Not a fashionista, niche whore, don’t have an ironic moustache and don’t want to look like a tool but… I do like things that potentially last a lifetime and am therefore seriously considering splashing on a brooks saddle, for me road bike.
Cant decide between the swallow or swift, so was wondering if anyone has experience/opinion on either
acheers

Have a Swift saddle, but not on a road bike, and lovin it.

I would think about the Swallow if it was for a road bike though, saddle is cut away more.

Enjoy the dilemma!

Just got a Swallow off ebay (bit rude) for my surly and love it. Sure its made me faster then the B17 I’ve been using for years. Comfy from day 1 and on a couple of 25 mile rides. Sure the Swift is equally good though.

I too am close to investing and cannot face the utilitarian looks of the B17…Swallow prob a bit too much for me. Colts are nice tho.

I also have a swift on my mtb, Iwent for the swift as it’s stiffer than the swallow ( i believe). I like hard saddles…

also, i prefer the asthetic of the bigger rivets but that wouldn’t have swayed me tbh. I came to brooks from using selle italia turbomatics and I’m very pleased.

it was comfy from about mile 20.

my only criticism is that i often look at my rear tyre to see if it’s gone flat

Haven’t sat on either but god damn do I want an excuse to buy a Swift, they look lovely. I think my B17 on my tourer is actually a bit to big for me somehow…

I almost want to buy a Singular Swift and put it on it for the full geekout.

As long as you find this funny:

you have nothing to worry about.

H

I do like things that potentially last a lifetime and am therefore seriously considering splashing on a brooks saddle, for me road bike.

Me to. That’s why I fitted a swift. Thing is though if you fit one to a road bike that hasn’t got mudguards and ride it in the rain that lifetime will be less than 24 hours.
They do supply a cover, but I didn’t realize that was to be used for riding on in the wet. I assumed it was a transportation cover. The concept of an expensive leather saddle that has to have a PVC cover on it to use in the UK is plain daft.
So I’ve removed it to see if I can save it. I’ve tensioned it, but it’s still very very saggy.
That said it is very comfortable and was from the off. I’ve just fitted it to a fully guarded up bike. We’ll see how it holds up.

Pre sag.

On the last thread, plenty of folk said they had not experienced your problem.

Did you use any products at all on it before this biblical rain ?

No. I didn’t think one single wet ride would destroy a brand new saddle. I had used them years ago 70/80s and never ever put anything on them, they were fine.
When this one dried it too about an 1″ of thread to tension it and it’s still very saggy and soft.

There is a saying about assuming involving u and me …..

The worlds a changing place – my guess is they aint allowed to use the same chemicals as olden days !

I think she spits

I’ve got a Swallow on my commuter. Looks very nice.
Comfy, but not any more comfortable then any other decent saddle. As oldgit says, they almost melt in prolonged rain.
Other than looking lovely, can’t really see any advantage in ’em.

Too me (a multiple Brooks user, oldest from 1988) it has always been part of ownership that if they get soaked you can’t sit on them until slowly dried without direct heat and then treated, or they sag. This in my knowledge has been the way since day dot.

I have never had a problem ‘managing’ with Brooks saddles, and I’m certainly not a fair weather cyclist. I do run mudguards though.

I have two B17’s so can’t answer the OP. I might get a Swallow soon. As a high mileage cyclist (300 miles a week at this time of year), the advantage is definitely comfort.

Thanks for all the views, do you think that using one of those funky little ass saver mudguards would be sufficient, to give the saddle a fighting chance in the rain?
I try not to go out if its raining heavy but get caught out in the rain a lot and don’t ever use mudguards.