Cheap Alternative To Brooks Saddles?
10-06-23, 08:45 AM
#51
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Generally speaking, if your Brooks broke in asymmetrically, the seat was most likely too high, causing you to sit to one side to compensate. I had the same issue. Once I realized it, I dropped the saddle, and that fixed the issue. Many miles later the saddle is broken in symmetrically. The drop in saddle height also greatly increased the comfort of the saddle.
10-06-23, 08:45 AM
#52
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I find it hard to believe that these old leather bike seats are considered comfortable. When I started riding, that's all there was. Brooks leather on chromed steel rails. When I got my racing beer can aluminum bike in 2002, after years with no bike, the foam CODA seat seemed OK, but I ended up with a Selle Italia cutout built on titanium rails, which I stuck on a carbon fiber seat post. Now I put a big fat Zacros (from Scamazon) gel pad on top of it, and I use padded bike shorts as well.
I remember buying a new Brooks for my 1973 Follis 531 main tubes bike, and it was as hard as a rock for quite some time.
I guess my question is, should I have another look at Brooks? Are they built of lighter metal now, and how long would it take to break in?
Thanks.
I remember buying a new Brooks for my 1973 Follis 531 main tubes bike, and it was as hard as a rock for quite some time.
I guess my question is, should I have another look at Brooks? Are they built of lighter metal now, and how long would it take to break in?
Thanks.
Nothing is more personal on a bike than the saddle. It doesn't matter what it costs, how many ultra-cyclists swear by it, or how many people on-line love it. If it doesn't work for your anatomy you won't be comfortable.
In my experience (2 road clubs with hundreds of members, 40 years of road riding) Brooks saddles are rare among those I have ridden with. There are those who use and seem to love them, though.
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10-06-23, 09:16 AM
#53
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I bought Cardiff saddle a little while ago. Haven't tried it yet. Saddles - Cardiff Ltd. - Bicycle Accessories
Last edited by duffer1960; 10-06-23 at 01:39 PM.
10-06-23, 02:58 PM
#54
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I'm not saying that as a "Brooks apologist," I'm saying it as a basic statement of bike fit fact. If your sit bones make dimples on a leather seat, off center, you are dropping to one side on the saddle. This occurs when your saddle is slightly too high, which forces you to drop to one side to compensate. I am not saying the Brooks will feel better that the other saddles you mention, they are great saddles, I am simply pointing out what causes offset dimple formation on a Brooks.
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10-07-23, 11:28 AM
#55
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I'm not saying that as a "Brooks apologist," I'm saying it as a basic statement of bike fit fact. If your sit bones make dimples on a leather seat, off center, you are dropping to one side on the saddle. This occurs when your saddle is slightly too high, which forces you to drop to one side to compensate. I am not saying the Brooks will feel better that the other saddles you mention, they are great saddles, I am simply pointing out what causes offset dimple formation on a Brooks.
In days of yore, the gentry would hire serfs to wear their new boots for them till they softened up. Might there be a market here, for the particularly hard-a$$ed rider to make some side dough? 🤣
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10-07-23, 08:43 PM
#56
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I have one leg slightly longer than the other, which I balance by mounting one shoe cleat a notch forward of the other.
In days of yore, the gentry would hire serfs to wear their new boots for them till they softened up. Might there be a market here, for the particularly hard-a$$ed rider to make some side dough? 🤣
In days of yore, the gentry would hire serfs to wear their new boots for them till they softened up. Might there be a market here, for the particularly hard-a$$ed rider to make some side dough? 🤣
I'm not sure I've ever bought a Brooks Pro new, but I did fall for one of those Berthoud saddles once. That was pretty comfortable right out of the box. I don't know why.
By far the most comfortable leather saddles (for me) used to be the French Ideale branded ones. But they went belly up trying to compete with all the newer, lighter saddles. I heard someone has resurrected the company, but I know nothing about current production.
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