Ever wonder how a Brooks saddle is made? Well you can find out here.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Stuff
Ever wonder how a Brooks is made?
(20 posts)-
Posted 14 years ago #
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I was expecting to see a video - series of photos (with captions) is better.
Posted 14 years ago # -
Very cool, I have wondered... I have a big squidgy (tech term dontcha know ;-) ) continental type gel saddle on my commuter just now, and I have wondered if a Brooks (the one with the springs at the back) would be comfier...
Any educated opinions?
Posted 14 years ago # -
Well Brooks do have a
fanaticaldedicated following and a reputation for being very comfortable, but not every one gets one with them. That said, anything is better than squidgy gel saddles, which should be banned.Posted 14 years ago # -
"anything is better than squidgy gel saddles, which should be banned"
Lol, well it's better than the "sporty" plank that I replaced, which was extremely uncomfortable *and* after a short while started to cut the blood supply to, erm... places I'd much rather stayed supplied with blood(!)
I bought it from Lidl/Aldi (forget which) because it was cheap and is large and padded. So far it's ok (about 350-400 miles ish ish) but there are times on the old railway where springs have some appeal ;-) I've heard people rave about Brooks, and they are certainly well made, but then I've also heard people mention hundreds of miles of pain before they apparently magically become the next comfiest thing to bed...
As this forum appears to be populated by real people/cyclists (and not evangelists/nutters/brand junkies like some places I've been) I wondered if anyone had first hand experience of them. They're certainly nice to look at, but I've never sat on one you see.
Posted 14 years ago # -
I've got 4 Brooks, 1950s B17N, two 1990s Colts and a 2002 Brompton model, basically a B17.
Mine are comfy from the get go but one of the Colts has stretched and isn't very comfy now. I think this could be because that bike has no mudguards and water would have hit the underside of the saddle.
They can be heavy but I'm still tempted to fit the Ti version of the cut away model on one of my speedier Bromptons.
Get Proofide.
Posted 14 years ago # -
The only time I have ridden a bike with a Brooks was on a Brompton, the own has Brooks saddles on all his bikes.
Posted 14 years ago # -
What's wrong with 'squidgy gel saddles'? And how do they differ (if at all) from 'normal' saddles?
Posted 14 years ago # -
They give the appearance of being of being comfortable, but after a short while they can become increasable uncomfortable. The odd thing is that harder saddles are actually more comfortable, just look at a Brooks saddle for instance...
Posted 14 years ago # -
SRD,
With gel saddles your botty gets used to the saddle. With a Brooks the saddle gets used to your botty. They get better as you use them. If you look at a used Brooks you can see where the rider's sit bones rest on it.
Synthetic materials don't seem to have the same qualities of firmness tempered with give. When I go back to using my Brooks equipped Brompton again in October it's like riding along on a comfy chair but in a good way, not in the style of the Spanish Inquisition.
You need to look after them. Try not to get them wet and rub some Proofide on a couple of times a year.
Posted 14 years ago # -
Spanish Inquisition would have used gel saddles, if they had been invented then...
Posted 14 years ago # -
So their chief weapon is a gel saddle and surprise...
Two of their weapons are a gel saddle, surprise and fear...
Posted 14 years ago # -
@Smudge
"As this forum appears to be populated by real people/cyclists (and not evangelists/nutters/brand junkies like some places I've been)"
That's a nice compliment that I think people here will appreciate.
I think a saddle is the ultimate in personal choice. I'm sure it's also one of the reasons that people are put off cycling - or at least cycling more than fairly short journeys.
I have helped a lot of children (mostly in schools) feel more comfortable on their bikes. This primarily consists of 3 things - make sure the tyres are fairly hard, make sure the brake levers are at a convenient angle and saddle height/angle.
Inevitable, because children grow, most have their seats too low. 'New' adult cyclists often have seats too low because they feel 'safer' with their feet flat on the ground when they stop.
Angle can also be an issue. BMX kids sometimes have saddles that are almost vertical! Usual advice is for a saddle that is fairly level, most of mine slope forward - roughly aimed at the handlebars (I'm tall).
The important thing is what feels right for YOU - and it's worth spending time doing slight adjustments.
Lots of bikes come with micro-adjust seatposts which means that (usually with a 6mm allen key) small changes can be made to slope angle and also to distance from handlebars.
On cheaper bikes saddles are usually fixed to a plain seatpost with a clip. This can be turned round 180° allowing the saddle to be much closer to the bars.
