I am an unabashed fan of Brooks saddles. My first leather saddle was a low-cost French one that came on my 1971 Motobecane. It stretched out quickly after riding in the rain. I don't recall it being uncomfortable, but you don't expect much when you are 16. In late 1972, I was working at a Schwinn dealership and used my employee discount to purchase a brand new Schwinn Paramount, then a hand-made, top-of-the-line model that rivaled the best racing bikes made anywhere in the world. The bike came stock with a Brooks Professional leather saddle which had been "preconditioned" at the Schwinn factory. This preconditioning involved clamping the saddle in a fixture and repeatedly running a roller under pressure back and forth across the saddle to stress the leather and shorten the "break-in period". I quickly appreciated this saddle as the most comfortable that I had ever ridden, though it took a few rides for the two of us, my posterior and the saddle's leather, to become good friends.
I will admit a certain amount of confirmation bias. I wanted to love the bike because it represented a huge investment that I could not really afford. I had learned to revere these machines as I worked alongside others who had their own varied levels of appreciation for and competing opinions about cycling and its equipment. I expected the bike to be perfect, which it wasn't, but it was a real joy to ride. When I sold the bike, I kept the saddle and it moved from bike to bike as my own journey through life progressed. Over the years, I have ridden many different brands and models of saddles, but non have displaced Brooks as my top favorites.
'Modern' leather bicycle saddles were essentially invented by J.B. Brooks, who had been a leather manufacturer for about 20 years when he developed his first bicycle saddle in the early 1880s. In 1898, Brooks released its then top model, the B17, which has remained in production, largely unchanged, ever since, making it one of the longest continuously manufactured products from a single manufacturer. It probably holds that record for bicycle components. The Professional is a slightly narrower, more rounded version of the B17 which entered production in the 1960s and is now one of the most popular models. Brooks continues to make a wide variety of saddles, including some with springs for use on rough roads.
This one appears to be tipped up a bit far.
Leather saddles are comfortable for most riders who take the time to break them in, but they suffer from at least three negative factors:
- Expense - current models tend to be pricey, especially when compared to mid-range saddles from other manufacturers. This can be partly offset by the fact that a high quality saddle like a Brooks, given proper care, can last a lifetime.
- Weight - There's no getting around this one. If you are looking for light weight, don't look to leather. On the other hand, a saddle is what is classified as "static mass" on a bicycle, considered secondary to rotating mass, which is thought to have a much greater effect on overall bicycle performance. Cyclists are an odd lot who will sometimes pay large amounts to lighten their bicycles by swapping out steel fasteners for lighter versions, but will then add a second. full water bottle or, worse yet, neglect to lose a kg of fat around the belly. Some of Brooks' saddles intended for performance-minded customers are available with titanium undercarriages, which significantly cuts weight (but does not make the saddle what you could call "light).
- Weather resistance - One of the advantages of a leather saddle is that it absorbs sweat, which transports through the leather to dry out the other side. However, too mush water, such as might be thrown up from a rear wheel in a rainstorm, can soak the leather which can then lose its shape under the weight of the rider. The leather, supported as it is at the front and rear like a hammock, can stretch and then stiffen again as it dries in its stretched position. Leather saddles have an adjustment under the nose, but improper use of this adjustment has ruined many a saddle. Riders will often protect a leather saddle from getting wet, but this is not always possible, making this possibly the most significant drawback of leather saddles. To overcome this problem, Brooks has developed a line of saddles dubbed "Cambium" which are similar in shape and performance to their leather models but made entirely of synthetic materials. I have used these and consider them the ultimate saddle for a commuting bike, when theft is not a significant concern.
