Brooks B17 Saddle Review | 3,000 KM + In The Saddle

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Best travel cameras for bike travel - bit.ly/3PB7qIp In this video I review the Brooks B17 Saddle. I have tested this saddle for over 10,000 Km now and this is what I have to say! I will discus the pros and cons, and what things you should consider. If you want to read my full write up on my blog then check it out here : cycletraveloverload.com/brooks...
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[@c.p.7266]

You have the B17 special right there!

[@charlesr.carney6297]

After watching your video I took your advice and tipped the nose up. To my surprise it was a bit more comfortable. I tipped it up further and it looks wrong! However, suddenly it fit me! It has gone from an implement of torture to super comfortable. Thank you for the advice. I was really afraid my testicles would be crushed but such is not the case. I wish I had known this sooner!

[@ElburroE]

This is the best B17 review I have seen, and I have seen many. Thanks.

[@jthepickle7]

Great review. Two things to add. The saddles, after molding, drying and polishing are treated with a waterproofing agent which makes it real hard to saturate the leather afterward. DON'T TRY TO WET TO HASTEN BREAK IN TIME! I'd also like to address durability. I've had a Brooks Professional for 36 years. It has some superficial surface cracks but otherwise is fine and it has retained its shape admirably. I have never tightened the cradle. This seat was used to ride from Miami to Seattle plus 10s of thousands of racing miles. ( I put my weight on the pedals and not on my bum! )

[@gubbins1933]

Thank you, that was helpful additional information.

[@J.T.Stillwell3]

Just ordered this saddle. I already have a brooks spring saddle on my english 3 speed. Great quality. Very comfortable ride.

[@josephhaddakin7095]

I've always like the copper rivets. I've been thinking about installing the 12 mm copper rivets on my B67. Your saddle looks comfortable. Happy Trails.

[@GlobalAdventurer]

Thanks you. I just purchased one. I hope it breaks in easier than the one I have!

[@malcolmtaylor518]

Love my Brooks Flyer, in antiqued leather. Great ride, do 20 miles every day.

[@donnyo65]

Waiting for mine to be delivered - a colleague has recommended these to me as I have real problems on one of my bikes. Looking forward to when I get to break it in.

[@quarryfield]

Great review, thanks :-)

[@justinmoss]

Good info - thank you

[@LifeofBrad1]

I put a leather saddle on my bike recently. It's a Lepper Primus style one, but it only had two top springs instead of the four the Primus has. I removed the top springs though because they made the ride too stiff. I was worried it was going to be uncomfortable because I'd never had an unpadded saddle before, but it's actually one of the comfiest saddles I've ever sat on. I will say, the front spring digs into me slightly. Not to the point where it causes discomfort, but it is something I notice. I haven't been on a long ride on it yet, so I'll have to see if it becomes an issue over long periods of time. I can already feel and see that the leather is starting to conform to the shape of my rear though, which is nice. I feel like leather saddles are a good example of "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it". I had a padded saddle on my bike before switching to a leather one and it made me sore, even over short distances. So glad I've switched to a leather one. Just wish there was more surviving old saddle brands around still making them like they did over 100 years ago.

[@edwardallan197]

Very good exploration of the B17. I never see much guidance about the tension bolt though.

[@joenelson9041]

Looks like that particular saddle needs the tension bolt tightened up before it becomes too saggy and becomes a problem.

[@johnwelch557]

'Been riding a Brooks since 1956. Still ride them today. I still have one from '64 and one from '66. I've beta tested for several manufacturers so always no less than 1500 miles per test. I still won't ride 2 or 100 miles per day on my personal bikes but a Brooks. Road, gravel, tourer and mountain bikes. Thanks!

[@banamai]

I was born in 1956; still riding. All my bikes are fitted with Brooks and I swear by them.

