look at an old-timey tractor seat. Farmers rode on those for hours and hours and they were made of metal! Dished out. Cupped. Surely this is what we see when we look at a well broken-in leather saddle. You can see right where the two sitbones rest, and the appropriate amount of sag in the perineum area. Its not rocket science - you'd think that saddle makers would understand this.
If I had the money to invest in a business process, I'd custom-mold every saddle to the individual. I would have them put on a skin-tight pair of nitrile shorts, sit on a saddle-shaped lump of clay, then fire the clay and make a saddle mold from it.
I've been considering the C17 to replace the SQlabs saddle I purchased for my ECR. I have a B17 that I swap around on a couple of bikes as I'm building and testing them, and that is currently on my ECR at this time. I went through the SQlabs sitbone-fitting process, and that saddle just never felt good, so back with the B17. I originally went with SQlabs because I got duped by their sales hype and their comfort claims. I wanted a non-leather saddle because I didn't want to fuss with it on The Divide. Now it looks like currently I'll be rolling with the B17, but my quest for the waterproof yet comfortable saddle for that bike continues.
Flat saddles seem to do well by me. I am of the opinion, that saddle-maker need to focus on cupping your arse rather than creating bumps for your sitbones to ride upon. Tourers want to ride in their saddles fixed and securely, and not feel like they have to precisely rest their bones upon two padded bumps in order for their rumps not to cry out in pain.
Look at wooden chairs for a moment. Would you rather sit on one that is completely flat, or sit on one that the chairmaker dished-out ever so slightly? Look at an old-timey tractor seat. Farmers rode on those for hours and hours and they were made of metal! Dished out. Cupped. Surely this is what we see when we look at a well broken-in leather saddle. You can see right where the two sitbones rest, and the appropriate amount of sag in the perineum area. Its not rocket science - you'd think that saddle makers would understand this.
If I had the money to invest in a business process, I'd custom-mold every saddle to the individual. I would have them put on a skin-tight pair of nitrile shorts, sit on a saddle-shaped lump of clay, then fire the clay and make a saddle mold from it.
Some like a more fixed position but I like how SQ allows one to slide fore-aft as desired with reasonable comfort.l
06-24-17, 05:04 AM
#57
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I like talking about this stuff. When you finally do get the right combo for your bike and riding style its like someone flipped a switch. Its like magic.
06-24-17, 05:13 AM
#58
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There are just so many bad jokes/innuendos just waiting to be thought up here, but I am restraining myself.
06-24-17, 05:18 AM
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You guys are the experts, but I found adjusting the nose on a saddle to be the single most significant most contributing factor for comfort. It seems to be consistently overlooked in these many saddle discussions. I found that a slight raise in the nose kept my rear on the flat surface of the Brook B-17.
06-24-17, 08:27 AM
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You guys are the experts, but I found adjusting the nose on a saddle to be the single most significant most contributing factor for comfort. It seems to be consistently overlooked in these many saddle discussions. I found that a slight raise in the nose kept my rear on the flat surface of the Brook B-17.
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Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
06-24-17, 11:36 AM
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Saddles that should be adjust to a flat level are usually for sportier bike and the such
06-24-17, 12:54 PM
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The way most saddles are curved, they are meant to be installed with the nose slightly tilted upwards. So you butt gets seated in the middle of the curve and you are not fighting against your own weight on the handle bars, and to put an even amount of pressure down on the center. Enough people come into the shop where I work complaining of comfort issues and one of the first things we do is check if the saddle is flat.
Saddles that should be adjust to a flat level are usually for sportier bike and the such
Saddles that should be adjust to a flat level are usually for sportier bike and the such
My bike shop owner is the one who suggested I raise the nose ever so much.
06-24-17, 05:46 PM
#64
Senior Member
"Try it, you'll like it" , or not, as the old ad used to say.
but don't listen to anyone else, just listen to your girly or boysy parts, and go from there depending on your bike layout and find what works.
It don't cost nuttin to ride for an hour or two and make little adjustments.
**Do note that the lady in question here has tried various seat positions/adjustments up the ying yang for a while now, so the suggestions are great, but she's been there, done that.
06-25-17, 05:28 AM
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Has anyone mentioned Rivet saddles? Rivet Cycle Works - Hand Crafted Leather Bicycle Saddles
They look decent.
They look decent.
06-26-17, 06:53 AM
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Yes, I have! Thank you. I will not be investing anymore time or energy into this damn saddle.
06-26-17, 06:55 AM
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06-26-17, 06:57 AM
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From my experiences so far, the best I can deduce is that I need a saddle that's flat on the top, more T-shaped, wider, and has a generous cut out.
06-26-17, 07:07 AM
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Has anyone mentioned Rivet saddles? Rivet Cycle Works - Hand Crafted Leather Bicycle Saddles
They look decent.
They look decent.
