Brooks B17N vs B17

[GrumpyGregry]

Brooks saddles are funny old things. Years ago I had a ?conquest? - a sort of B17 on springs anyway - on a steel framed MTB. Could not get on with it it at all and sold it and have since used WTB SST saddles .

When I bought my tourer last year I put a B17 on it, and followed the "Slather the underside and leave it be. Then for the top; once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, once a year for life" approach to proof hide.

The saddle, a honey one, was comfy from the off but it took about 2000km of me parking my arse on it before any sit bone indentations appeared anywhere, maybe it took 200km for my arse to get skinny enough for the sti bones to do anything.

Last week I collected my new Boardman MTB and I reasoned that as I sit on a Brooks nearly everyday a Brooks it should be for the new bike. A B17 Narrow is Brooks' entry level MTB saddle and one was duly fitted on Friday night. Saturday morning I set off on a 80km+ MTB ride on the SDW. Liked what I was feeling from the off. Now this trip probably consisted of 50% climbing (over 2000m of it) and 50% off the saddle descending so I was gobsmacked to find this morning, on cleaning the bike, that there were to little sit bone dents in the saddle already.

I guess I just have a Brooks enabled arse!

Finally a question... to those of you who mtb and practise the dark arts of the road. Does your seat set up differ across genres? Do you have a different saddle angle or pedal to saddle height on road vs mtb? I've been told I should drop my saddle a centimetre or so on the mtb vs the road bike so as to be able to unweight the saddle in corners.

 

[yashicamat]

From what I've heard, there are massive variations in the thickness of the leather on a Brooks, so if you had an exceptionally thick one first time around, and this second one is much thinner, perhaps that could account for some of the difference?

As for the saddle height, I like my saddle about 1.5" lower on my mountain bike than what is considered "optimum" for pedal power (i.e., what setup I use on the road). I find the slightly lower position makes for more stability on steep descents (and ascents), plus it feels better when really hammering around corners on gravel tracks.

 

[Bigtwin]

I too have had two Brooks saddles. One was more of less comfy from the off. Stupidly, I sold it with a bike.

The one I have now is like a brick. So I guess the leather does vary.

As for MTB v Road, I set them up the same. Can't stand pedalling on a saddle that's too low - really annoys me and feels completely wrong.

Hence those old skool spring up and down things you fit on the post.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Hence those old skool spring up and down things you fit on the post.

new wave clever hydraulic ones these days. but I can't think of anywhere in SE England where you really need to drop your saddle....

 

[Bigtwin]

I can't think of anywhere in SE England where you really need to drop your saddle....

Brighton?

Oh no, sorry, I see what you mean.

 

[Davidc]

I've just put Brooks No 4 on my mtb.

No 1 (1967 to 1974) stolen with its bike. It was a B15 whch came with the bike. About 35000 miles on that one.

No 2 after a false start - B17 (1975 to 1994) bought for a Peugeot road/ touring bike. Damaged irreparably when the bike got wrecked and I narrowly avoided the same fate, and thrown away. About 80000 miles on that one.

No 3 B17 (1996 to 2004) bought for when I used son's mtb - had its own seat post. Chewed up by mice. Thrown away. About 3000 miles on that one

No 4 B17 (17/7/2009 to ....) shining beautifully on the mtb. 40 miles and counting.

I happen to have a backside which fits the B17. I've never had to break them in, and there have never been any indentations from sit bones. I've followed horse saddle practice and rubbed the Brooks stuff into them once a week for a year then about once a month (hope its toxic to mice). Apart from the effects of mice they've looked as good as new all the time I've owned them, and stayed as comfortable as day 1. I've never adjusted the bolt underneath.

I tried the narrow version by accident - it was supplied incorrectly when I ordered it with the Peugeot (fitted by LBS). I didn't find it comfortable, realised the problem, and it was changed.

They're great, but only if they fit you.

If they take any length of time to "break in" they probably don't fit you.

I put the new one on my present bike on Friday. Went out yesterday (Saturday) and rode for 2 1/2 hours, for the first time on this bike I had no leg or backside discomfort. I also went slightly faster. Went out this evening on a loop I often do. Again no discomfort and slightly faster than usual. The signs are good!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

interesting stuff. obviously my sit bone indentations are equidistant from the centre line on both the B17 and B17N but the B17N is narrower and more sculpted a saddle. The B17 is more supportive for touring/commuting on the road but would, I think, be a bit too wide off it. The B17N is at the limits, width wise, of what I can cope with when "hanging off the back" off road.

 

[Cockney Scot]

fitted a brooks flyer to the hybrid about Y months ago and it was comfy from day 1. Transferred it to the MTB last week and it painful to say the least, not the sit bonea but chaffing . Have been aplying proofhide since new , will give it a few days rest and try again at the weekend. Cant understand why it should be OK on the hybrid but not the MTB'

 

[GrumpyGregry]

where.. ahem... are you getting chaffed?

anything different clothes wise?

riding MTB tends, ime, to be more a dynamic activity with constant weight shifting than riding on the road. I've got cheap padded liner shorts that are great on road, not a seconds thought for 100km but purgatory off it after 5km.

 

[Cockney Scot]

same clothing, getting chaffed top inside of thighs where they rub the side of the saddle, am considering refitting the stock saddle