Buying my first Brooks

[profpointy]

There's wet and wet.

A bit of rain whilst riding, with the saddle mostly covered from above by you and protected from below by the mudguard, is neither here nor there, and doesn't have any effect beyond making the surface look a bit matt, which just needs a bit of riding to polish back up.

Being left out in proper rain overnight, so the leather is soaked through, and then ridden all the next day, may well cause loss of shape or stretching.
That's what plastic shopping bags are there to prevent.

(Team Pro / GB Aspin user)[/quote]

I had my bike chained up outside for 6 months in all weathers and the B17 failed only 10 years later, but to be fair it was a metal bit that broke

[willcee]

Interesting contris all of them, many moons ago I was involved in a conversation with an older chap a lifelong cyclist and saddles came into the chat..I like Brooks he says B17 Narrow, he was as narrow as a pike staff long and lean, whereas I am more like a 5'10'' desperate dan.. first Brooks I rode was the one on my Gran Sport Raleigh that my dad bought me for passing the 11 plus, Swallow I think from hazy memory, even then I was a fit heavy strong young chap, don't remember any issues with comfort or anything else .. and the wisdom I took from that short conversation has rang true all these years later, he said if you don't notice the saddle after 40 miles its a good 'un..and rarely do I ever do more miles than that.. yet have moved from Rolls then Regal, to a Menthe from the Frenchmen...with a tan B17..OK and one one those B17 copies from Selle Italia on the side ... it awaits more use.. will

[scottg]

Ideale saddles are back in production.
The web site has a lovely history section.

https://www.sellesideale.fr


Anyone try the Cambium All Weather, I found the regular Cambiums velcro like.

[Sid Aluminium]

I don't know what's available on the UK market. Here in the USA after a long, lean period it's the new golden age of tensioned leather saddles. Brands currently available w/ country of origin:

Berthoud - France
Brooks - UK
Gyes (Cardiff, Dia Compe, Fyxation, Lekker, Origin8, Papillionaire, Shinola, Spa, Torelli, Velo Orange, Zimbale, etc.) - Taiwan
Ideale - France
Lepper - Netherlands
Nasiruddin (Persons) - India
Rivet - AFAIK manufactured in Taiwan by Gyes but to their own proprietary designs
Sella Italia - Italy
Selle Anatomica - USA
Selle Monte Grappa - Italy
Tabor - Portugal

[Bmblbzzz]

Rivet are sold in the UK by Carradice. Or used to be, I can't see them on Carradice's website now.

[WrightsW5]

Ideale are back! That's a big surprise!

Anyone with piles of money and into saddles, please bring back Middlemore, especially if you are from the Middlemore family.

[arnsider]

I bought my Thorn Nomad twenty years ago and it came with a Rolls San Marco saddle.
I could never work our if the San Marco was leather or some sort of composite.
I didn't like the look of this saddle and without trying it, I think I went through four different saddles before settling on a Brooks B17.
I did a two week tour of southern France on a Specialised. I cannot remember the model, but it was the classic Specialised design with the V cut out at the back and the luv groove!
The problem with all the discarded ones was the man made material just not "breathing"
Leather saddles are not particularly comfortable over synthetic ones, but the leather stays cooler and takes a set without deforming.
I only had a problem with one Brooks and that was down to me making too many adjustments on the nose bolt and dressing it with Nikwax.
Now, I only ever dress them with Proofide and leave the nose bolt well alone.
Proofide is not a softener and is used purely to water proof the leather.