Flyer vs. B67

[schralp]

Just joined after purchasing my first Country bike; a beaut of a lime olive platypus. Goal is to get more upright and it was outfitted with albatross bars which are about perfect. However, I put my Brooks professional from the 70s on and it doesn’t quite match the more upright position. I’m thinking Flyer vs b67. Any recommendations from this esteemed group and, how does one avoid annoying squeaks with those spring saddles. My riding is essentially road and hard packed dry trails in so. Cal. Thanks!

[lucky...@gmail.com]

I have both seats. I prefer the B67 for bolt upright where I’m more back on my butt,  and the Flyer goes on my mountain bikes/more lean-over bikes. Flyer is narrower by quite a bit. It’s a B17 with springs. 

On Aug 29, 2022, at 10:00, schralp <sch...@gmail.com> wrote:

Just joined after purchasing my first Country bike; a beaut of a lime olive platypus. Goal is to get more upright and it was outfitted with albatross bars which are about perfect. However, I put my Brooks professional from the 70s on and it doesn’t quite match the more upright position. I’m thinking Flyer vs b67. Any recommendations from this esteemed group and, how does one avoid annoying squeaks with those spring saddles. My riding is essentially road and hard packed dry trails in so. Cal. Thanks!

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[lconley]

B67 or B68 (no springs) if you can find one. Or a Loveland from Rivet (no springs either).

Laing

[J J]

About the squeaks in a B67: I came to accept the squeaks in my first B67, but it was more of necessity and resignation than of true appreciation. A few months ago I had to get a new B67 because the tension bolt snapped on the old one as I tried to tighten it (~10 years old) and I did not have time or inclination to find a new bolt and deal with repairing it. I needed to get back on the bike asap. 

Sure enough, the new one squeaked in the same way. I decided to spray some lithium-based lubricant (it was what I had handy) on all the metal parts around the tension bolt and the springs, anywhere there could be movement. The squeaking disappeared. It feels pleasantly weird to pedal along in almost complete silence — little noise emanates from the bike itself other than the sound of tires on pavement, gravel, or dirt.  

As an aside, the new B67 felt exactly like the old one to my sit parts. In other words, I realized that the notion of breaking in a Brooks leather saddle is meaningless for me. There was no appreciable difference in feel between a brand new one and the one I had ridden over thousands of miles for a decade. 

[Richard Rose]

I cannot comment on the flyer. However, for my very upright position my B67 is really perfect. Since getting it I no longer need or use padded shorts. I have cycled probably 1,500 miles with it in total comfort. I’ve gone 4 hours practically non stop & did a 6 day bikecamping adventure on it. Zero problems. Perhaps I got lucky but the squeaks are very minimal. I’ve not even tried to eliminate them - they are that minor. I was gifted a lovely honey brown B17 that I’ve not even tried as I do not want to mess with perfection. The B67 is a really comfortable saddle. It does take some tweaking especially regarding how far up the nose should point. I took my wrenches with me for the first 5 or six rides making minor adjustments. It is so good now I am afraid to touch it. Please note; some folks report issues when leaning forward on a B67. I have had no such issues moving from being very upright (Bosco bar) at the grips to grabbing the much lower & further away flats on the bar. In truth, I do not stay in that position very long.:) But it is fine while down there.

Sent from my iPhone

[Richard Rose]

Yes! Mine required no break in period.

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 29, 2022, at 2:08 PM, J J <junes...@gmail.com> wrote:

About the squeaks in a B67: I came to accept the squeaks in my first B67, but it was more of necessity and resignation than of true appreciation. A few months ago I had to get a new B67 because the tension bolt snapped on the old one as I tried to tighten it (~10 years old) and I did not have time or inclination to find a new bolt and deal with repairing it. I needed to get back on the bike asap. 

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[Roberta]

Welcome to the club with your new marvelous Platy!!!!!!!  I wish you miles of pain free fun. 