06-26-17, 08:22 AM
#71
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A 2° tilt has the nose 0.5mm higher than a flat saddle. It's hardly measurable. A 9° tilt which is now allowed in UCI competition has the nose 2mm (thickness of a dime) higher than a flat saddle. By eyeball, it would be hard to tell if a saddle had a 9° tilt.
The way most saddles are curved, they are meant to be installed with the nose slightly tilted upwards. So you butt gets seated in the middle of the curve and you are not fighting against your own weight on the handle bars, and to put an even amount of pressure down on the center. Enough people come into the shop where I work complaining of comfort issues and one of the first things we do is check if the saddle is flat.
Saddles that should be adjust to a flat level are usually for sportier bike and the such
Saddles that should be adjust to a flat level are usually for sportier bike and the such
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Last edited by cyccommute; 06-26-17 at 08:33 AM.
06-26-17, 09:28 AM
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I believe I've read somewhere that the centre section of the saddle should be level.
06-26-17, 09:54 AM
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Can you do the same? Almost every article you read on saddle tilt says level is best. Sheldon Brown, as well as others, suggest a level saddle. If there is any tilt to the recommended tilt is 1° to 2° at most. Otherwise you rise pressure and/or chafing on the perineum if the nose is too high or you put pressure on the hands and shoulders while sliding forward if the nose is too low.
A 2° tilt has the nose 0.5mm higher than a flat saddle. It's hardly measurable. A 9° tilt which is now allowed in UCI competition has the nose 2mm (thickness of a dime) higher than a flat saddle. By eyeball, it would be hard to tell if a saddle had a 9° tilt.
Most saddle that I've seen are not curved at all. Brooks saddles aren't. You can put a straight edge on them...I use a level...and the level touches the saddle from nose to tail.
A 2° tilt has the nose 0.5mm higher than a flat saddle. It's hardly measurable. A 9° tilt which is now allowed in UCI competition has the nose 2mm (thickness of a dime) higher than a flat saddle. By eyeball, it would be hard to tell if a saddle had a 9° tilt.
Most saddle that I've seen are not curved at all. Brooks saddles aren't. You can put a straight edge on them...I use a level...and the level touches the saddle from nose to tail.
Depends on the saddle, like I said before. Some saddles are flat for sporty positions, and most comfort saddles have a curve in them so you sit upright (with correct handle bar position) and put your weight on the "sit bones" and the middle of your butt supports your weight. Ill take a picture of some leaflets that come with some saddles we got in the shop (if there still there) that explain sitting position and saddle tilt. Im not trying to play right or wrong, but saying a "dead level" saddle position is for most people is bad advice.
I hope I can find the square or level tomorrow and we have some brooks saddles in stock, id like to test this out.
06-26-17, 11:19 AM
#74
Senior Member
Here is a brand new men's C-17. There is a 5/8" dip between nose and tail. Although mine looks level to the eyeball you can see that the nose is slightly down according to the bubble. I'm still tweaking the fit. Any higher and I get complaints from Mr. Johnson and his two friends. 
It seems to fit me perfectly where it is... absolutely no numbness. Sorry the OP had problems with hers and I hope she finds a solution.
It seems to fit me perfectly where it is... absolutely no numbness. Sorry the OP had problems with hers and I hope she finds a solution.
Last edited by BobG; 06-26-17 at 04:54 PM.
06-26-17, 11:55 AM
#75
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Depends on the saddle, like I said before. Some saddles are flat for sporty positions, and most comfort saddles have a curve in them so you sit upright (with correct handle bar position) and put your weight on the "sit bones" and the middle of your butt supports your weight. Ill take a picture of some leaflets that come with some saddles we got in the shop (if there still there) that explain sitting position and saddle tilt. Im not trying to play right or wrong, but saying a "dead level" saddle position is for most people is bad advice.
I hope I can find the square or level tomorrow and we have some brooks saddles in stock, id like to test this out.
I hope I can find the square or level tomorrow and we have some brooks saddles in stock, id like to test this out.
To be most comfortable and minimize scooting back on bumpy roads, I tilt the noses up slightly, which keeps my sit bones planted on the level rear cushioned area. After getting the angle right, the next step is getting the fore/aft position right so I'm not sitting on the nose. Takes one or two rides along with a multitool to adjust it as needed.
Hopefully this photo of my Univega with the Bell shows the rear part of the saddle where I actually sit is level. The nose appears tilted up slightly, but it just keeps me in place without consciously scooting back on bumpy rides. It's been comfortable for 6-7 months, no complaints from Johnson and the twins.
I don't have a current photo of the similarly set Terry saddle on the Centurion road bike. I've had that bike only three weeks and it's a work in progress. After this weekend's rides I think I've got it dialed in, with just a slight upward nose tilt to level the rear of the saddle, and the right fore/aft position for efficient pedaling. It's been 30+ years since I've ridden a road bike with drop bars so I'll probably continue tweaking as my body gets reacquainted with the bike.