I have a steel tourer that has an ok saddle, but i do like the look and reputation of leather saddles. However the B17 et al seem to have a marmite reputation for being comfortable as a feather bed/tough as a plank. Im wary of dropping a lot of money into something i may hate, and have looked at the Spa cycles leather saddles which appear similar, but much cheaper. Therebis also the expensive American Sella Anatomica perches…..can anyone help me galvanise my thoughts?

long term b17 user here, but the last one died pretty quick, so i bought a spa saddle….mistake. sold it quickly, then for some stupid reason i bought a wider one…..mistake number 2.
they are rock hard and stay like it. no give in my second one even after a thousand or so miles.

B17, Colt and swallow user here used all for years and been on tried a spa cycles one and promptly sold it as it was an arse destroyer the B17’s I use on a few bike including my touring bike I have a Colt on my 24″ BMX cruiser and swallows on three of my road bikes once broken in they are perfect as they fit your arse lol

Ok…seems a No to the Spa copies….:-)

I had a Brooks copy that I never got on with as well. Wasn’t a Spa but can’t remember what it was :(. Brooks works for me but not for everybody.

Have used Brooks and a Wrights in the past. Took the plunge with a Gilles Berthoud Aravis and don’t regret it. Usual faff of fine tuning the position and breaking it in but the comfort and quality are top notch. I plan on this being my last road bike saddle.

Brooks for me also – B17 on tourer and Swallow on the road bike. Comfortable and long lasting.

Spa seem a bit brutal.

No experience of the others.

The Spa do break in eventually, but it takes ages.
If it didn’t fit so well, I suspect it’d be horrible.

I’m just about to start on another.
It’s had a tin of dubbin and a good talking to.

Last Brooks has lasted well over 20 years but is a little bit saggy.
Not much, just age.

In all honesty, I might just jack the whole trad saddle thing in.
You can get saddles, measured to fit at all prices these days.

Also, I’ve got a Rolls on the other bike and I’d like a cheap Turbo too.
🙂

I like my Brooks, but I sometimes wonder why I’m persisting with the Nidd(s).

I have a brooks flyer and have never managed to find a position i like I always feel I am sliding forward unless i stick the nose so far up i have pain in my man parts, tried it on loads of bikes and with many different posts just cant get on with it.

I have a Ti-B17 on my tourer and it’s superb: been comfy from the first ride.

Standard B17s can be broken in over a weekend – I’ve got few a through over the years but can’t complain.
The Spa Nidd looks unbreakinable (sitting unused in my shed if anyone wants it for nowt).

spa = plank … no matter how much i talked it, threatened it, used
dubbin it absolutely refused to give in.
bought a c15 instead.

now suffering angina so it too sits unused

How about a second hand (or new if you can push the boat out) Cambium?

stirlingcrispin – I’ll give that spa saddle a go if you are offering. I have a b17 that needs replacing. Where are you?

Really not a fan of tensioned leather saddles. The claims about them shaping to your arse is true, they sag at the points of highest pressure (your sit bones) and means that over time the pressure is even across your entire nether region.

But this is really NOT what you want. The same amount of pressure on your gooch as on your sit bones? Naw pal.

This is the reason you see brooks riders recommending tipping the saddle nose forward after they’ve been broken in. Less gooch pressure.

Unless you’re looking to set up a traditional looking bike just buy a modern saddle that fits you well and be done with it.

csb – just spotted your post.

Spa saddle is yours for some beer money. I’m in Stirling / BofA. Drop me an email on Stirling Crispin AT Gmail dot com but without the spaces.