la traviata

i have a vintage and modern b17 my arse has no problems with either.

pastorbobnlnh 

I just don't get the OP's point:






Sorry. I could not resist. None are sagging. I just don't get it?

robatsu

OP has one data point in a field of 10-100 thousands of data points and a fundamental misunderstanding of statistics.

I feel sad for you about your saddle. I'm not a Brooks fanboy, but given the vast gulf between your evidence and your claims, the burden of proof is squarely in your court at the moment and you haven't substantiated anything other than one saddle sucks. And we are spotting you that because we are gentlemen here on C+V. So, one saddle sucks = company sucks? That makes no more sense than saying "This post by robatsu sucks" = C&V forum sucks.

gomango

Look at those beauties!

Very nice indeed, and will give countless miles of enjoyment.

These saddles may not be right for everyone, but that's ok.

They work quite well for me, and obviously more than a few forum members.

Back to the op, step up to the plate for a moment.

Please tell us you tried to work this out with your retailer before you hopped online.

custermustache

I have been meaning to say something about that...

Puget Pounder

hilarity.

snarkypup

To be fair to the OP, Veloria just posted about having this same problem with one of her saddles over at Lovely Bicycle. However, since her other Brooks are fine, I assume she's going to deal with this in a more reasonable way.

https://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2011/...g-saddles.html

RFC

This is the key. One dissatisfied customer. I have a number of newer Brooks, B-17 and professional, that all seem to be just fine after thousands of miles. And, heaven forbid, I have treated them with a variety of things including Proofide (bees wax), Snoseal (bees wax) and Neats Foot Oil (works the best).

BTW, I have no expectation or desire to have a saddle that lasts my entire life. Reminds me of the first pair of Johnson & Murphys I bought (dress shoes). The salesman was bragging about all of the famous people who had been buried in these shoes and that if I took good care of them, I could be buried in them too. My immediate thought was, "why the **** would I want a pair of shoes I could wear when I'm dead." If my Brooks wear out, great, it means I rode some serious miles.

AL NZ

in the 80s, my 1950s Humber had a great B66 which I soaked in neatsfoot oil, not knowing any better (I was 17, there was no internet to discover these things) - it was comfortable, but destroyed many pants with it's brown stain

Late 80s, I had a 2nd hand bike with a Professional. Hard, but good

NOW I have a B66 bought 2009 - love it
Also, Flyer Special - 2010 - love it
Also, Ladies B18 bought 2010 - I am too heavy for this, but love it (my wife wont ride the Loop frame because the brakes are so bad - work needed)

I also LOVE the B83 (triple rail ) on my '55 Raleigh - it loves me

I weigh 108 kg (approx 237lb)

waverley610

There is a very real difference in the quality of vintage and modern brooks saddles... the thickness of the hide.

Since B.S.E the mad cow disease blighted the land of cattle, all must now be slaughtered at a much younger age (less than 4 years old I think?) resulting in significantly thinner (juvenile) hides, as there are no old cows allowed to live to 12years or whatever was the norm and grow thick skin over successive cold winters.

Also I believe the company no longer uses British hides and now sources from Eastern Europe. This has all been discussed on here before I think.

AZORCH

Those are just stunning, PB. And no saddle sag, either!

rootboy 

I want to be buried with my Brooks.
Oops. Better watch out what I wish for.

Amesja

I think that if Veloria snaps her fingers the vendors will sit up and beg. I doubt she'll have much in the way of an issue getting it fixed. She'll probably end up with 3 new free saddles. Not that this is wrong in any way. I'm just jealous

irwin7638

I've ridden a circa 1970's b17 for as long as 16 Years in the past and am currently using a b67 which was new 5 years ago. I don' see any difference in quality or experience any discomfort. I'll still recommend them to anybody as a real value compared to the alternatives.
https://simplecycle-marc.blogspot.com...onspiracy.html

Marc

Road Fan

Robatsu does not suck - that Mondia he's flogging on Ebay is a beauty (sans Brooks, btw!).

But in the topic, I'd say I have had good luck with Brookses, except for Pros. I don't conclude they are now an incapable maker of saddles, I conclude the Pro is not the right design for me.

But my fave has been Selle An-Atomica for the past 18 mo or so.

larwyn

My new B66 just arrived a couple of days ago. So far I see no problems with the construction or materials used. This saddle was ordered as a replacement for the original B17 that came on the '72 Raleigh Sports. As the question came up and I happen to have both saddles and a dial caliper in the same garage, I decided to take a couple of measurements. I took measurements at random spots around the edge of the leather of both saddles. The leather on the new B66 is actually thicker than that on the 39 year old B17. The old B17 measured about .175 inches thick while the B66 came in at .190 inches thick. This is just one example of a comparison between two saddles made nearly 40 years apart so I have no idea if the results are typical of other such comparisons.

RJM

I couldn't imagine needing thicker leather than the leather my professional has. Quite a good saddle. I have no qualms about recommending Brooks saddles to people. I don't think their quality has gone downhill either.

RJM

Hmm, interesting.

Captain Blight

I I found out recently that Proofide actually makes a pretty decent mustache wax. Only peripeherally connected to the conversation, I know, but if it helps just one person....

shipwreck

Well, as one of the very few who have stated that a flyer has been less than satisfactory, I have to say that it brings me no pleasure or profit to do so. I plan on trying another brooks, just not the flyer again. I have no vindeta against the company or affiliation with another. I would let all my friends ride brooks if they wanted. I might even suggest one to them. Just not mine
Its not important enough to me to start a thread on it, and I am sure that Wall bike or brooks would have worked with me.

I got mine at the outset of a tour, and found that within a couple hundred miles it was sagging a great deal. None of that boldly insouciant flat leather saddle that I was used to from my others. It was still fairly comfortable, and I continued to ride it. It was a winter trip, so sweat was at a minimum, and I kept it dry. It was after several days that It started touching the rails. I did not want to tighten it yet again, so when I passed a town with a saddle/tack shop I stopped and sweet talked the guy into lending me a hole punch and selling me some strap. I laced the wings, tightened it one more time and took off. it still has a huge sage, but is actualy pretty comfortable.

The leather on the flyer is quite a bit thinner and much softer than on my old professional(not 100% sure how old it is) and thinner than my friends imperial. So, based on that, I have decided that I will not get another without seeing it first, no mail order.

yes brooks will offer to replace the leather, Just not as in my case when it has been altered. It also would not have helped me in the middle of a cross country trip, I was more willing to destroy my warranty in an effort to get my saddle to work, wich it did, rather than to ship it off and keep riding on whatever I could find at whatever bike shop I came across.

RFC

That is useful information. Fortunately, there are no existing pics of when I hand a handlebar mustache.

robatsu

Thanks - it was hard to let that go, it was a vision of beauty and perfection project. But it isn't fitting into my drastically reduced bicycle stable, sadly enough.

I'm actually quite curious to see what that will bring, I have no idea - most of the stuff I sell on ebay I usually can guess w/in 10-20 percent or so, but I have no idea w/this.

When my paypal account gets charged back up enough later tonite or tomorrow, I'm going to order one of those new Berthouds. Not that there is anything the matter with the Brooks, I've had good luck with all of them, the only one I had the most minor complaint about was the Imperial, the cutout didn't agree w/me.