Brooks Saddles

Also advised that my repair plan to glue the nose on this old broken one and refit the bolt isn't going to work. He was finally saying that the leather on the older models is much better which is a view someone shared a few pages back

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When people say older models how old is that? Saddles from the 1980s?

@sohi around then I guess but no idea

Some lacing added to my brooks professional by my LBS (think it's newish, but was purchased off here)

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Needs it already?

@withered_preacher doesn't need it - it's pretty much new but was just advised on the newer ones it's good to do it straight away to prolong the life. On the vintage ones, fine to do it down the line apparently.

It may have been me banging on about how the leather isn't like the old stuff. So with a new top on a B17/Swift/Swallow, I've found it's basically so thin that they sag from new. In answer to @sohi, yep I'd head for 70s/80s/90s for the old thicker tops. I have a few older leather Brooks knocking around and I'd rate them as twice as good as the modern ones. The only decent tops available now are the Team Pro (or the recentish release of Colts)

Hm, disappointing, haven't bought one in awhile, my B17 Special from 2011 is still good, though not heavily used.
Colts are the least comfortable saddle I've ever sat on, not sure why but it might be there's abit of a hump in the middle, plus I'm wider boned.

They are very curved, I personally love them, but they're very hard. Maybe I'm just a perv.

Heaven is where we find it.

Does anyone know of a guide to the Cambium series? I know my sit bone width (115mm) and that the 80's Team Pro I've got is super painful to me. I'm fairly sure that a cut out is what I need too and that the worn B17 I rode a while ago doesn't ring bells of agony.

I want to find some information that's comparative between all the different types so that I can apply the above knowledge before purchase, as the ££ price tag is a lot for me atm.

Seems mad that Brooks don't have a comprehensive guide themselves.

I think the 15 and 17 correspond, generally the lower the number the narrower the saddle.

I really feel the edge of the top on the c17 in the back of my leg though which I don't think I ever have on a b17 as it's top curves down a lot more.

As for cutouts, I have both solid and 'carved' c15s and c17s I don't think I notice any difference in the feel of the saddle where the cutout is, I just notice the carved ones have a bit more sag/bounce.

I love my B17, but couldn’t get on with a C17 at all. I thought they’d be much more similar than they were. The C17 had very little give, and I felt like it was digging into my sit bones.

and @M_V
Ah, well there go, I have virtually no experience with the Cambiums though the rides I took last fall on my C17 equipped mini velo were comfortable enough, and I only ride B17 and wider variations.

Weird, put about 10,000km on a Flyer over the last 24mo in all weather and had no issues with sagging... noisy as fuck tho.

@withered_preacher yeah thanks, I'd assumed as such but I guess I don't know which for me is the right choice. I'd imagine the C17 given my not-bad-experience with the B17.

@M_V this is really great info, it's great that you can compare them all. Massively not a fan of the digging in the back of the leg, I can imagine exactly how that would feel.

Interesting about the cut-outs. I guess I'm hoping the carved section would relieve pressure, the Pro I've got has the most solid spine to it that I find downright painful after as little as 5k. I've an old Fizik with a cut out that doesn't produce any pain, but does produce numbness.

@scraplab hmm this is interesting too, maybe I should go for a B17 after all. Not keen on the breaking in period, though maybe I should just suck it up for the sweet sweet magic carpet reward on the other side. One day the right perch will come, gleaming in the heavenly glow of realised comfort.

Break in for Brooks saddles seems to be a different story for every rider.
I've ridden a variety of them over the last 25-30 years and have never required a break-in period, they felt fine (if a little rigid) right out of the box.

We stopped selling the cut out cambiums as they got returned at an exceptionally high rate. It was always complaints about how bouncy they were.

Weird, put about 10,000km on a Flyer over the last 24mo in all weather and had no issues with sagging... noisy as fuck tho.

They really do vary so much, this just shows that. The hides are the skins of animals after all, so there are a lot of variables. The thickest parts are around the rump so they reserve that area for Professionals, and perhaps some flyers get that hide too.

To reduce the creak I recommend a tiny squirt of some moisture-remover like WD40 and add a blob of viscous oil at the interfaces of metal parts.

I've just bought a Spa Cycles Aire with Titanium rails.
It's almost identically shaped to my Swallow, the leather is very thick and is cloth-backed for reinforcement and has that very reassuring feel of being like a solid block of wood, that suggests it should last nicely.

First ride out (although short) I really didn't notice it, so clearly another good sign.

Worth thinking about if you want an alternative to Brooks. It's very nicely made as well.

I don't really know much about leather, but it's a very different product from Brooks - I mean the leather itself. I know this cos I detroyed one trying to stamp lettring into one, and it fucked it up royally. The tanned surface split and the insides was whitish suedey material.

However I'm sure they ride fine. I'd be interested to know what they're like after lots of use and weather.

I have two flyers bought in same week brand new from wiggle, one soft as fuck and one hard as fuck

I sent a flyer back after it sagged after only 500 miles, and got a replacement direct from brooks... which was promptly nicked from right outside my flat. Foolish me

have two flyers bought in same week brand new from wiggle, one soft as fuck and one hard as fuck

et voila