I have done this for a lot of people (particulary women) resulting in a more comfortable riding position (less stretched out) and therefore a more confident rider who is likely to cycle more.
But back to Brooks.
Undoubtedly objects of desire, I've had a few. Never quite had one from new and 'broken it in' so that it fits perfectly.
I'm sure there are learned treatises all over the web about their merits. Compared with 'plastic' saddles - gel, foam or other - they are firmer (which isn't the same as harder). The precise shape of a leather saddle will change to fit. Gel saddles can change too - but in a more random way...
You are less likely to get sweaty on a leather saddle - potential cause for discomfort.
A leather saddle is likely to make you feel more part of the bike (not quite in Flann O'Brien sense). This can be important for cycling efficiency - important if you are racing or cycling long distances.
But there are other considerations in riding comfort practicalities. Bike riding (we'll ignore 'traffic') is a constant balance of weight shifting between hands, feet and bum.
It would be nice to think that cycling is just about sitting comfortably on a seat and progressing on perfectly smooth roads with a bit of gentle (or energetic) pedalling.
Even in those conditions prolonged comfort (as opposed to a quick hurl to the shops) also the depends on the rest of the bike.
As has been mentioned elsewhere, there may be some (fashionable) 'return to steel'. If you've ever ridden a decent 'lightweight' you'll have noticed how much the front forks move - effectively working as suspension. Aluminium and plastic (reinforced with carbon fibres) frames tend to be harsher. This is one element in the interest in suspension. Personally I quite like suspension seatposts, a useful extra way of insulation from road shocks - obviously not required on my Moultons.
The other suspension/comfort factor is padded shorts/trousers - which someone else might like to start a thread on...
If you buy a Brooks put it on your bike with mudguards - or don't use it in the rain.
Posted 14 years ago # -
Interesting chdot, I used to cycle quite a bit in the past so adjusting the seat to the correct height and angle for me is easy enough(I like a seat level, never understood how people could ride them at a slant, but as you say, it's a personal thing ;-))
I generally also slide teh seat forward to let me sit up a little and also because I'm not the tallest bloke you'll ever meet...
Next move on the commuting bike is to try to raise the bars a little and possible fit raised bars as it currently has a flat MTB bar it inherited from my more expensive bike (a MTB that has evolved from an Edinburgh Cuillin over a decade ago into a Charge Duster with nice components, lovely bike with a rubbish rider on top, but I digress..)
Padded shorts etc are fine, and indeed I used padded underwear when I first returned to commuting by pedal but I'm not doing enough miles to really need them and I'm not sure they go with "normal" clothes anyway.
Might try a suspension seatpost sometime though, see how I feel I suppose, the commuter is a steel frame (80's Trek) with no suspension at all so even with 1.5 tyres it can be a little harsh sometimes.
I may have to try a Brooks though, just to see for myself (and because they look so nice! :-))Posted 14 years ago # -
"I may have to try a Brooks though, just to see for myself (and because they look so nice! :-))"
Two good reasons there.
Posted 14 years ago # -
Brooks are beautifully made, and beautiful to look at, and a year ago I would have said beautiful to sit on as well. My tourer/TT bike/shopping cart had a lovely B17. I rode the Bealach Na-Ba sportive on it, and a couple of audaxes, and never a complaint.
Then all of a sudden even just a mile would have me in discomfort verging on pain. I've got Charge Spoons on every bike at the mo because they are cheap AND comfy.
But this is all FOR ME. As chdot says, saddles are probably the most 'personal' of bike accoutrements. Nowt wrong at all with buying a Brooks because it's pretty - with the possible bonus tat it becomes the most comfy saddle you've ever owned.
Of course there is a further alternative... Tha Manta Saddle, which ironically people ALWAYS comment on as looking uncomfortable, despite the design being such that the exact opposite effect occurs... http://www.citycycling.co.uk/issue51/manta1.html
Posted 14 years ago # -
interesting graffiti in the Brooks factory - 'my god is able' and WBA FC. Those comments are mutually contradictory
'breaking in a brooks saddle' - more like breaking in your anatomy. The audax girls and boys seem to like them - unclear how lonmg it takes before they reduce saddle sores?
I never used to get them
Posted 14 years ago # -
Posted 14 years ago #
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@chdot
A Rezillos fan eh? Impeccable taste!Posted 14 years ago #
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