Product Review: Brooks B17 S Standard

December 30th, 2010 Posted by Jessica. Published under Bike Tour Preparations, Gear + Product Review. No Comments.

I feel like just by writing this review I’m completely preaching to the choir.  I mean who owns a Brooks saddle and doesn’t absolutely love it?  Regardless, today is Thursday– which means it’s time for a product review.  Rachel and I have yet to fully test out our Xmas loot, so I’m reaching a bit for some gear to write about.

If you’re considering getting a Brooks saddle, I implore you to get one!  I know they’re a wee pricey, but your bum with thank you for it– and if you’re nice to it and take care of it, the saddle will last decades.

Have you ever worn Birkenstocks?  You know how Birkenstocks are super comfy because they gradually mold to the shape of your feet over time?  Brooks saddles do basically the same thing, only to your butt.  Therefore, my Brooks B17 S Standard is extremely comfy– to me.  I might not find Rachel’s Brooks Team Pro Chrome very comfortable at all…unless I rode it daily for several weeks without Rachel’s knowledge and broke it in to my body structure (nice practical joke…will have to remember this April).

My Brooks B17 S Standard came with my Surly Long Haul Trucker, but I would have bought this saddle anyway.  The “S” Brooks saddles are built for women (“S” stands for “Skirt”, apparently), so the nose is typically shorter and the rear a bit wider to accommodate our sit bones.  The B17 is considerably less expensive than other Brooks saddles (Rachel’s included), and is apparently the most popular touring saddle.

Aside from their amazing bum-molding ability,  Brooks saddles are great for touring because the leather stays cool in hot weather and the sidewalls of the saddle are angled in such a way so there’s no chafing against your thighs– even when you’re sweaty and hot and on mile 90.  Some folks think lots of gel padding is what makes a great bike saddle.  The gel is misleading, though!  Once you sit on the gel long enough, your sit bones sink into the metal skeleton of the saddle.  Sheldon Brown used the excellent analogy of sitting on a pillow on a coffee table.  It’s comfortable at first, until your sit bones sink through the pillow onto the table.  However, once you break in your Brooks it doesn’t really feel like you’re sitting on anything.

Some people are skeptical of Brooks saddles because they seem like a pain to take care of.  True, they do require you to apply Proofide every now and then; and sometimes you’ll need to use a little spanner tool Brooks sells to tighten the saddle– but neither of these should be done very often at all.  I’ve had my Brooks saddle for a year this week (happy bday, Surly LHT!), and I’ve only had to put proofide on it about four times and I tightened the saddle for the first time ever today (turned the tensioning screw about 1/4 inch).  Fenders and a shower cap work wonders at protecting Brooks saddles.  Check out this post I wrote over the summer about how to care for a Brooks saddle for more information!

Bike touring enthusiasts out there– what saddle do you prefer?  Comment below!