Brooks England B17, Supremely Comfortable Leather Bike Saddle

So this magic seat is hard but it's supposed to be incredibly comfortable? It takes hundreds of miles of break in but after that it's nirvana. It's old technology but it's far better than any of the latest and greatest technologies. Hard to believe, right? Here's the deal - the concept of this seat is very simple - it's a hammock seat - meaning instead of sitting on a bunch of padding you sit on a suspension of material. I think the break in factor is an illusion - almost every bike seat I've ever used was uncomfortable at first before getting used to it. So what if people are just getting used to it? I ride motorcycles too - and realized early on that a "plush" seat is horrible after a 2+ hour ride. Why - because what was soft is now creating pressure and bottoming out where it shouldn't. Instead, a harder seat is far superior. Same applies here. So what model to choose? Is this size the same as the narrower or really wide ones? Here's the part they don't tell you - it's all about seating angle. If you ride at a more aggressive angle - you need a narrower seat sized to your sit bones. If you sit upright - you need a wider seat sized to your tuchus. Here's something you can try with your CURRENT seat - without buying anything. Ride 100 yards at the most upright position you can. Stop. Now ride 100 yards at the about a 45 degree angle representing a touring or casual mountain bike. Now ride 100 yards at about a 60 degree angle which represents a more racing/professional/hard core rider position. Which feels best to you? Your seat will tell you which is best. That's the angle the seat was designed for. Now comes the B17. The B17 is the longest running model in the Brooks line - cool, right? It's significantly wider at about 170 mm compared to 140mm for a typical road or mountain bike seat. But the real question is what are your site bones? If you have sit bones that are wider, get the B17 or C19. If you have average build but want comfort, get a B17 or C17. For you narrower people, I have nothing but resentment and fomo so you're on your own. Do you get the B17 if you ride a beach cruiser? No - get a wider model. For some riders it will "work" but not because it's the right model but because it's a happy coincidence with body type. The B17 is for people that want a 45 degree to 60 degree riding angle and have the right sit bones to use it. It's not a "sit up on top" seat. From a pure aesthetic perspective the seat is absolutely gorgeous. The leather is top notch and if it breaks in further I will be ecstatic - but it's already quite comfortable for riding and a huge improvement over my 140mm stock seat. Looking forward to many miles. Are there other seats that would provide just as much comfort? Probably. Is this an awesome seat filled with history and eclectic British style? Oh yeah. I never knew these existed until recently. Knew I had to have one. You do, too. Just pick the right one based on site bones, riding style and riding angle.

I had a Brooks saddle many years ago in college, and had always wanted to get another one, but only if it was for the right bike. I recently did a build on a 1994 Specialized Epic, one of the first production carbon fiber bikes sold in the US, and it seemed like the time to pull the trigger. Not only does it look amazing on the bike with the leather-wrapped handlebars (also a Brooks product), but the comfort is also top-level. It took less than three rides (about 100 miles) for the saddle to break in and become super comfortable. I ride a lot, and do a lot of miles, and saddle comfort is a top priority to me. One of the keys to saddle comfort on long rides is the ability to adjust your position often and easily, and this saddle, with its fairly slick surface, allows you to make micro-adjustments while riding without having to sit up and reposition yourself. Once the leather gets some miles on it, the longitudinal suspension really starts to loosen up and the saddle is a dream to ride. I should note that I always ride with padded cycling bibs, so I can't speak to comfort if you're wearing regular shorts and undergarments with seams... you're definitely going to feel those rubbing if you ride any length of time. But for those who wear padded cycling gear, this saddle quickly becomes very comfortable. To me, the sign of a great saddle is one you never think about, because it creates no discomfort, and this classic and beautiful saddle delivers the goods. I had it on my Wish List for about six months, and one day the price dropped considerably, so I didn't hesitate. Even at normal price it's a deal, but I really scored by being patient. Even if you're not a fan of vintage bikes, this is still a great saddle that will add a lot of comfort and class to your ride.

This is a really nice bike saddle. It was easy to install and feels comfortable after long rides.

Finally. A comfortable seat. I've gone through so many others. This one is different. My butt stays in one place instead of sliding back and forth. I'm 72 and ride a mountain bike style eBike. I can ride 20 miles with no pain. It's hard when you first get it. I recommend using mink oil instead of the Brooks conditioner. It's much cheaper. And your going to use a lot of it. I started with applying on both the top and bottom, and use an old toothbrush to get in between the cracks. Let it dry (placed it into a warm oven to speed it up--not too warm). Placed it on the floor and stepped on the arch to work then leather. Loosen up the tension by 1/2 turn. Repeat twice (but don't loosen the tension). Once mounted on the bike, apply another coat of mink oil. Let it dry, do it again. And again. This will quicken the break in. After about 100km of riding, it's perfect. it also looks great. My bike has front and rear suspension. If you ride a hard tail, get the Brooks saddle with the springs.

