gomango

Interesting, thanks.

Hopefully they'll have a couple this fall at a shop I frequent....

I really would like to see one in person.

pastorbobnlnh 

I don't think you will be disappointed. BTW, it comes with a 10 year warranty if registered with Brooks at their website.

dpeters11

I hadn't realized that Selle Royal owned Brooks, that's the originating address.

Wow, #22

H1449-6

Ordered on from Wallingford Bike mostly out of curiosity. We'll see how it rides. Generally positive initial reviews here and elsewhere.

AZORCH

I began this thread back in May when I found out Brooks was sending me one of their Cambium saddles to test. I was pretty excited at the time - who wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a free Brooks? My saddle arrived the first week of June and my initial plan was to try it out on several different bikes and figure out which configuration of saddle and bike geometry worked best for me. Long story short, I put it onto my Boulder Brevet and there it has remained for a few odd thousands of miles thus far. I won't belabor my initial misgivings about the saddle aesthetics - suffice it to say that I went back and forth about "looks" for a while. The important thing is that like my other saddle of choice (the Regal), the Cambium fits me well, was relatively easy to adjust to my fit, and - significantly - seems to disappear over the miles. There is a slight hammock-effect which, contrary to my fears, actually adds to the comfort over distance. For those who find the Regal to be comfortable, saddle width and foundation points are similar. Unlike leather Brooks, weather conditions are not a factor at all.

So now it's December, I've ridden the heck out of this saddle. Despite what I view as a nearly obscene price point (I'm cheap, but saddle prices are ridiculous), I would - and probably will - purchase another Cambium. I've read many reviews and opinions over the past several months, surprisingly by many folks who'd only seen photographs of the Cambium but had not actually ridden upon one that was well fit to them. Those reports were often very mixed…I'm curious to hear what others with actual ride experience on the Cambium have to report.

thechemist

Has anyone received the C15 yet for testing?

gomango

I've ridden my friend's Zanconato on several different occasions.

He switched from a Swift to the Cambium, as he didn't want to damage the leather on the saddle in the wet/muddy conditions we often ride in.

He purchased the Cambium from our local shop we frequent for roughly $150.

The Zanc is a cross bike, but he rides it often on gravel.

I have ridden his bike on four seperate occasions, all off road.

I think the Cambium is quite comfortable in all of the situations I have tried.

Each of the rides were between 45 and 75 miles or so.

This Brooks fits me just like my Regals and is instantly comfortable.

Interestingly, the covering on the Brooks doesn't seem to wear at all. It's like it is made from kryptonite.

As far as buying one for myself, I am holding off.

When I needed a new saddle recently for a project, I just bought a Regal from Velomine, as they were only $75.

The Cambium is priced more than double that and I see no advantage in spending the extra money at this time.

Nice saddle, but too expensive.

debit

I picked one up last week at my LBS for my new road bike. While I haven't taken it outside yet (the roads in Minneapolis are not skinny tire friendly at the moment) I have used it on my trainer and love the Cambium. It's been difficult for me to find women specific saddles (other than Brooks) that actually work with my sit bones; the C17s does. I wish I could road test it, but in all actuality, the trainer might be a harsher medium for saddle testing, since I hate it and will use any excuse (usually saddle discomfort) to cut my session short. But the Cambium just sort of disappears from underneath me and I don't notice it at all. I'm getting another today for my winter bike before the last ladies model is gone and will happily plunk down my $160 for a saddle that actually fits.

SpookyReverb

I got mine in September and have a few hundred miles on it. Honestly, I love it. I think it looks fantastic, it is really comfortable, and it is really well made. I will buy another if needed (and if I had the money, ouch!).

ultraman6970

The guys using this saddle ever had nuts paint/numbess before with another saddle? Asking in behalf of the guys needing a cut out saddle.

AZORCH

This is probably no help to you. My only experience with saddle pain was back in the early 80's, well before I discovered the miracle of a quality saddle that fit my bum. Frankly, I'm a little embarrassed about the saddles I rode back in those days! I began riding a Centurion Turbo in 1984, and it came with a Bernard Hinault Turbo saddle, which was a revelation to me - no numbness or pain at all. Since then I've been fortunate to have experimented with numerous saddles over the years, discovering both the Brooks and the Regal. I've been very happy with the support those saddles provide my specific bum geometry. (YMMV) Long story short: The Cambium is very similar to the Regal. Saddles that are narrower have never been as comfortable to me, and when I think back to those cruddy ones I rode in my early days it strikes me that they had seriously poor support overall.

ultraman6970

OH well... then I will toss the saddle off my possible saddles list then.