[@jasonhamlin8847]

nice video. I'm running the Imperial, which is the standard width saddle with cutout and laces. The break in period was about a month of short-ish rides. For anyone that rides regularly, looking for THE most comfortable saddle, Brooks leather saddles are perhaps the most underated, and possibly one of the oldest products available. as for water/rain. It's perfectly fine to ride the saddle/bike in the rain. Even everyday. Just never store the bike outside in the rain.

[@ejfung]

Do you find that cutout center is advantages vs the regular b17? Not sure if I will greatly benefit from the cutout center, but it does sound appealing.

[@recycled3654]

The rain accelerated the break-in period on one of my Brooks, it is totally comfy and looks like your saddle. On my new bike, I have a Brooks Imperial which did require about 500 miles to begin sitbone dimpling. I have another B17 that I doubt I will suffer much but will use the water method for a quicker break-in time. I did notice a easier break-in with the Brooks Flyer that seemed to take the bumps a little better. Never could get on with the Brooks Cambium. I'm still experimenting.

[@CycleTravelOverload]

Yeah that actually makes sense now that I think about it, thanks for sharing your experience :)

[@recycled3654]

@@CycleTravelOverload I really hadn't that much experience with these saddles, I feel like I'm still experimenting and always looking for the best ride. I appreciate your channel for giving us a view on what is working and what is not. I'm still fiddling with having enough gear or not enough. It's always great to see what others are packing, and what they've gleaned from their experiences. Appreciate your fine work in creating these fantastic videos. Thank you.

[@CycleTravelOverload]

@@recycled3654 No worries thanks for watching!

[@ukpaul9221]

I love the B17 - it fits a middle-aged and a pensioner butt (possibly a young butt, too). Why hasn't it changed over 140yrs? Because with care (keep it dry, old sport) and only a tiny a bit of patience it must have fitted over a million butts!!! Flex -it does absorb it well but don't neglect to tension it when necessary. Yes, they are expensive, but you have a saddle for life - not for ten seasons. I'm so euphoric as after letting my previous B17 go, I actually got one off eBay for £40 in almost mint condition to enable me to bond with yet another. Cost new - 2022/10 - £85 basic and £125-200 for 'Specials' like my 'new' s/h one - that would be a major investment for me but be patient - keep looking on eBay and elsewhere. There are bargains to be had. 'Padded -Instant comfort' - that means more friction and problems along the line. The B17 is smooth and with THE RIGHT RIDING GEAR (I used Coolmax padded undies and Lyca tights) you'd never know your butt was there! Sore bums are not always to do with the saddle - often it's to do with the lower body clothing. If anyone gets a sore bum in the first one or two sorties, it won't be the saddle that is the problem. Especially if it is a Brooks! 'Proofide' twice a year. I swear by Brooks but like any manufacturer, they are pushing for more profit in associated areas. Their kits are well overpriced. Treatment and overall maintenance before each 'season' is more than enough. Use their proprietary stuff but Neatsfoot Oil or other alternatives will work as well if used carefully. First of all, look after it -KEEP IT DRY - and sheltered from rain showers or torrents as well as direct hot sunlight when you are off the cycle, Get that cheap shower cap and your troubles would be over. "....extend the life of the saddle..". A BROOKS B17 WILL LAST A LIFETIME - i.e. 50yrs + with the right care and attention and that would be minimal. (about £1.50 per year against outlay - 1/2 the price of a single pint in UK pubs today!) Saddle 'rails' - what's the problem? There are so many variants of seat post with ability to bring saddles forward or backwards that the 'rail' problem is a fantasy. You're dead right. There are many variables in the crazy market but , as you say - it's the best option. Vive the B17

[@CycleTravelOverload]

Thanks for the comment 🙏

[@MsDenver2]

Hi just bought one👍

[@thecollegepicker]

Numb bum 🤣🤣 love it. Yes super comfy 👍

[@CycleTravelOverload]

The next time we go on a tour you have to make sure you use one ;) #comfylikeacouch

[@schnasndasn1504]

Hey! Thanks for the great review! Are you sure you are using the standard and not the special edition? Because your sattle has the big instead of the small rivets.

