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Alternatives to Brooks saddle?

Old 02-27-19, 09:18 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by vintagerando
Standard
Right, sorry, I remember you said it was 17 cm wide, so I should have put that together before.

​​​​​​I measured the Cinelli Unicanitor I mentioned, and it is 15.5 cm wide. A classic Unicanitor from the 60's-70's was 14.5 cm wide.

So no, I can't think of another waterproof saddle (other than the Cambium) that replicates the fit of the Standard.

​​​
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Old 02-27-19, 11:45 PM
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Ergon sr3 and Ergon sr3 Pro Carbon - large size. Feels like a B17 on top but you can ride more fully rotated.
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Old 02-28-19, 12:05 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
To me almost any saddle will feel good at first, but after 50 miles you can tell if it is a good saddle for you and your bike or not.
And sometimes you don't realize until well into a long brevet that you chose your saddle poorly.
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Old 02-28-19, 07:26 AM
  #29  
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my rule of thumb is that almost any saddle is good up to 50 miles. If it still feels good at 100 miles, it has potential. The saddle that came with my fatbike was the exception to this, it felt like it was splitting me in half as soon as I started riding.
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Old 02-28-19, 01:55 PM
  #30  
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I accidentally discovered a world I didnt know existed; Chinese copies of high priced saddles. I may get one or two to help narrow down what feels best. For example this EC90; only $20.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/EC90-Road-S...m/123434155912
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Old 02-28-19, 02:34 PM
  #31  
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My odyssey to find the perfect saddle has taken some strange twist lately. After trying a half dozen saddles, I found success with the Specialized Power Saddle. It's a short-nosed saddle and I rode it for two years. The only problem with the Power saddle is that it is a one position saddle. I'm planning on doing several centuries and sitting in one place causes numb bum. I have been doing a lot of Zwift this winter and the Power saddle on the trainer became soar. I tried the Power Arc saddle, but I couldn't stay on it. It was so slippery, I felt like I was moving too much. Next up, the Pro Stealth Saddle that is a short-nose saddle, but it is wider on the nose and allows for more movement. I got the Pro Stealth saddle dialed in, and it was comfortable on the trainer.

We were visiting San Diego, and I wanted to see what a Selle Anatomica H2 looked like. I stopped by their hq and I was with my wife. She got excited about the saddle and I ended up walking out with one. I thought the Selle Anatomica H2 looked awesome and I was super excited to try it out. I tilted it 1% nose up and went for a 25 mile ride. I was slipping forward. I moved the nose up 1.5% and tried it again...same problem. I moved it up 2% and I stopped slipping, but now I had pain where you don't want to have pain. I lowered the saddle down a cm, moved it back, and I still had pain. Unfortunately, I returned the Selle Anatomica H2 and went back to the Pro Stealth. I've got a century ride in a little over a month, I hope I can get comfortable with the Pro Stealth.

PS, I would not buy a Chinese saddle. I wouldn't trust the rails and small differences in saddles make a big deal.
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Old 03-05-19, 02:59 PM
  #32  
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Ec90

Originally Posted by vintagerando
I accidentally discovered a world I didnt know existed; Chinese copies of high priced saddles. I may get one or two to help narrow down what feels best. For example this EC90; only $20.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/EC90-Road-S...m/123434155912
Me too. I had ordered this exact saddle for my fat bike (that has been sporting a b17). I have the Specialized Power on a road bike, which I am hoping the EC90 is a fair knock off of. I've done rides longer than 50 miles on the specialized power saddle, and like it. The EC90 certainly feels light compared to the brooks, lol. I was thinking that the b17 was a little wide, and not entirely working for me...it only had a couple hundred miles on it mounted on another bike before I put it on the fat bike. By the time the EC90 arrived, I'd put another 250 miles on the b17, and have about decided that it works just fine, lol. So, will be another month of so before I get my next project up and running...have a 1987 Cannondale sr400 frame/fork that I had powder coated last fall that I should be ready to assemble into a modern bike. Will try the saddle out on that one I guess.
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Old 03-05-19, 09:23 PM
  #33  
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Our OP is of course looking for a non-leather saddle, but for anyone and everyone's edification, 2019's tensioned leather saddle manufacturers include: Berthoud (France), Brooks (UK), Gyes (Taiwan), Ideale (France), Lepper (Netherlands), Nasiruddin (India), Selle Italia (Italy), Selle Anatomica (USA), Selle Monte Grappa (Italy) and Tabor (Portugal).

