[narlus]

true dat...a bike ain't much use if it hurts to use.

i guess i've been lucky in that i've made my arse used to (desensitized?) a flite saddle for a while now. though i do like the titec berserkers a lot too (cheaper, too).

 

[MMcG]

IAB - if you get that Brooks make sure to get some of theat Proofride stuff or whatever they call it to help break it in.

Cuz when you get it, if you get it, it is going to be super stiff on your ass and sit bones until your sit bones "break it in" so to speak.

Get it in black and if you don't like it, I'll swap with ya.

Also have a read here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/leather.html

And here:

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113584

 

[Biscuit]

This is the saddle I'm in love with.

I tried a flite for a while based on everyones glowing recommendations and just couldn't get used to it. Let to some really disturbing numbness.

The SLR is definitely a hard saddle. I now believe that excess padding actually causes more problems than it prevents. The shape of the SLR is very fitting and surprisingly comfortable. Minute changes in your body position significantly affect where the pressure is placed, so you can "spice it up" and keep one area from getting overworked.

They are crazy light (the ti and carbon version are almost the same.. the carbon just looks tits) and pretty affordable (~$90 mail order).

Basically, I've tried a few and highly recommend this seat. After about 40 minutes on anything else I start to get really uncomfortable. This past weekend, I just did a 100miler with 10,661 feet of climbing and recieved zero numbness and surprisingly little discomfort.

$0.02

 

[Biscuit]

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/leather.html

Interesting writeup on leather saddles. Worth considering.
Sheldon did confirm on of my arguments for the SLR though:

"In addition, when you sit on foam, the foam under your "sit bones" compresses right away, so other foam winds up exerting pressure on (ahem!) soft tissues that were not made for this."

 

[MMcG]

IAB - I'd have to concurr with Tom - not sure if the Brooks B17 is the type of Brooks you want for your Trek. It is more suited to a commuter bike or a bike like a Rivendell etc. etc. One that has the rider in a more upright riding position.

Or if you do go with a B17 try to get a B17 Narrow rather than the standard model - which is as Tom puts it - WIDE.

Or, look into the Swift or the Swallow for your purposes if you want to go with a Brooks.

Just my two cents.

 

[I Are Baboon]

I hate bikes.

 

[Serial Midget]

I run a Brooks Swift... at first it may seem a little more expensive than some of the current hype but 10 years from now it will prove to have been a wise investment.

My advice is to ask an old roadie (with a few hundred thousand miles under his wheels) what he's riding - ten to one its gonna be a Brooks.

How about a Brooks Swift IAB?

 

[Serial Midget]

As someone has already mentioned... if your sadle is lower than your bars a B17 may not be the best choice. The B17 is a classic designed before drop bars became standard equipment on roadies. As for looks... no one is going to see the saddle when you are riding it.

 

[particle bored]

fizik aliante

Hell yeah.

That saddle disappeared completely, didn't even notice it there, when I rode a friend's bike with the Alliante. Unreal comfort, and it's not over-padded, which can be a problem on road saddles... too much padding will give you numb-ass.

I've found that the best road saddles are very thinly padded, very firm. The secret to comfort is to find one that has the "perch" area (the wide part at the rear) at a width that resembles the width between the two hard "perch" points on your pelvic basin... the two hard points on your ass that sit on the saddle. The other secret is to adjust your saddle's tilt correctly.

Brooks saddles weigh a bloody ton and are designed for upright riding. There's a damned good reason no serious-mileage serious roadies use them. Touring cyclists, yes. But most tourons ride with handlebars at saddle height or higher. The comments above regarding saddle/bar height differences are on the money!

 

[I Are Baboon]

My Fizik Aliante arrived yesterday.