Breaking-in a Brooks saddle.

[Davidc]

GregCollins is right. I find B17s comfy straight from the box. I tried a B17N and it nearly killed me. Width has to be right.

As for that picture - the top needs to be level! That angle would make any saddle murder.

 

[vernon]

I have B17 saddles on three of my bikes. I was so confident in the comfort of a B17 that I set off on a LEJOG with a brand new one. I've found them all to be comfortable from day one.

 

[yello]

B17N here. I think there's a difference between 'broken in/softened' and 'comfortable'.

Mine was comfortable pretty much from the off - once I'd tinkered a little with the position. I found I like the Brooks slightly lower than my other saddles and, at first, slightly nose up.

I noticed today, for the first time, that there are 2 hollows (or 'dimples') appearing where my sit bones are.... I've done more than 20,000km on the saddle!! Hence I now say there's a difference between comfortable and broken in.

 

[PpPete]

I've yet to put enough miles in my Brooks Swift to put dimples in it... and it is significantly more comfortable than the second hand one I bought that had been over-softened.... and that was more comfortable than any modern style saddle I tried previously.

 

[Ian H]

My three Pros are pretty good. The oldest is over 25 yrs old, the newest about 15. The leather basically gives them shock-absorbing qualities, like well-damped suspension. I treated them initially by turning them upsidedown, liberally coating with Proofide, and leaving somewhere warm for a day or so. Mine are good for a few hundred miles at a time (mind you, the arse is fairly well seasoned too).

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

First proper ride (rather than around the block) with it today: I genuinely forgot I was sat on it at first, as if there was no saddle.

Thanks for the advice (from me and my backside).

 

[HovR]

See this bike. I don't ride it. Reason ? The Brooks saddle kills my arse. We hang clothes on it to dry them. Quite useful really.

I'll swap it for a drying rack!

 

[Garz]

Yes a clothes horse would be much cheaper to buy and be able to hang more clothes on...

Time to put it up for sale in the classifieds- poor thing!

 

[Globalti]

Little known fact: before bicycles were invented, the Brooks company made chastity belts from wrought iron and leather. Go figure.

 

[yello]

There were virgins in Birmingham?