Brooks saddle

Nice bike Bruce. I've always wanted a custom frame. I've been measured before, by a number of builders. The man I trusted most was an old English racer, Michael Barry, his son Michael Jr. started out in the peloton with US Postal, I believe. Mike determined I was a 53/54, which has always worked, and I believe the angles on my Litespeed are 73 degree parallel, which seem to work well for me, combined with the very short chainstays. He's retired now, but I bought my Marinoni Columbus SL frame from him.

Working in the industry as I have for so many years, I've accumulated a lot of interesting parts, especially stems. I've got an inventory of 1" (my Litespeed is 1") and once in a while I find myself going to a shorter stem or a stem with a bit more rise, just to stay comfortable as I age.

Funny how, when we were kids, it didn't matter much. I had a CCM Mustang, 24" rear wheel, 20" front wheel with 'ape hangers' and a banana seat. Never noticed if the seat was comfortable, just rode it everywhere. Ah, the good old days! Kind of like my first British stereo, an LP12, Nait, and Kef 103's. Never wanted for more, just bought LPs all the time and listened to music. And it was so uncomplicated. Just sounded great.

Dave

I love reading about this stuff. I'm in the market for a new bike to replace my 4 year-old BMC. It will certainly be carbon, not custom (as I am very standard size and style) and as light as I can make it using standard components from the bigger manufacturers. I'm not into the boutique components at all. I'll let you know how my search goes.

There is a great p!ss-take of custom bikes here....

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.co...spoke-rationale.html

Nice pisstake, and I get the drift....

I'm basically a standard size but a difficult fit due to a spinal curve and low back problems. My problem is that a stock 'racing' bike fit tends to have me far more stretched/low than I want to be. I ride quite upright for comfort-not generally how the racier bikes are designed. My stock Colnago consistently gave me headaches/neckache, my Parlee does not.

Interestingly if you just take the contact points the Parlee is almost the same 'fit' as my MTB in terms of reach/saddle to bar drop etc. It was nice to buy a (very reasonable) custom steel frame from Burls knowing it was exactly the same size so i swap between the two without any adaptation.

Enigma built a custom frame for my wife because she is too tiny for a stock adult sze and I still wanted her to run 700cc wheels if possible. They designed it very well.

I do confess to liking the fact that my Parlee is unique to me, even down to the shade of red that they chose based on a strip of bar tape I had to send them!

Bruce

Nice link Winky, even if I have succumbed to the custom fit bug. I guess at the end of the day the main thing is to be out and about turning the pedals, not have the thing standing in the garage. Then it's just like hi-fi, whatever floats your boat and you can afford can be on the shopping list.

I blew some bonus money on an expensive carbon frame, fitted locally but struggled with confidence - it was so light. I subsequently went for an orthopaedic consultation and was advised to consider a professional fitting to minimise the risk of further back problems (post surgery)and given my weight and long body short leg syndrome. Then it was a question of whether to get steel, carbon or titanium - with the fitter recommending Ti. As it was I ended up with steel from a relatively local, artisan builder.

Riding my custom steel frame has given me confidence and flexibility to ride my stock carbon bike without worrying about the weather. Had I been fitter and more flexible I probably would have just persevered with the carbon frame and got on with it. As it is, both bikes are now almost identical in set up. I prefer the steel for longer hauls as it is just so steady, but the carbon frame translates power to speed much more efficiently and allied with confidence, on a nice stretch of tarmac with no traffic that just equals a face wide grin. The only real difference is that the steel frame easily allows up to a 28mm width tire, which on some surfaces can be a real boon. 

What I do know is that I would not now buy a new stock bike without riding it for at least half a day and not just around the block. I would also want to be sure that wheels, tires and bars were familiar. I would hope that my LBS would allow that. It is a shame that on-line retailers don't allow this. If you are only spending a couple of hundred bucks it probably doesn't matter but these days it seems as though almost everything is north of 1000 and then some. Good luck with the hunt.

Since May I have clocked 1600 km on the steel frame and 750 on the carbon but I'm still eating too many pies 

...and Huwge's bike has an ace colour scheme too!

Thanks Bruce. Not many people here recognise a Welsh flag, but the other day two old guys out on their spanky, new Pinarellos were shouting at me and I had no idea what they were saying. Then it dawned on me they were saying "Geraint." Their Bavarian dialect probably mangled that more than their efforts at saying Huw! 

I see Thomas is to lead out Cav. How do the Welsh and the Manx (is that the correct term?) get along? Any history there?

Hi Winky, the closer relationship for the Manx is with the Irish (see the old song, "the craic was 90 when we went to the IoM), I think, but then North Wales isn't so far - but they're funny buggers up there so hard to say. It's going to be an interesting mix at Sky, the German reporters were saying that Goss and Eisel are being signed as well. Will be interesting to see who doesn't make the cut for next year and how much the changes will unsettle what looks to have been very good chemistry this season. Which sprinter is dropped - EBH or Swift?

Now that I think about, aren't the Manx closer to the Vikings? 

Back on thread, don't worry about the saddle just get on the damn thing and pedal.

Back on thread, don't worry about the saddle just get on the damn thing and pedal.

Seconded!

