Anyone here ride a Brooks off road?

ultrazenith

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After my first experience of bike packing this week, Porto to Santiago de Compostela, I have found that my current saddle is a real pain in the arse over longer distances.

I'm considering a Brooks C19 or B19 to replace my current saddle. I've heard the leather on the B19 can be damaged easily by water and mud, but also that the C series saddles might not have the same longevity as the leather versions.

Does anyone here ride a Brooks saddle off road? I'd be interested to hear experiences or advice related to this.
 
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I've a Ti Swift on the Breezer and a Conquest on my '83 Stumpy. The Swift 'broke in' disconcertingly quickly after only half a dozen rides(!) due to the mud and water being thrown up on the underside and a couple of rides in the rain. It's incredibly comfortable but pretty flexy, and I don't really trust it for rough off road use, - I'm sure steel rails/frame would be a lot more solid though.
But they really don't like getting wet and it's been alarming just how quickly the leather's started to stretch. A mudguard helps, as does bagging it up when left in the rain.

I think if I was after another leather saddle I'd look at Gilles Berthoud; they seem a bit more durable in the wet and possibly better designed?

No idea about the Cambium's -be very interesting to hear anyone's experience!
 
I had one on for a while but soon stretched with the damp. Keep it dry.i Still use it, very comfortable.

 
Thanks guys for your replies.

Some years ago I looked at Brooks saddles but they upkeep issues of the leather in wet / muddy conditions put me off. At the time, I wasn't aware of the significance of the Cambium range, which are claimed to be as comfortable as the leather ones but are waterproof but don't need to be broken in. Sounds promising and the reviews I've read are almost all excellent, but I ask here as well because retrobikers tend to be more discerning than the typical cyclist you find elsewhere.
 
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I get the comfort bit, but a brooks married to any type of race orientated bike looks wrong.
In my mind at least it's akin to fitting a towing bracket on a two door coupé.... Just plain wrong.

Or wearing tweed on a night out. (I don't own tweed)


THM's is okay on the Powell but when you see them on carbon it raises a smile.... Am I missing something !
 
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I wear tweed on nights out.

Used leather and Cambium offroad; leather in constant wet filth is something of a worry, really you want mudguards with any leather saddle, with Cambium it's no issue though. I think the Spa versions have a waterproof underside to help with this but consequently take much longer to break in. Love my B17 Imperial on the winter/touring/cx bike, comfy forever and a day. C17 carved has just been removed from the Silk Ti as it's just not quite the same for me (pm me if you want it, slate grey, decent condition ;) ).
 
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elPedro666":2hkus1qy said:
I wear tweed on nights out.
: ).


You northerns ! :LOL:

Fashion from Fred Dibna and like.


Turning into quite an education this thread !
 
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