I’ve got a charge spoon on my bike, I like it, but I do find around the 50km mark it starts to become less comfortable.

I keep eyeing up Brooks saddles, and wondering if that will allow me some more riding time before the achey bum sets it.

Any other saddles out there that I should look at.

Do I want leather brooks or not?

You could try buying some secondhand saddles from the forum here to find out what works for you.

(In answer to your question, I bought a Fizik years ago that way, and found it much nicer than my Charge Spoon, and been buying them ever since).

It’s all about what suits your bum innit! I get on really well with an On-One Big Nose, never been quite sure why lol

I’ve got a spare B17 Narrow you’re welcome to borrow if you’re anywhere near Burnley.

many other opinions here: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/brooks-saddles-comfy

I find specialized saddles comfy for longest, so far.

As above, love my specialised saddle on the fat bike, and got a whyte saddle on my remedy. Would love to try a brooks though!

I’ve done a 100 MTB ride with a Charge and 5 X 6+’hour day MTB rides on a Brooks saddle. V pleasant. The Specialized Toupe was fine up to 50 miles, then really grim, long gone. You need to try a few different makes as Shermer said. That’s what bike jumbles are for…..

How old is your Spoon? I like them but the padding doesn’t seem to last long so I need to replace them annually.

I used to have a Brooks B17 on my tourer/gravel bike but took it off when it was going to get too wet and muddy. I refitted it again this summer for some longer road trips (16hrs and 23hrs) and fell in love with it again.

Or a Cambium?

I like my C17, been switching it between bikes as I’m too tight to buy a 2nd…

Cheers, Steve

Had a Brooks B17 for a while. Really struggled at first with how slippy it was. In brief the idea is that you ride on it regularly, constantly re-tension it ( they supply the spanner) and wait for it to mould to your shape. At which point they’re meant to be the mutts knees, though they are heavy. I couldn’t handle waiting that long and bought an SDG Bel Air which I rate highly.
Not sure trying someone else’s makes sense. Point is that the leather moulds to the shape of your derriere. So unless you find someone else with the same weight, bone structure and arse cheeks as you it won’t really tell you that much.
The Charge Spoons are admittedly comfortable but they are cheap, plasticky (is that a word?) tat. Look at the underside to see how the material is casually stapled to the plastic body. After snapping two in soft crashes I decided never to use them again..

My B17 is my comfiest saddle, from mile 1.

Don’t ride it due to paranoia of getting it wet.

.

always used brooks b17 saddles. had 2 faulty ones so decided to try something else.
someone reccommended a smp saddle, which i tried, and loved from the start.
But i have just had 4 months off the bike, started riding this week, and the saddle is killing me. my hip may have been damaged, so it might be this.
i will persevere, but if it dont get better, i shall be buying another couple of brooks b17 saddles.

Found Specialized saddles good, then had Charge Spoon and it was better.
Had a B17 for the last four years and it really is the best seat I have had.
I now also own a Brooks saddle cover and an Aardvark saddle cover (much better) and heli tape acros the saddle rails to stop the saddle getting wet.

I like my Brookes B17 but it does have issues.

I layout and dimensions of the rails means it needs a post with a lot of layback if you are going to emulation the location of the saddle relative to bars in comparison to a modern saddle

It is not the best at getting wet. On a bike without mudguards you need to ensure you proof it regularly on the top and bottom. If not it will sag and go out of shape loads. Ideally you don’t get it wet.

It is heavy

Even if not getting wet it still needs some re-tensioning if its not to become a hammock.

I find the shape fine on a more sit up and beg ride position but would need something else for a more racy position with the the pelvis rolled forwards. I have mine on a mudguarded flat bar bike for trundling around the village in normal clothes. It’s great for that.

If buying for a MTB and wanting a brookes I’d be tempted to look at a C17

My first Brooks was a Swift. Took ages to work out the rails were too narrow — “oh, some seat posts are not standard” – well, actually, the saddle rails were faulty. Got it replaced, but… Have taken a while and I have come to conclusion i don’t get on with it, which is a shame. Not sure why, and have put in many miles (so its not that) – OTOH have a Cambium on my road bike, and have just splashed out for a Cambium for the general purpose bike as well…

Just get a san marco rolls.

