MoreCarbs

Considering a Cambium, but have heard that the rougher fabric may cause abrasion of pants leading to holes.

Anyone have any feedback on this or on the saddle in general?

Moe Zhoost

I have an all-weather Cambium C-17. Yes, there is some texture to the surface, but I don't think that would lead to accelerated wear on pants. Although the saddle was somewhat comfortable at first, I never got to the point that I was enamored with it. I replaced it after a few hundred miles with a leather B-17.

Wendell F

Most complaints about the rough fabric are with the original Cambium. They're not made with that fabric any more, instead it's nylon. I haven't found it to cause excess wear.

debade

I did not find it comfortable. I gave it a few months and replaced it with a B17. Part of the problem might have been the positioning of my Trek Domane. I love my B17 on my 520 touring bike. I like it on the Domane. Knowing what I know now, I would have purchased the B17.

SalsaShark

I have the original cloth covered Cambium saddles on 3 of my bikes. These get a lot of miles, and I usually ride them with only my normal riding shorts. I have never noticed any excessive wear or holes in fabric from the saddles. There is however, a bit of minor piling of the fabric of my shorts in the areas that rub against the edges of the saddle. Same type of piling happens on my winter riding pants and thermals. After many years, all of these shorts and pants are still in service.
Also, in the little bit of riding I do in jeans, I have not noticed any wear at all in the pants.

bargo68 

I commuted about 7500 miles last year on a carved C17 (all weather) and my pants are none the worse for wear. All riding done with cycling wear, so YMMV.

But its me 

I’ll echo same no excessive wear from both the all weather and standard C17 saddles.

noglider 

No problem with mine. It might be the original type. It's a good commuting saddle for me.

willydstyle

I had no problem with excessive pants wear, but as a heavier rider (220+) I did see signs that the rubber was failing around the nose rivet about 2 years into riding on a C17.

2_i 

I hated it wholeheartedly, but then I hated leather Brooks too. I may be too light for such saddles.

MoreCarbs

learned something new, didn’t know there were variants of the cambium and thought they were all weather resistant.

MoreCarbs

Agree, my leather b17 had a very long break in process with annual proofide treatments only.

2_i 

I rode B67 on a daily basis for half a year waiting for the miracle of breaking in. I applied Proofide repeatedly. I stayed just as uncomfortable after months as at the beginning. Finally, it underwent water damage after rains came in, even though was hidden under cover. My wife suffered on her own Brooks saddle in parallel. She is also light. There was a celebration when these saddles were coming off

Wendell F

They are all weather resistant — meaning no leather to get f’ed by rain like a classic Brooks.

First the Cambium came with a rough cloth top which got and stayed wet in the rain, then came the Cambium All Weather with the nylon top wipes dry. Eventually that became the only model available.