I have a couple of Brooks seats - one is so comfortable that it is literally a sensual experience riding. The other Brooks, about 2 yrs newer, same model, is ok, but clearly has not conformed like the first one. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has worked with leather, but I hadn't. I recently gave a Brooks to my sister who wondered why I was so gung ho about them (bc hers was NOT comfortable out of the box) and asked me about the best way to break them in. Bc of the differences between the 2 I had, I spent some time looking into it and found the usual misinformation on bike blogs about the best way to break them in, most of them saying that it just takes a long, long, long time and then they become comfortable and then they're the best saddles you've ever ridden and they last forever. That should have opened my eyes, but it didn't until I watched how the Brooks saddles are actually made (search youtube for it). What they do to form them is to .. soak them in water, then compress them, and then bake them. That's interesting, I thought. And then I remembered that I had let the 1st saddle get rained on once or twice and then ridden on it... light bulb.. So I dampened the underside of my newer seat with water, staying away from the front and rear rivets , then started out on what I was intending to be a 2 hour bike ride to try to beat the leather into submission with my sitz bones. I went thru some mud about 5m into the ride and while I was cleaning it off, I glanced at the seat and it had already started to deform/conform. I rode another 30m and the new seat has essentially the same shape as the old seat, & it's notably more comfortable Do note that Brooks puts on a semi-waterproof coating on top and if you allow it to get too wet from beneath, it will tend to lift off, so dampen it very gently from beneath. It doesn't take much. Why Brooks doesn't mention this or why bike blogs haven't discovered this I have no idea, but it works astonishingly well and as many say, after they conform to your sitz bones they're by far the most comfy bike seats I've ever ridden and after 30, 40, 50 miles, other parts of me are sore, but my butt is happy. After it dries out, oil the top to keep it from getting wet again, but that wetting and riding combo essentially gives you a custom seat in 15m. And both have lasted really well - the older one is 2 yo and it looks pretty much like new. They're not super light, but for touring/commuting or even racing (if your current saddle is a PITA), can't rec them enough, esp with this super-easy break-in.

I’ve been wanting to buy one of these saddles for a while and I’m glad I did. Comfort is amazing

I wish more instructions were provided instead of having to parse forums for information (minus one star). Having dealt with a fair share of leather goods from being a life long motorcyclist, I ended up paving my own way to make this seat more comfortable. First, I took that overpriced Proofide sample and threw straight into the garbage. Instead, I used my goto for all leather products - a quality Mink oil. I then slathered the bottom of the seat with a thick layer and used a heat gun (careful not to burn the leather) to expediate the absorption process. After 5 cycles of this treatment the leather was already 3x more pliable and now super resistant to the elements (I let the top of the seat ansorb the oil naturally). Next I reduced the seat tension a bit then fitted the seat to my bike. The end result was indeed a super comfortable saddle and great addition to my Rockhopper restomod. There's absolutely no need to submerge the seat in water or any of the other crazy techniques I read on line. Mink oil has been used for ages to protect and soften leather across a wide variety of applications (baseball gloves, leather footwear, riding gear etc). I only saw the Mink oil/ heat technique mentioned once on forums covering the Brooks saddle. Overall, this seat can be made to be really comfortable right out of the box - Brooks does its customers a disservice by not providing customers with some basic instructions which may frustrate some users who aren't familiar with leather goods. Final note - do not forget to register your product for the 10 year warranty. I believe you have a limited time frame to register so that should be the first thing you do should decide to keep the seat.

I was a few days away from embarking on a 330 mile bike trip across Ohio when I realized my WTB Volt saddle wasn't going to cut it as it was making my groin numb after an hour of riding. I decided to try this brooks B17 as I have heard so much about them. I was a little skeptical at first due to a couple reviews saying it's as hard as a rock, but as soon as I installed it, I could tell it was the most comfortable seat I have ever sat on. It is not plush, but the leather is suspended, like a hammock, which provides a lot of cushion/support. It actually absorbs bumps in the road as well. After about 50 miles, and using the profide stuff, it was well broken into my butt and I had no soreness throughout my entire 6 day trip at all. Definitely spend the time to adjust the seat height and angle as it truly affects the comfort of this seat. I have read that this seat likes the front part to be angled up, but I found the most comfortable position to be about level with the ground. My handlebars are also about inline with me seat too, if that matters.