Just get a san marco rolls

This ^^^^

I have a Brooks and it is a lovely hand made thing to behold. It is also now in a cupboard as I’ve never quite got on with. Plus I live in Devon, where it rains a lot.

A San Marco Rolls however is the saddle I have on two long distance bikes. Sheer heaven to ride on.

All depends on the shape of your ass I suppose.

If anyone’s interested…

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/brooks-swift-titanium-1

Not sold yet – offers entertained.

The C17/15 etc are worth a go for all weather riding, takes the sting out of the roads….

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Pr8Ba1]13012639_10153565629603225_78660734301737200_n[/url] by Stephen Williams, on Flickr

Cheers, Steve

And what with Brexit, Brookes saddles might be the only option to us due to rising xenophobia and the barring of overseas imports.
F’in Brexiteers and their big ideas!

aye, that’s the one I’m thinking is not for me, @igm :/

Kcal – buy it for the wall, it’s beautiful. Titanium, copper and leather. You know you want to. 😉

And what with Brexit, Brookes saddles might be the only option to us due to rising xenophobia and the barring of overseas imports.

you do know they are italian owned and the cambiums are italian made? Can you be seen to support the enemy 😉

Don’t know why people worry about Brooks saddles getting wet. Must be an internet thing.

The 100 years prior to that they were fitted to bikes that spent their whole lives outside and ridden in all weathers. I have some on my 1930s bike still in ok condition – good enough for a century ride.

Just treat them right and they’ll last forever. Just never ever let them dry out.

Thanks Convert – am now convinced that I’ll never need to own a brooks.

tat Charge Spoons on all my bikes for last 5+ years. Never had a single issue with them other than being comfortable the whole time.

Only exception is selle italia slr on my road bike, surprisingly comfy for a 120g saddle. Your arse dictates what’s comfy more than a saddle does though.

Traditional leather saddles dominate in audax / CTC circles for good reason. As with decent leather hiking boots, there’s now’t as comfy as something that conforms to your own shape.

I use a Gilles Berthoud Aravis on my traditional steel road bike. It cost plenty and took a year to break in but is a pleasure to sit on during a 12 hour audax (I’m unfit and slow). I only realise how good it is if I remember that my arse doesn’t hurt. Mudguards and shoe polish keep it from being ruined.

I have a box of modern padded saddles in the loft, where they belong. The only issue to consider is basic shape. A B17, Pro and Swift differ quite a bit. Borrow both and persevere with whatever feels best.

Hard to decide between a B17 and the Carbium one.

Both look decent, Sella Antomica I’m up on their weight limit, but decent price in the sale just now.

I went for the Cambium on my CX bike, mainly waterproofness & weight saving.
It’s got a few double century audax rides on it now & is still as comfy as day one.

Never adjust when wet.

Stick a poly bag under the saddle and use that in the rain

Use mudguards at the very least an arse saver. The key is keeping the underside /unfinished side dry as possible.

Never adjust when wet. It’ll dry out and shrink back and tear at the rivets

Adjust only a small amount if really needed once it’s dried out.

Apply proofide to the underside once a fortnight for the first 2 months then move onto once every 6 months do the top once a year.

My b17 fits like a glove the brown one broke in much easier than the black one. The black ones leather was much harder for much longer.

My swift ti has never fitted like a glove but still comfy but what it does do is not get any less comfy even after 7x 12 hr days off road.

Got them on all my bikes and ride them in all weathers, yes they do need more TLC than plastic saddles but it’s worth it. For me the most comfortable saddles that I’ve found.

B17 has a very similar profile to an original Flite Titanium. Loved mine and never worried about wet. By contrast the Colt I had was an implement of torture on a road bike but ok on my Brompton.

There is a reason why the B17 is still going.

I bought one of the 2005 ltd Ed saddles, fantastic saddle.

They are overweight, overpriced weapons of ass destruction. A relic of a bygone age, best displayed in museums alongside gas lights and traction engines.

Overweight? LOL! You really reckon the weight of a saddle matters???

Overweight? LOL! You really reckon the weight of a saddle matters???

Yes.

Crikey, that’s really quite telling ransos!

im guessing you dont like them ransos.

Crikey, that’s really quite telling ransos!

Not really. There is always a balance between performance, weight, durability and cost. Brooks saddles are uncomfortable, weigh more than a boat anchor, dissolve in the rain, and are eye-wateringly expensive.