Back in the day remember tried the bernard hinault turbo and was bad for me, then moved to a concorde and worked better, when I came back to cycling after like 10 or 15 years looks like I hurt myself back in the day using the wrong saddles, we did not have that much of a choice too anyways; so right now settled in a toupe that is ok IMO but always trying to find Nirvana, at least the numbness is gone and I can live with uncomfortability after like 4 hours in the saddle but i'm always looking, that was the reason I asked.

Thanks

Mr S Middlemore

I think the black ones look nice, the first ones' biggest fault was its colour!!!

Chombi

I have to agree, after finally seeing the saddle close up at a bike shop yesterday, the neutral/flesh tone color of the saddle is a bit off-putting when you see it. Unless you have something like raw cork bar tape and maybe ivory or beige paint on your bike, it's hard to imagine what it might match up to color-wise on most bikes. The natural, latex color of the base is frankly not pretty to my eyes, especially as there is so much of it visible at the edges. I saw the black version of the saddle and it does look much better than the natural/canvas colored one. I suspect that eventually, many more people will buy the black one over the light colored one.
I did not get to sit on one yet, but feeling the saddle's amount of give with my hand, it feels like a leather suspension saddle that's just starting to break in...quite stiff... I have a Berthoud that's just a little past that stage of breaking in, and sort of a sweet spot in the breaking in process, so, I think for some of us, Brooks might be on the right track with the design of their new saddle in terms of supplenness....
The only real disappointment I have with the saddle with the saddle's design is it's still quite heavyish weight which is a lot more than all the plastic based saddles I ever owned. If Brooks is to take their saddles into the modern era, they will have to eventually deal with it with maybe less material on their cantle and nose pieces on this saddle and versions that will have rails, other than chrome steel......

RobbieTunes

I am considering a Cambium for a build. I've got Brooks bar wrap and a Challenge bag that match each other, so the saddle could be a Cambium, no problem. I've not heard much negative comment about the ride, which is good, but for some reason, I'm just happy to have padded britches, and other than the Turbo and most Fiziks, I can ride anything.

The price is my obstacle. One of my bikes has a Swallow, Special Edition 2012 in royal blue. It's amazing, and expensive, and basically, it's close enough to the Cambium in price that I'd actually consider going UP in price for a Swallow. I'm not sure Brooks thought it would drive customers to a more expensive saddle, but in my isolated case, that's my basic decision, a Cambium or go up.

I sure appreciate the feedback, though.

UPDATE: Found another matching Swallow, paid the extra $30. I do like the black ones, though.

gomango

PSA

One of my favorite bike shops locally, Angry Catfish, has a "try before you buy" option on this saddle.

Women's and men's models, of course.

Located in South Minneapolis.

https://angrycatfishbicycle.com/brook...-have-arrived/

Intended for local customers only........

gomango

Usually I like to match the tape and saddle colors.

But I think the saddle looks outstanding on the new Shand Stoater.



https://www.cycleexif.com/shand-cycle...ter#more-14884

bhop

I just picked up one of these. First impression (from a parking lot ride during lunch break at work) asstastic! Feels great. Hopefully the ride home (10 miles) will be just as good. I was worried it'd be bouncy and rubbery, but it's not. It feels the same as the leather saddles as far as elasticity.. to me anyway.

Italuminium

The Bregal does looks great on offroaders/unpaved rides. Must be the burlappy texture that makes it very proper for countryside jaunts.

gomango

Yes!

The shop I frequent asserts most folks are buying these for their off road rides.

RobbieTunes

I wonder if they'll make it in a tweed for the 8 million green Raleigh Sports out there.

That black would look good with a canvas bag and good thick cloth wrap.

toavii

I've had one on my Trek Sawyer since October and I'm a huge fan. Like mentioned above, my Sawyer is used pretty much strictly for singletrack (dirt and snow). I've owned a Swift, B17, and a Team Pro (all new) and it's the first that felt near instantly comfortable after proper adjustment. Bike has been dumped more than a few times and it's no worse for the wear. I wouldn't hesitate to put it on a road bike but if aesthetics are your thing, especially with C&V, it's not going look completely at home on some set ups. I'll try to get a picture up tomorrow.

As far as the colors, both look very different under different light. The "black" or slate, can look brownish at times. And the natural tends to shift between many colors of tan. I passed on the slate and went for the natural after comparing them side by side...

cosmicwheelie

I put a small deposit on one at my local lbs, anyone have any idea when they are shipping a new batch? The lbs couldnt give me a date.

toavii

As promised, quick picture of the Cambium on my Sawyer. Sorry about the iPhone picture...

Lascauxcaveman 

Even if they don't, they're missing an opportunity until they put out a woven coarse linen / fine burlap handlebar tape to match the current saddle.

How hard could it be?