[@blazingasn]

I think this is the special edition because the rivets are copper.

[@phillblake6829]

That is the special

[@JamesBrown-lc4fw]

Best saddle ever 👍

[@czondag]

Did you span it after a while because brooks says that it is needed to get the original tension.?

[@Dnhwzy]

Hey bro, do u use brooks on rainy day?

[@talic3893]

I have one since 2014 for my MTB and it's great with flat pedals but now with my new gravel bike with clipless pedals it's giving me knee pain. Does anyone have a tip for correcting my 1cm shift to the right? (The curve is not centered, 1cm from the 3° hole) I realy wanna get rid of my left knee pain, cheers

[@markjourdan2085]

What color is yours, the antique brown or honey?

[@handsonbrompton7875]

👍

[@buckettraveler8398]

Mine didn't take that long to break in either. The only problem is after a solid year of touring it was really sagging and softening even after tightening the bolt. It kinda just turned into a hammock for my butt. It might have been rain but I hear the leather of the 80's and 90's was better. It all depends on what the cows eat, how much, ect and over time when people retire whoever takes over changes things up, maximizes profit, medications change, ect. I thought about going to a leather worker and having him change the leather to something I know was say grass fed. I think something that was wild, like Elk or maybe bison, might have a little tougher leather but that is getting way too much into the science. Too bad there isn't something synthetic that would break in like leather.

[@GlobalAdventurer]

Did the sagging cause pain on your rear end??? Or was it still feeling ok?

[@buckettraveler8398]

@@GlobalAdventurer @Global Adventurer no, once it sagged so far it got uncomfortable. When I tell people they think I didn't tighten the bolts but I did. That was 2 years of 50 to 70 miles a day and a ton of rain at one point. I got my monies worth out of it. I think I could have gotten a warranty replacement but like I said I rode on it a lot and let it get wet so I didn't think that was fair. At night I covered it with my tent stuff bag and I don't think that was 100% waterproof so when it rained at night it got wet. If you get one take the rubber cover for it, I just forgot mine.

[@sturdeehouse]

Bolt snapped after just over a year of use. Ordered another bolt, can't fit it. Amazon gave me a refund on it, but I actually just want it to be fixed. I expected that something that cost so much would last longer than a year. Contacted Brooks to see if they will fix it as it is still under guarantee.

[@MrPortbarell]

I just snapped my front bolt last weekend after two years....love it. Was in middle of 170km ride so bought another new Brookes B-17 😜. Proofed and have about 120kms and it's starting to break in. Found this KZbin to repair with some 8mm threaded rod...will find some stainless and try soon.

[@russellberg3410]

Just use a regular 5/16" (8mm) bolt. Put 2 nuts on it, the end of the bolt protruding through the front hole, the two nuts provide the tension. You can now hold the head of the bolt with a regular spanner while tensioning with the nut. I use a 2" (50mm) long bolt with at least 1" of threads. More is better

[@rudys138]

hi mate do you recommend this for folding bike with upright position?

[@abdulfadhol7750]

Yup

[@BikeTripBro]

I always ride in the rain for training. So you won't recommend this saddle?

[@CycleTravelOverload]

I still get rain on it every time I go out riding and it rains. It is not a deal breaker, you can get covers for them. Since I have had it, it has held up. I probably have not had it long enough to know how well it really holds up when exposed to rain all the time.

[@Nearest_Neighbor]

Looking at the rivets, I think ours is a special edition.

[@GlobalAdventurer]

I ended up buying the B17 Special Edition with the copper rivets. I haven't received it yet, but I'm hoping it breaks in sooner or later.