Dopo aver provato altre selle, sono approdato a quest'ultima. Per chi non conoscesse il marchio, basta googlerare per averne un idea. E' il miglio produttore di selle per bici. L'ho montata sulla mia bici Gravel per avere una seduta comoda che mi permettesse di starci su per parecchio tempo. La seduta è sostenuta ma comoda. Bisogna spettare, con l'uso, che prenda la "forma" del proprio fondoschiena ma, già dai primi chilometri non si avvertono fastidi nonostante sia nuova. Il cuoio è duro all'inizio ma, a leggere altri commenti col tempo di ammorbidisce. Come tutti gli oggetti di cuoio bisogna avere un po di cura. La confezione è perfetta e di qualità. All'interno c'è la chiave per registrare la tensione della sella ed una bustina di crema d'applicare all'interno della sella per "nutrirla". E' stato facile trovare la giusta inclinazione cos che con altre selle non è stato facile ed anche questo il motivo della scelta. Da un tocco di originalità al proprio mezzo senza esagerazione.

Not cheap but so comfortable even from day one. Highly recommended.

Cómodo y buen diseño. Huela a piel.Inconfundible el olor

Ich habe mir den BROOKS England B17 Herrensattel in Schwarz für mein Faltfahrrad gekauft, weil ich nach einem Sattel gesucht habe, der nicht nur gut aussieht, sondern auch langlebig und komfortabel ist – auch auf längeren Touren. Und ich muss sagen, dieser Sattel hat meine Erwartungen in vielerlei Hinsicht erfüllt, aber man muss ihm Zeit geben. Die Einlaufzeit: Das ist der wichtigste Punkt, den man wissen muss: Ein Brooks B17 ist kein Sattel, den man auspackt und sofort eine bequeme Fahrt hat. Die ersten 200 bis 300 Kilometer waren eine echte Geduldsprobe. Der Sattel ist aus dickem, robustem Leder und fühlt sich anfangs sehr hart an. Es drückt, es zwickt, und man fragt sich, ob sich die Investition gelohnt hat. Aber nach und nach, durch die Wärme und das Gewicht des Körpers, passt sich das Leder an die individuelle Anatomie an. Man sollte ihn regelmäßig mit dem mitgelieferten Brooks Proofide pflegen, das hilft dem Einlaufprozess. Der Komfort nach der Einlaufzeit: Nachdem die Einlaufphase vorbei ist, verwandelt sich der Sattel. Er ist nicht mehr hart, sondern bietet eine perfekte, unterstützende Sitzfläche, die genau auf mich zugeschnitten ist. Das Leder gibt leicht nach und federt die kleinen Stöße und Vibrationen der Straße oder des Trails ab. Ich kann jetzt stundenlang fahren, ohne dass es unangenehm wird. Verarbeitung und Qualität: Die Qualität ist einfach unschlagbar. Der Sattel ist handgefertigt und fühlt sich unglaublich solide an. Das dicke Kernleder, die massiven Stahlnieten und das robuste Gestell strahlen eine Wertigkeit aus, die man bei modernen Kunststoffsätteln vergeblich sucht. Ich bin mir sicher, dass dieser Sattel mich die nächsten zehn Jahre oder länger begleiten wird, wenn ich ihn gut pflege. Design: Optisch ist der Brooks B17 ein echter Hingucker. Das zeitlose, klassische Design in Schwarz passt perfekt zu meinem Mountainbike und verleiht ihm einen Hauch von Vintage-Eleganz. Es ist ein Sattel, der eine Geschichte erzählt und sich von der Masse abhebt. Fazit: Der BROOKS England B17 ist eine Investition, die sich auszahlt, wenn man bereit ist, die anfängliche Einlaufzeit in Kauf zu nehmen. Wer sofortigen Komfort sucht, ist hier falsch. Wer aber einen Sattel fürs Leben möchte, der mit der Zeit immer besser wird, extrem langlebig ist und durch seine klassische Ästhetik überzeugt, der wird mit dem Brooks B17 sehr glücklich. Es ist mehr als nur ein Sattel – es ist ein treuer Begleiter, der mit der Zeit immer bequemer wird. Von mir gibt es eine klare Empfehlung für alle, die Geduld und Wert auf Qualität legen.

This is my 3rd Brooks (two B17 and one B15) and like my previous saddles I've been lucky that they have been comfortable straight from the box. My oldest Brooks is now like sitting on my favourite armchair , these are the best saddles in the world, if they're not comfortable when you first start riding, perciver, you won't regret it.