Nasiruddin's saddles are available in N.A. from Persons.

Gyes manufacturers most of the private label/house brand saddles. To the best of my knowledge Gyes also manufacturers Rivet saddles to Rivet's designs & specifications.
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Old 03-13-19, 07:03 PM
  #34  
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The world of non-leather saddles is really big. Sella Italia alone has almost 100 different saddle models. A very popular saddle around here is the Selle Italia MAN Gel Flow. For women, the similar Diva. They seem to fit a wide range of butts and don't seem to have an upper time limit.
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Old 03-13-19, 11:23 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by unterhausen
my rule of thumb is that almost any saddle is good up to 50 miles. If it still feels good at 100 miles, it has potential. The saddle that came with my fatbike was the exception to this, it felt like it was splitting me in half as soon as I started riding.
My buddy had a new Niner MTB and I tossed a leg over it in the parking lot at the end of a ride. I was razzing him about complaining how bad the seat was during the ride.

I rode it about ten seconds, and couldn't sit on the seat another moment.
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Old 03-13-19, 11:36 PM
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might be the same saddle
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Old 06-20-19, 07:49 AM
  #37  
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Do those cuts in the saddle actually make a comfort difference?
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Old 06-27-19, 01:47 PM
  #38  
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Looking for suggestions to alternatives (non leather) to the Brooks B17.
I have been using a Fizik Vitesse HP .. on several of my bikes I got 4 ..

they were made for , Brompton, black Pleather and a bit more rail clearance bend..

may not be any more..


How about the C 17..
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Old 07-05-19, 12:49 PM
  #39  
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I have the C17 All Weather Carved (cutout). I'm a bit ass-challenged and finding a comfy saddle has been difficult. I've tried many saddles and this C17 works better for me than any saddle so far. The surface of the C17 is a bit rougher than most saddles I've ridden. I recently noticed that my shorts and bibs are showing abnormal wear near the front of the chamois area (nose of the saddle).
The saddle cost about $110. My Assos, Sportful,.... etc., bibs cost quite a bit more.
I hate to start the search for another saddle - but good bibs aint cheap!
It's getting frustrating.
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Old 07-06-19, 04:58 AM
  #40  
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That's too bad, do you think it's the cutout that is causing the wear?

My favorite bibs right now are some low-end Endura, followed closely by some Voler bibs that seem to come up on sale quite often for right around $100. I was thinking about getting another set of the Endura, it helps to alternate on multi-day rides.
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Old 07-06-19, 03:57 PM
  #41  
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There are some of last-year's endura fs260 pro bibs on chain reaction for 125$cad and I love my endura shorts so I snagged some bibs... might snag another pair at that price.
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Old 07-06-19, 04:05 PM
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I think the endura bibs I like cost me about $70 U.S. I had trouble with the first bibs I wore on PBP in 2011, I changed to some Endura bibs that saved my ride. Wore them for 3 days. Unfortunately, they disintegrated in the wash later that year, some problems with the printing on them. But the bike shop gave me my money back, so they were free.
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Old 01-12-20, 12:08 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by tyrion
FWIW Selle Anatomica is coming out with a rubber hammock saddle, the R2:



Not out yet, no reviews to be found.
I just received the R2 saddle I ordered in June and have high hopes for its comfort and longevity. It does appear to be well-made. I'm curious to see how it stacks up with the C17 Carved that I've ridden for the last three years.
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Old 01-12-20, 02:44 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by Archwhorides
I just received the R2 saddle I ordered in June and have high hopes for its comfort and longevity. It does appear to be well-made. I'm curious to see how it stacks up with the C17 Carved that I've ridden for the last three years.
Give us updates! I ride a Brooks but am looking for something waterproof whose fit doesn’t change as it breaks in. I wonder if the R2 would fit the bill...
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Old 01-18-20, 09:50 PM
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Originally Posted by samkl
Give us updates! I ride a Brooks but am looking for something waterproof whose fit doesn’t change as it breaks in. I wonder if the R2 would fit the bill...
The R2 certainly, but so would the Brooks C17 and C17A cutout "vegan" saddles, which do not need breaking in - fairly firm and comfortable to start, fairly firm and comfortable for years.

I like the R2 so far, but it has a couple quirks:
  1. The parts rattled at first, until I disassembled, greased the contact points, and reassembled - all quiet now.
  2. I rode in a heavy rain, and the black neoprene left a dark pool on the bottom of my yellow rain paints - haven't tried to wash out yet.
I love the look and feel however, looking forward to a long relationship.