[@bombiedv5356]

My issue is that I have a boney ass and i live in a tropical country... Wide saddles in general cures my discomfort, not particularly the brooks saddle... I live in a country where it is very hot and humid 34 degrees C and just like that it rains. In conditions like these is it advisable to get a leather saddle brooks?

[@wangdangdoodie]

Buy a cover for it (a shower cap is ideal!) to use when you leave the bike in rain & UV light, and you shouldn't have any problems. Don't forget to oil regularly - neatsfoot or linseed oil are fine if you can't get Brooks on cream.

[@keizersoze907]

Premium numbness?

[@Thecrazyvaclav]

The old ones are better than the new ones, the new ones have thinner leather and a few problems with rails breaking, You can see the difference if you buy an old one on eBay, I get the feeling they're built down to a price not up to a standard now

[@thomasmuller986]

Yep, because of the weight weenies. People want crappy ultralight stuff. Just like tents. Digital cameras got worse 15 years ago, because people wanted more megapixel but the chips could not serve those properly

[@BeachBoi1000]

Yeah, took about 4-5 rides... 200km to break in too...

[@mariamartins367]

I don't know how you guys keep your saddle pristine like that. Mine has scratches on the side. You're out, you lean the bike over something and it gets scratched, like almost every ride. I fix it with a little coat of glycerin but still, it's just scratched, i don't know how not to.

[@josephhaddakin7095]

Try neutral color kiwi shoe polish. Buff it out with a shoe polish brush. It will look spiffy. 😊

[@rah4981]

For bikes with upright riding positions B17 are the best, I will never use anything else for my mountain bike. For my road bike not so much. Tried the Brooks swallow also for that, not impressed. Selle SMP well gel is the best I've tried for my road bike and what I use now.

[@rohank9292]

Gong fei

[@peterbaskind9872]

I own NINE of them. I won’t ride anything else. No problem with break-in. 20 miles gets the job done for me. In fact, they’re fine right out of the box.

[@sebastianr1204]

I have a 8€, which is great for me. 40km daily to work. But unloved the leather saddle. There are just 2 disadvantages: 1st price, 2nd maintainance; Maybe I buy one after my next salary raise 😂

[@pmd7914]

Aussie?

[@codeyorgill]

yeah mate!

[@robertkirk4387]

DO NOT BUY FROM AMAZON, Brooks will NOT Honour the warranty, trust me on this. I had a hell of a time with Brooks with no Joy at the end of it as it would not adjust after the break in period, A know problem.

[@robertkirk4387]

@Lex Man Thanks for the advice mate but I am done with Brooks and at that price they can stick it, this is a know problem and they have done little to solve it, I will go elsewhere for half the money. British firms going bust up and down the country and they wonder why, they cannot live on reputation if their current produce is sub standard, loyalty goes both ways. Thanks for your time chap.

[@JayGreezy]

Can someone please explain WHAT in god's name is the POINT of the front of the saddle being pointed almost always upward? why not slope down? i've NEVER had a seat that didnt ride up my taint and split my balls in the MOST uncomfortable way. Way the hell not just slope it downward, or make it not so aggressively pointy? Why does it always rise into your groin? what is the point there? i honestly dont even see the point of having a point to the seat, why not just focus on comfort and get rid of that point altogether? You don't need it, just clip it off and give us some relief, make a seat thats "normal" seat on the back half, and just get rid of the front

[@loganfarmer7469]

nah bro I had to pause this in the first 10 seconds an lyk to shave that hair on your chin.

[@CycleTravelOverload]

😂😂😂

[@xenosonic]

The biggest con for me is that they are made from a piece of dead cow!.

[@freeman6147]

Your shoes, belts, car seats and sofas are made of what? Lettuce?

[@blazerbarrel2]

Use all the animal .

[@markc1844]

@@freeman6147 Brilliant! Lettuce car seats - LOLS!

Brooks is a whole dissapointment. I have never had any other saddle that was so bad than Brooks. I could not even ride my bike with brooks for 5 km.s