I've ordered my first Brooks saddle, a Swift Ti, to go on a new hardtail build. Never had one before, but quite excited at the prospect of something a bit different & from a company with such a great history. Any Brooks fans out there?

You might be excited but your arse won't be. 😉
Only a thousand miles to go before it stops hurting.

Yeah, I'm trying not to think about that bit…especially as it'll be going on a hardtail (maybe rigid!)

I tried one for three or four rides on a cyclcross bike but simply wasn't tough enough in the end. It was pre-worn though so maybe that doesn't help.

Have a good read of this thread, then this one – lots of info there.

My B17 was much more comfy than any of my other saddles straight out of the box. Cracking bit of kit.

I've never used a Brooks saddle on an off-road bike but have one on my Roadrat (previously it was on my commuter Inbred). It was pretty comfortable almost from day one but is getting more so the more I use it.

Unless you only ride in the dry I don't see it being a good idea on a mountain bike though.

I've got a Brooks B17 on my Hewitt touring bike and it took around 2000 miles of daily use and copious amounts of dubbin to get comfy.

Even after putting 1000's of miles on it, it's only as comfy as the Fizik Gobi on my Obed.

I've really only kept it on as an older look saddle suits the Hewitt more.

Aye, lots of info on those threads, half of it incorrect. Just like the internet.

I have an 1988 B17 on my Orange R8. For offroading it's kind of compulsory to use a rear mudguard, as rear tyre spray will kill it. I use Brooks proofride every few months, just a little mind. Putting some on the underside helps defend against any stray splashes.

I also have a B17 bought last year on the tourer, which was substantially broken in by about 1000km. And for the first 1000km, it was a comfortable as a non-leather saddle.

If buying a saddle for actual seating function, leather is the only option.

synthetic wears out just as its getting comfy ….brooks wears in at a similar milage ….got a pairof em and love em – brown are easier to break in though

I've got a B17 in the garage that came off my hardtail. They are great saddles but kid of impractical as water and mud can ruin them, even with copious amounts of profide on the underside. May eventually put it on my tourer which has full mud guards but I won't be using if off road again.

I found mine was comfy from day one.

Aye, lots of info on those threads, half of it incorrect. Just like the internet.

So which half of your post do we ignore? 😀

The Swift was nice, felt fine straight out of the box, the B17 I had for a while, seemed harsher and harder to break in, that might have been down to the flex you get with ti rails on the Swift though.

Both are quite slippery when new, you seem to move about a bit on them at first.

Also, they used to streach when they got wet( or should I say soaked) too, even though I used loads of the prohide stuff, which is the reason I moved on in the end, got fed up slackening off the tension* and waiting for them to dry out then re-tensioning them again.

*not sure if this is what Brooks recomend when they goet soaked, but its what I used to do anyway.

Last off, my old man used to work for Brooks years back, he still has his 1st saddle, which must be 40-50 years old now!

I have a team pro which is about 2 years old and I have just got a Swift for my CX bike. Love them. Once they are bedded in they are amazing. Also they look amazing!
Just use the bedding in process as an excuse to ride more.

Take the first post as true, and everything that follows this sentence as false.

Brooks saddles are light and cheap. Run them nose up, not whatever way feels comfy for you. You can't use them on mountain bikes because water will kill them. They take years to break in and will damage your arse.

Waverider, I didn't like using mine off road because of the metal framework and exposed bag loops on the B17. Lots of potential for injury whilst hanging off the rear of the saddle on steep descents.
It's on the tourer now, very comfy it is too, as was the one before that.

Apart from that, I agree with you, but it would appear other people have varied opinions, even after trying them.

The other thing to bear in mind is that it's heart/arse breaking when they, or the bike they are attached to gets nicked. Usually just after you've broken the bloody thing in.

That's okay RS, I know people have other opinions, and that is fine. But like every one else on this forum, if your opinion isn't the same as mine, I judge you as wrong.

So in your case, what are you doing? Hanging off the back of the saddle and letting go with the bars with one hand, so you can grab your scrotum to physically entangle it with the saddle rails and gubbins? 😯

I don't entirely disrespect your opinion, but I move about all over my B17 with bag loops and haven't injured myself once. So, my question to you – have you ever seen an injury to a MTBer caused by the undercarriage of a Brooks Saddle?

No, but I have seen riders injure themselves with the rear of their saddle by losing control on descents.

Then, using my powers of imagination, I thought about the consequences of a B17/testicle/stomach interface and put it back on the tourer.
Where it belongs. 🙂

We're not all like that on here.
I, for example am perfectly prepared to consider your ludicrous and worthless ideas for any number of seconds, before using them to confirm and reinforce my own opinions. 😀

I'm happy then. Dressed up in your flowery response is an admission you are incorrect.

Brooks Saddles are safer than racier saddles when hanging off the rear. The narrower back of the likes of an SDG saddle is better shaped for prodding you in the knackers. A broader backed Brooks is more likely to have any impact force dissipated across the front of both thighs as well as the nether regions. At least, this is what my imagination tells me.

Have you considered a career in Health and Safety? Or product (over) design?

(I'm going to stop posting on this one now lest you think I'm picking on you or your opinions. I'm just bored stupid and posting nonsense to save me having to revise for a confounded exam).

This one is just about broken in 😉

If buying a saddle for actual seating function, leather is the only option.

I think that's the bit you were supposed to ignore as incorrect 😉

Crikey, cheers fellas. Absolutely no idea if I've made a mistake or not…I guess time will tell. One thing's fo' sho', I won't be using a mudguard if I can avoid it unless it's a complete mud bath out there.

Edited – I was enjoying that!

Anyway, good luck with the exam.

And yes, assessing risk is a very large part of my job 😀

Both myself and mrs panda are big fans.
Last year we both bought new brookes for our tourers (well cx bikes), we had 500 miles breaking in before we went. They were much better than our previous saddles over the 10days. Although for day rides we were completely happy with our existing saddles, 10days of touring the year before had led to discomfort. The brookes were ace. Unlike the previous year, the first 5miles each day was pain free. They visibly mold to your bottom.
While Im not sure I would put one on the MTB, my other road bike may well be getting one. Both of us bought the Brookes that most closely matched the shape of our existing saddles. This seems to have paid off. Mrs panda ended up with a male b17 because of this.

Basically we are fans, so good luck!

Thanks RS 🙂

(Just back from a quick bike ride with no injuries!)

got 2 on my surlys and love them…just the standard B17s, took a good 1000 miles to properly break in though 😮