I’ve had both saddles (and the related b17 and b68, both nonsprung versions) and the saddles that fits MY sits bones best, be it on a Platy or Appaloosa or Homer is the B67/68.  So I think it might be a best  fit issue, like shoe widths—flyer is a medium, b67 wide. 

YSBMV (a take on YMMV).

Roberta 

On Monday, August 29, 2022 at 1:00:13 PM UTC-4 schralp wrote:

[schralp]

I thought about the Loveland but want the isolation the springs provide for the more upright position. That said, I am not bolt upright. 

[Kim Hetzel]

I have no experience with the Brooks Flyer saddle. However, I do have experience with the Brooks B-67-S.

I prefer the short-nosed B-67S over the long nosed B-67. In regards to the noise of squeaking and creaking of the springs on my B-67-S riding down the road, it does not bother me at all. The sounds remind me of riding in an old car on a bench seat, hearing the springs squeak riding over pot holes in the road.

Kim Hetzel

Yelm, WA.

[schralp]

Thanks. Do you notice the B67 impacting hamstrings given the width?

[schralp]

Thanks, maybe something to try right off the bat…

[schralp]

Thanks; nice to be a part of it. I like that the Flyer can be had with a cutout but not sure how comfortable the hard edges of those are. Unfortunate that B67 does not have that option but maybe I should try both and sell whichever doesn’t work?

On Monday, August 29, 2022 at 1:51:14 PM UTC-7 Roberta wrote:

[schralp]

Thanks for the tip on the nose. I like the idea of bringing wrenches along on a ride to tweak until right…

[Joe Bernard]

A data point, my bike is almost comically upright (arthritic wrists require) and I use a B17 (Flyer shape) and love it. I tilt the nose up quite high to match the bar angle, it initially felt strange then became perfect after a few miles. No padding, no springs, this works for me. 

[Richard Rose]

I definitely have not. In fact, I’ve not experienced any of the reported problems with the B67.

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 30, 2022, at 1:02 AM, schralp <sch...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks. Do you notice the B67 impacting hamstrings given the width?

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[Joel S]

I found the B68 an easy break in saddle, wish I had not sold them all, I am too light for springs to have any benefit.  I have no idea how the Loveland from Rivet would be to break in.  When you do find a B68 on eBay the prices are generally pretty ridiculous.  

[Roberta]

I was a lucky purchaser of one of Joel's B68 and have "happy butt."  :)  

[JRStern11]

Roberta, you got my last one.  The B67 fits my butt well but I still liked that wider saddle.  

Glad you are enjoying it.  

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[JRStern11]

Meant B17……

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[Chris Halasz]

I really like the way a B68 looks, and was never compatible with it or the B67 with its - for me, anyway, at 6'1", 89cm PBH and 12 stone - unnecessarily

heavy and squeaky and purely ornamental springs.

Tried them on Rivendells and Bromptons, and found that I sank into the saddle, with the sides effectively pinching my entire rear. 

To compensate, I would sit further forward on the saddle, which then cut into the leg circulation between my glutes and leg biceps. Ouch and ouch. 

The discomfort was reduced with a more upright position with more modern Riv bikes and bars, and I endured (to me, it takes 2-3 weeks to see if a saddle works or not), but nearly wept with joy when I returned to a B17 Champion Special. 

For me, in the end (sorry), the B67-68 is like a (metal) tractor seat, while the B17 is like a horse saddle. 

I also tried the C67 (Cambium), which was stranger still: the nose portion was extremely wide, it was unforgivingly stiff, and no saddle loops! 

Cheers, 

Chris  

Ketchum, ID

[schralp]

So, after trying them all over the last couple months, I am (or, my hindquarters are…) happiest with the B67. It’s the perfect fit for my sit bones in the position I am in on the Platypus and doesn’t get in the way of anything while pedaling. Any helpful suggestions on divesting of the spares?

On Monday, August 29, 2022 at 1:51:14 PM UTC-7 Roberta wrote:

[Brenton Eastman]

Sell them here! This group loves Brooks Saddles. ;-)