Do I buy a Brooks or San Marco?

I’m still struggling to get a saddle which is comfy beyond a couple of hours. I’ve been advised and butt measured and looked at on my bike by two different LBS’s, both had similar thoughts and suggestions.

This is on gravel / road / do it all Vagabond.

I’ve been through an SDG rocket (mine was too wide, just cos it works on MtB means nowt in a different position), tried a Charge Spoon (agony), used a Bontrager Avarda (great for upto 1hr, then painful, and don’t go near it for multiple days riding), Selle Italia Superflow Green (good shape, just very hard after a couple of hours) splashed out on a San Marco Shortfit Comfort (pretty good, but I can feel the edge of the cutout and just over a year in and it creaks and has lost comfort/feels soft)…

I also borrowed a bike with a well worn leather B17 on and tried it without padded shorts – and it was comfy….

So I think I use a pretty narrow (currently on 136mm), either a smaller or less pronounced cut out, flattish but with a slight rise to rear saddle…?

I’m wondering about a B15 Cambium…?
Maybe another Selle Royale Marco but with less of/no cutout?

I have a cambium on my commuter (c17, I think – it’s at work) no real complaints about it. I also use a few San Marco rolls and have always been happy with them.

Same old answer that everyone’s butt is different, but the only saddle I’ve never had any discomfort with is a Nukeproof Horizon Sam Hill. Few other people have recommended on here too. If you can find one.

I ride without pads

20231111_115846 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

Don’t go thinking the cambiums anything like a b17.

I have both and they are very different beasts.

Both comfy but different kinda of comfy.

My b17s are comfy no matter what Im wearing from the off. Doesnt really feel like I’m sat on a saddle….even in jeans in cycling shorts I can and have done 100miles a day after day for 3 weeks without cream or worrying about sores

I’ve had them 20 years though.

My cambiums – I have the c13 and c15carveds and I know I’m on a saddle even through cycling shorts BUT that level of discomfort doesn’t change even after the cairngorm loop etc.

Although caveat – I’ve done 24hr solos on slr135s because the flites I used to use would pack down and give me sores over the same period

If your not going to run mudguards forget about a leather saddle.

I did Paris Brest Paris on a C17 Cambium. Discomfort after about 600km but no saddle sores. Recommended.

Interesting what you say about the difference in comfort between the B and the C.

I like the c17 carved on my fatty. Lovely. Got a new gravel bike on it’s way and plan to try it on there. Never tried a B

https://www.bananaindustries.co.uk/search?q=selle+italia+leather

I enjoy the Mitica and Storica saddle’s. I use the Mitica for 20 miles a day and no complaints and certainly a lot cheaper than a Brooks to take a punt on.

I have a cambium on one of my bikes and its the comfiest saddle I’ve ever used hands down

I also have a couple of B17s, i found them comfy from the off too, regardless of what I wear.
But I haven’t had them 20yrs.
I do use mine on mtb/upright riding position though, not sure how well they work in a more racy position.
I can also use more modern saddles too, but I need padded shorts for those if it’s much more than 30 minutes. Current modern means a madison something or other and a charge spoon.
Everyone’s bum is different though.

So I think I use a pretty narrow (currently on 136mm), either a smaller or less pronounced cut out, flattish but with a slight rise to rear saddle…?

I keep experimenting with new saddles and keep coming back to the Fizik Antares, which is pretty much what you’ve just described I think.

I have a couple of R3 Open in a 140mm if you want to borrow one to try it?

I’m going wider so far and not regretting it, have a cheap eBay Antares R3 on the gravel bike which is mostly working out.

I have two bikes with brooks flyer’s- b17 with springs, one with b17 and one with the selection Italia storica.

The storica was cheap and is new maybe 50 miles. It is very hard. I rolled it with a wooden hammer handle to speed up the breaking in period. So far fine.

If you found a b17 comfy, get a b17.

If you want comfier get a flyer as they take small and medium shocks out, especially off road.

130 miles is my longest ride. It was not ok on the 250g saddle that came on my road bike. It is ok on a 750g flyer. Who cares what your bike weighs if it’s literally a pain in the bum.

@13thfloormonk

Oooh, that’s worth a ‘yes please’. I’ll pm you about next time I’m passing / in Auchterader.

Charge Spoon is my go-to TBH. Commuter and one of the road bikes have one. Saddles are very ass dependant, and I seem to be OK on less padding, relatively ‘flat’ saddles. Also got a Fizik, a Selle SLR Carbon, and a FSA ‘Colnago’ branded saddle that are ‘similar’.

Daft question, how many hours a week are you spending in the saddle – i.e. arse hardening up ?

I commute 30 mins each way 2-5 times a week, last weekend was 120k on two different saddles….

Where is the saddle discomfort : Which bit of your hiney ?

I run B17s (standard width) on my tourer, my Brompton and also on my dog-running bike. They can take a wee while to break in (like leather boots) but are spectacularly comfortable when you’ve done so.

That said, my most recent B17 purchase was 20 years ago because they do last well and Thump doesn’t like them because he sits on the nose – we swap a SDG Bel Air2 on for him

Cambian saddles are not the same as a B17 – completely different concept and I’ve never had the courage to try one.

On my MTBs I run an  SDG Belair 3 and a Fizik something or other. They work. I think I’ve got a San Macro Rolls in the spares box.

I do suffer short-chafe, but that’s definitely the shorts and not the saddle. Sudocrem solves that.

So: Buy a B17. Also, you are very welcome to swing round and try all these saddles out.

It was your tourer in borrowed with the B17… ?

It was your tourer in borrowed with the B17… ?

There you are then. Brooks Ti-B17 purchased May 2003 from Spa Cycles. Didn’t have a choice of width so went for standard in honey leather. No breaking in – just rode it straight away on a 500-mile tour through mid-Wales.

Now on its 2nd bike after the Cannondale broke. They don’t make the Ti-rails now.

£92

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m18b0s144p73/BROOKS-B17-Standard

Matt, sent you a FB message.

Ton: you punting on the Spa leather saddle / instrument of torture that I gifted you ?

Ton: you punting on the Spa leather saddle / instrument of torture that I gifted you ?
Posted 3 minutes ago

yes mate, told him he can have it to see if he gets on with it.    my brown one is comfier than any brooks i have used. the black one from you is sat in the spares box. he can have it to keep or to use for a while to see if it suits.

Selle SMP beaky saddle, set front bump ~14mm lower than rear bump.