I bought a Brooks late last year and, I'm ashamed to say, I have only used the bike about twice since. I usually use my Specialized hybrid to potter about. The Brooks is on a Raleigh Royal from 1983. It's a lovely bike, with all original parts save the brake blocks and ytres, and of course the saddle! Must get it out again. I guess the Royal is similar to George's Carlton - hand build 531 tubes an so on.

I've just bought a B17 for my MTB which I intend to use as a tourer. Its not broken in yet but its no less comfortable than any other saddle I've have on my other bikes (mainly thin racing saddles).

The only thing I'm not enjoying is how 'skiddy' it is. Perhaps with wear it will be a bit less shiny on top.

I love "skiddy" saddles. I polish mine when I clean the bike. The shape of the saddle keeps me in place, and the slipperiness reduces friction.

At the weekend I moved my Brooks forward just over half an inch. A huge improvement in comfort! Not entirely sure why I didn't put it in this position when I first got this 'new' bike fifteen years ago.

Chris

Probably because you were 15 years younger...

Still not trading in my SLR. Did 600km in four days over the weekend with some buddies. Supremely comfortable. Light, too.

And light, carbon seatpost by the look of things, Winky. Mmm, NICE. (But is it yours ? ).

For saddles, my two-pence :

No, that's an internet shot. Mine is on this bike...

P1000337 by winkyintheuk, on Flickr

Shown here, in Italy a few weeks back on a trip I did with a couple of friends.

I'm so chuffed with my Brooks now, I will be getting out the Proofhide and the little spanner.

Can anyone advise on the procedure? Remove saddle, apply underneath with fingers, refit and have a couple of rides, then tighten up a few days later?

Am I close? Thanks.

Chris

You don't have to remove the saddle. Just apply as needed, underneath and on top if will soak in. As the saddle gets older it will "take" more on the top. Leave it soak overnight and wipe the top down to keep your shorts clean.

Adjust the little bolt for the "feel" you prefer. Tighter is harder and looser is more hammocky. You don't want to be so loose you bottom out (literally) on the seat-post on bumps. It needs progressive tightening over time as the leather stretches a bit.

But whatever you do, don't get it wet. No, just kidding. But re-proof if it gets wet and starts to dry out.

(Me, I think technology has improved saddles over time, in contrast to the almost-religious zeal of the true-believer Brooks users. What that means is that I'd never ride one.)

Thanks Winky. A very helpful non-believer!

Cheers,

C.

PS. Don't take this the wrong way but your bike looks very 'stealthy' btw

I have seen this has come back to life.

Two years ago I fitted a B 17 as pictured [early on page one] above in this thread. Apart from a seven week spell last year when I had a broken leg the saddle has been out seven days a week, come rain, come shine. It has had the occasional proofing, and been adjusted a couple of times.

This would be true except for one thing! I brought an Ambrosio aluminium and carbon cycle with very nice running gear that on paper is a far better cycle than the old Carlton! In reality it is a very good cycle, and one of the few bikes that I have actually liked since first being given the Carlton about four and half years ago now. How the time flies!

The Ambrosio has a Cateye speedo fitted [or had], and I managed a top speed on the flat only 2 mph slower than my best on the Carlton before my broken leg.

But flat out is a rare thing, and not particularly constructive in any real sense. Average speeds are much more indicative of cycling goodness.

A few weeks ago I put the summer tyres on the Carlton [Schalbe Blizzards, so not expensive, and much less expensive than the Vittorias on the Ambrosio], and fell head over heals back in love with the Carlton. Smooth, and good over bumps, corners nicely and steers instinctively without thought.

I realised that however good the Ambrosio is, the Carlton holds my affections, so I decided to mothball the Ambrosio, and put the speedo on the Carlton. I thought it would be interesting to find out how much faster the Ambrosio was. Faster, but not perhaps that much on average was my thought.

And guess what? On a commute that takes in sections of walking in the pedestrian part of Worcester and a good two miles on a dedicated path where no motor vehicles go, The Ambrosio was making an average consistent over weeks of 8.3 mph.

And Carlton, the cycle that feels slower and more relaxed, manages an average over the last five weeks of 10.3 mph. I simply handles so effortlessly that it happens to feel slower and easier whilst doing so.

I suppose I spoiled the Ambrosio when I fitted a Brooks B 17 on it. I also can tell that though I could manage the drop-bar on the Ambrosio, I do not like braking off the hoods. It upsets my fingers, and so either the Ambrosio would have to have a North Road bar or be very rarely used. Sadly their is no way of getting the modern ten speed Campagnolo indexed gear shifting to fit onto the archaic but comfortable road bike bar. so it will have to use a flat bar, which is possible with the correct bar mounted levers. What I'll do is create a sort of practical commuter, and as the cycle is actually heavier than the old Reynolds tubing Carlton, I think this is suitable in any case. Full mudguards, and a pannier carrier, and make it so distinctive from the Carlton that it will find a use in a completely different way. It is either that or sell it, which would be a loss of money.

ATB from George

Perhaps ride side-saddle too? Come off it George, that Brooks...man alive.

Dear Mark,

I have two of them! The one on the Ambrosio has a way to go before it is run in. The brown one on the Carlton was much less hard from the start.

My girlfriend from my adolescence had a side-saddle that she occasionally would put on a thorough-bred for dressage. Very nice it looked with her in black with a bowler on!

ATB from George

Advantage Brooks....cycling dressage.