Brooks Flyer vs. B17

[Ryan Schlichting]

Hi all, 

I'm hoping to get some opinions on these two saddles.  I know the B17 is the right saddle for me, but I wouldn't mind a bit more cushion in certain situations.  I understand the Flyer is the same saddle but sprung.  This sounds ideal for what I'm looking for.  My question is do the springs really add that much give or are they so tight that you don't really notice them?  Given that the Flyer is quite a bit more expensive, this seems like an important thing to know before purchasing.  I know that a lot more compliance can be gained at the tires, and I do that, but I'm still looking for more around the saddle.  The only other idea I had was using a B17 with a suspension seat post.  I'm 160 pounds if that makes a difference in your thinking.  I can imagine that maybe the springs are less noticeable for lighter riders?

Thanks!

Ryan

[Patrick Moore]

I tried a Flyer on an off road bike to soften the choppy surfaces I often rode over. I found that the springs were stiff enough that it didn’t make much difference; certainly it did not soften such bumps like the early suspension seatpost I had also tried. I’m 170. OTOH, the bike in question was set up with drop bar and, probably, more weight on the front than with a flat bar.

FWIW, YMMV, etc.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/74f3168f-7e8f-442e-925c-ad1d84ff86fbn%40googlegroups.com.

--

Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing services

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When thou didst not, savage, know thine own meaning,

But wouldst gabble like a thing most brutish,

I endowed thy purposes with words that made them known.

[Mathias Steiner]

I have experience with this saddle... at least I think so. It's been nearly forty years since I had a sprung Brooks, but "B17 with springs"  sounds about right.

Back then I weighed 175 and I liked the saddle, except that it would get into a nasty resonance when pedaling at high cadence. I was in my early 20s and liked to ride around 100 rpm, and that saddle did not really work well for me. Today I might not notice, being more of an 80 rpm kind of guy, but I like the B17 so much I've not tried again.

None of the folks I ride with have that type of saddle, but one of our most prolific riders has a B17 or Team Pro on a sprung seatpost, and has ridden it like that for many years.

I know this is RBWOB, but I would be remiss if I did not remind everyone of Rule #5 :)

[Patrick Moore]

What is rule #5? Is it a RBW-list rule or an iBob rule?

[Andrew Scherer]

I use both saddles and a C17 or two. Six foot three and around 190+. I like the Flyers for rougher surfaces like trails, or the streets of New York City. I don't find them to be overly bouncy, especially as compared to the B66 I use on my upright commuter.

Andy Scherer

Woodstock and Manhattan NY

[Laing Conley]

I am down to 240 lbs now but have been much heavier. The two spring Brooks saddles basically do nothing that I ever noticed. The three spring saddles (B33, B73) did provide some actual softening of the ride. I currently have a B73 on my Guv’nor. 

Rule #5 is from the Velominati: “Harden the f**k up”.

Note that Rivendell riders are famous for not adhering to Velominati rules. 

Laing Conley

Delray Beach FL

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/5e2dcb78-43a5-4a3e-afaa-7b3605028cc3n%40googlegroups.com.

[aeroperf]

I’d like to add a plug for the Brooks B17 Imperial.
More flexible than the B17, not springy like the B67.
I've tried all three and the Imperial is the most comfortable for me.

[Roberta]

I live in the city and will mimic Andy‘s comments. I don’t find the flyer bouncy and when I first started riding an Appaloosa in 2017, I was on a B-17 and I was starting to get back pains which was alleviated with the Flyer. It’s Great for imperfect surfaces. It is a bit heavy though. Worth it to me for the extra comfy ride. 

Roberta 

Philadelphia

[Coal Bee Rye Anne]

I'm 6'5" ~200lbs and ride a B17 on one bike (plus C17 on others) and have had the opportunity to compare with two sprung models,  just not a Flyer.  

First was a Brooks Conquest (which I think is more like a sprung Brooks Pro.)  Second is a vintage B72 double or 4 railed saddle with a different spring design than the Flyer or Conquest.  

As already mentioned regarding weight, the greatest difference I noticed was the weight of the Conquest vs. the B17.  This was more pronounced on a light single speed road bike that I installed it when wanting to soften some of the local terrain when using this as an all around bike.  I didn't notice it so much when riding but when wheeling the bike around the home it was noticeable and made this light single speed build feel oddly top heavy, not in such a bad way that it was an issue, but noticeable.  The saddle otherwise did what I hoped and at my weight I did feel the springs function on rougher terrain but if/when I flipped the wheel to ride fixed and had to spin at any point then it did become more noticeable with it's springiness and less desireable movement at those times.  Ultimately, it was this fixed induced spinning springiness and the overall narrowness of the Conquest shape that made me go a different direction and I eventually traded or sold it opportunistically when it was a model being sought by another member here or iBob.

The other difference to note will be a change in seatpost positioning due to the taller saddle frame.  As long as you have some room to adjust the post down a bit to compensate and are prepared to tweak nose angle and fore/aft.  Obviously relevant for any saddle swap and not likely an issue unless you happen to have a certain type of post with limited adjustment range and an tall fitting frame - i.e. an already slammed post!

B72 is a completely different discussion so won't go into it much here but I still have the saddle and ended up decommissioning it based in it's age and wear but I definitely noticed the spring movement when using it and have considered an eventual replacement now that Brooks has reissued it just do not have the immediate need and enjoying the B17 and C17 currently in use on my existing bikes.

Brian in NJ

[Joe Bernard]

I have one each on both my Rivs, 183 lbs., sit upright. I don't notice any bounce in the Flyer but it's a smoother ride. Also I like the springer look.