The tensioned leather design does not lend itself well to many cycling disciplines such as cyclocross, road, and mountain biking. We liked the Brooks B17 on our commuters, touring bikes, and cruisers. Durability

Leather saddles are iconic. After all, they have been a part of cycling for over 100 years. The shiny leather gives your bike a classic look. The rivets are cool and add style. Brooks, in particular, builds an absolutely beautiful product. These saddles look great on vintage bikes and touring bikes. Brooks leather saddles are available in a wide variety of models. My 2011 Dawes Ultra Galaxy came with a Brooks B17 saddle fitted as standard. The Brooks B17 is the original and best when it comes to comfort on the bike. It is considered by many to be the gold standard in long-distance bicycle touring saddles. The full range of Brooks B17 leather saddles include: Imperial” seems to have been Brooks’ classy-sounding euphemism for “has a cutout to take pressure off your private bits.” Current models are called “carved,” which is the same thing as far as I can tell. There is a unisex B17 Carved model and also a B17 S Carved version, which is shorter as described above and also has a cutout. Personally, I prefer to spend more money to buy something once that is of good quality and that will last rather than having to buy something cheaper multiple times. I expect to get at least a decade of use from this saddle. Final Thoughts on the Brooks B17 Saddle One thing to consider when using a premium saddle like this is theft. Most thieves probably aren’t familiar with leather saddles but the B17 just looks expensive. It probably has a higher chance of being stolen. If you live in a high crime area, this is something to think about. Things I Don’t Like About the Brooks B17 SaddleThe iconic Brooks B17 Saddle is a popular choice with long-distance bicycle tourists. I’ve used a Brooks B17 for more than a decade over thousands of kilometres. Here’s everything you need to know about buying the best bicycle touring saddle for your trip.

I expect mine to last for many thousands of miles. After 1000 miles it still looks new except for one scuff on the side from when my bike fell over. That one was my fault. Looks What about width? Internet rumors seem to think the B17 S is wider than the B17, but according to the specs the current B17 Short model is exactly the same maximum width as the regular. I found this hard to believe so I measured them myself. Guess what: it’s true! They are almost exactly the same width, in fact the unisex version is actually 1mm wider: B17 S on the left, B17 on the right. Same width!World War II saw a drastic reduction in the range to the basic models and it was not until 1949 that a wider range of models was offered. A new range of lightweight models with aluminium cantleplates and stainless steel rails was launched. On the standard range of B17 saddles chrome plated rails were also offered as an option for the first time. They were numbered differently – B27 (Standard), B37 (Narrow), B47 (Sprinter) and B57 (Swallow). In late 1952 (though previously available on the continent) a new B17 model, the B17F was introduced – this was essentially a modified version of the Narrow with keyhole slots in the top and a more rounded cantleplate with the leather trimmed away. This was similar to how many riders were already modifying their saddles. This model later evolved into the Special before disappearing from the catalogues just before the announcement of the B17 Competition at the November 1954 London Cycle Show. The Competition was slightly wider initially than the Narrow (6 ¼in) and was intended strictly for the racing market. Masking the discomfort of an uncomfortable bicycle saddle with padded shorts is a major error. Padded shorts are unhygienic and impractical for long-distance bicycle tours. It is better to get a saddle for bike touring that does that job in regular clothes since that’s the mainstay of a long-term bike travellers wardrobe. Brooks B67 leather saddle honey The Brooks B17 saddle was originally launched sometime in the mid 1890s – it’s not been possible to establish the exact year. Initially, the B17 was not the top racing model in Brooks lineup. The B9, B10 and B11 were the top racing saddles. The B17s of this period were wider than today’s ones – the width varied a little from year to year but typically 8 1/2in wide compared to 6 3/4in for a modern Standard. In 1905 Brooks introduced a new version of the B17, the B17 Champion with dimensions of 11 x 6 1/2in almost identical to the modern Standard model.

Most men buy the standard B17 without a second thought, though there’s no reason they couldn’t use the women’s version if it happened to fit them better.Since we were leaving town quite soon I just had time to make a handful of long rides to break in the saddle. In the end, it wasn’t such a big deal and I actually enjoyed the process of feeling the leather saddle soften beneath my cheeks. Brooks is up there setting the standard when it comes to manufacturing well-functioning and chic leather saddles. Their leather saddles are a very popular choice among cyclists. Irrespective of the type of riding you’re into, be it road biking, cyclo-cross, mountain biking, touring, or everyday commuting. Therefore; getting yourself a Brooks saddle will serve you with the perfect blend between comfort and performance. Any professional cyclist or an avid cyclist will vouch for the quality of Brooks saddles. Taking care of a leather saddle is easier than it may sound. As a natural material, it’s fantastically resilient and marvellously weatherproof in a way that synthetic materials simply are not. My mate Adrian and I had been bicycle touring around the UK. Our journeys had become longer and more adventurous. We planned a summer bike tour across Europe. All in all, it’s a sleek, smart, well crafted saddle that’s a good all-rounder for touring, recreational riding and commuting and it’ll give you comfortable service for years and years. Verdict

The saddle requires some additional maintenance that a regular plastic synthetic saddles don’t need. Which saddle do you use? Share your experience in the comments below! More from Where The Road Forks I thought I’d found a decent solution with my second-hand saddle swap shop. I’d bootstrapped my way to a customised bicycle saddle solution. I was pretty happy with the results. At 570g the B-17 is not a lightweight racing saddle. But with an intended use of touring and trekking, it does not need to be. Touring saddles often compromise on weight to achieve all-day comfort. Value The Brooks B17 weighs 574 grams (about 20 ounces). This is very heavy for a bicycle saddle. In fact, you can buy ultralight carbon fiber saddles that weigh less than a quarter of the B17. If weight is a factor for you, you may want to look elsewhere. It’s ExpensiveThe B17 saddle is handmade by Brooks England in their factory in Birmingham. This iconic saddle was first introduced into the Brooks product range in 1890. The design is largely unchanged from the original product that was introduced over 100 years ago. The B17 is designed for long-distance bicycle touring. This is a classic piece of cycling gear and is Brooks best selling model. Protect it from rain. While I feel some people take this warning way too seriously – aren’t we sitting on them all day in our sweaty shorts anyway? – it doesn’t hurt to try and keep your Brooks dry. I cover mine with a plastic bag if rain is expected overnight. Apply Proofide as needed. Brooks swears that using ANYthing besides their specially formulated, and coincidentally very expensive, leather treatment could harm your saddle. I’m not so sure about this, but they scared me into doing it anyway. Whatever you think about this, it’s important to treat the leather when it starts to get dry and less supple, or ideally before. This is especially good to do after you’ve ignored the warning above about keeping it dry. After many years of use, I found that my B17 saddle was beginning to dip in the middle more than I felt comfortable with. So, one day in North Vietnam I asked a local engineer to drill three small holes into each side of the saddle. These two new saddles were a big improvement on the huge wedge of jelly that came with my touring bike. I replaced the gel saddle with the ancient foam Selle Royal saddle from my road bike. It made for a wonderfully smooth ride over long distances. This was a great saddle for bicycle touring. Brooks B17 Saddle