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Old 01-19-20, 07:00 AM
  #46  
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C-17 next best thing

I haven't ridden every saddle of course, but I used a B-17 for 10 years until it split, then a Champion until the rails must have bent in shipping my bike. I was tired of worrying about the weather in Florida heat, rain, humidity, and sweat so I got a Cambium C-17 with a cutout. The first test ride of about 27 miles(40km) on a familiar route went well when I realized about 12km in that I forgot I switched saddles and needed to scrutinize the new one. I did a full brevet series in 2019 and PBP and only developed 1 saddle sore near the end of PBP. I think I probably could have prevented that by cleaning and reapplying chamois cream more frequently. The C-17 doesn't have the exact same suppleness or springiness as the leather, it's hard for me to describe the subtle difference. But in addition to the brevets, I tour and train on it in rain, sun, sweat and it feels great for me. I never had a leather saddle with a cutout, but I like the cutout on my c-17. Overall it was a very smooth transition for me.
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Old 01-27-20, 05:41 AM
  #47  
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After much personal debate I finally pulled the trigger on an Infinity bike seat. Pricy but has a 30 day return policy. This goofy looking saddle is the most comfy if all the saddles I've tried over the years and I got a bushel basket of rejects. More comfy for me than 2nd place Brooks b17 at better than half the weight. Good conversation starter too.
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Old 02-02-20, 11:36 AM
  #48  
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I do all my training rides on a Brooks pro, all Brevets (200-1000k) on Fizik Aliante, and have no saddle issues on the long Brevets.
I had tried the Terry saddle a few years ago, but the cutout bother me.
I find that a saddle is a very personal thing. Someone's perfect saddle may bother someone else after a few klms, and never be able to get use to it.
If you find a saddle that you are comfortable with I suggest buying a spare because even the same models differ from year to year.
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Old 08-06-21, 12:34 PM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by vintagerando
Looking for suggestions to alternatives (non leather) to the Brooks B17. Yes, I did google it. The recommendations I found on the Web did not seem to match the width/length of the B17. (Looking to match the feel, comfort, support) I am looking for a more light weight, non leather, alternation that will be comfortable for longer distances I am doing. Yeah, I know "everyones' sit bones are different". Just curious what others are using whom formally had Brooks and switched, or whom own a Brooks and another bike/saddle combo which feel similar.
Thanks.
Pardon the belated reply. Of 30 or thereabouts saddles I've owned and / or used over the years (incl. a Brooks B17 that came with one of My bikes), the saddle of choice for Me would be a colour version (microfiber, as opposed to black (leather)) of the Selle SMP Plus. Depending on your seat bone width, an Avant or even a Lite 209 might be a better fit for you. Check out the Saddle Finder on their website (I'm not allowed to post the link). Dismiss injection-molded foam saddles (such as the TRK, Well, etc.) - these do not compare to their, unfortunately more expensive, quality touring / bikepacking saddles (i.e., Plus / Avant / Lite 209). By the way, Selle SMP classifies to this range as "gravel / cyclocross" saddles. "Thick padding" isn't thick by any measure - it's just about perfect padding - firm and the right amount. What distinguishes these saddles (and to some extent, the Brooks) - is that these saddles, much like horseback riding saddles, are meant to be sat IN, rather than ON the saddle. That alone translates to superior comfort. Also, apart from the important animal friendly nature of the colour versions of these saddles (i.e., sporting microfiber covers as opposed to leather in black versions), the colour versions are also more comfortable, as they're a quite a bit little less "sticky" (meaning, much less prone to irritate the skin) than the leather ones. This is especially noticeable in warm weather and during longer rides.
In My opinion, the Plus and the Avant are more comfortable than any Brooks B-series saddle. Additionally, they're infinitely less susceptible to damage from the elements, including sun and rain. Compared to almost any other saddle, they resolve all three of the issues saddles usually have - seat bone pain; thigh rub - and perineal numbness / genital shrink. On the negative note, they're expensive - the microfibre cover versions, unfortunately are more expensive and somewhat more difficult to come by, too - and they're fairly heavy at 300-400 grams (but so are Brooks / Anatomica leather saddles!). And worth every penny, nonetheless.
Good luck.
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Old 08-07-21, 05:06 AM
  #50  
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ergon touring saddles
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