Switched from C17 to B17

[Jay]

When I started cycling over 20 years ago I used the stock saddle.  A few years into riding I liked the vibe of 'retro', comfort over speed, etc; I guess I was an odd duck (at under 30yo) as it was the Lance era.  I tried a B17 on my road bike and had it for a couple of years, but I had a lot of drop between the bars and saddle and that wasn't comfortable 'down below'.  Went back to plastic style saddles and they were fine.

Last year after getting the Roadini I tried a Brooks C17.  I liked it a lot.  I had to use padded shorts though (I had always done so, except for when I had the B17 and sometimes road without padded shorts, usually in the winter with tights).  I've been having some tightness and issues with my back/hips, more to do with work, and on the C17 I started sitting asymmetrical (brown saddle - sweat stains confirmed), getting a saddle sore on the same sight as the tight muscles, and other issues now and then.  I just started seeing an Osteopath and we have a plan to fix those issues.

So I ordered a B17 from amazon and figured I would see if I like it in the first 10 minutes, return if I didn't.  I liked it immediately.

Did my first long ride with it today and noticed a few things that surprised me:

- When I pushed it all the way forward on the rails, like the C17, it was too far forward and I was able to slide it back a bit (which is nice, having room both directions).  I'm not as far behind the BB and this is great.  Felt like I used my quads more and before they were dormant.

- I'm sitting on it symmetrically; attested by this photo (another comment about that below)

- My friend who I was riding with said from behind, I'm more balanced L/R pedaling, no rocking, just looked better; he can tell I looked more square on the saddle

- I tried riding without padded shorts, and it was great.  I used Saxx long compression mesh underwear that does not have seams where you don't want them; over that I wore bib shorts with the chamois removed (from an experiment I tried with old bib shorts years ago, after hearing about it from Lael Wilcox).  It felt very different of course, but when I was done the ride my butt (saddle sore prone area), was happy...and still is many hours later.

Only thing I didn't like, and it's my own fault, is where I ordered the saddle from.  Upon opening the box it had a few small creases in the sit bone area and you can tell the box had been opened and re-sealed (already ridden and returned I suspect).  After a 65km ride I felt like I started getting the depressions in the sit bone area and more creasing way too quickly, where I usually read this takes hundred of km; and I'm only 160# so I was surprised (will probably return and buy from LBS).

[Will Boericke]

Pre-broken-in?  That's a win!  Saves you 500 miles of use to get there.  I tend to buy only used Brooks for this reason.

[Patrick Moore]

IMO, one big criterion of the “right” saddle (right for the rider, of course) is that you don’t need padding to ride it comfortably. You might need bike shorts to prevent bunching and chafing, but padding seems to me to mean that something is not right with saddle or position.

I personally hate padded shorts though for rides over 30 miles I do find wool cycling shorts with real or fake chamois, non-padded linings — against chafing — or, recently, lovely Australian wool boxer briefs, more comfortable than the nylon boxers I use for most of my riding.

Others’ opinions on padding in cycling shorts?

I hope shortly to be able to try a Brooks Swift which per a discussion on that other list is narrower even than the Brooks Pro. The B17 is too wide for me, the Pro was very good except that I could not get the tilt right, so we’ll see if the Swift is any better. Others’ opinions about the Swift?

Aside: I see that the original issue Flite, the one saddle to rule them all, is still being offered by Selle Italia.

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Patrick Moore

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

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[Patrick Moore]

I forgot to mention that I also used a C17 for a while on a Dahon folder with straight bar and more upright position; alright, but too wide and I did not care for the “curve” i profile between rear and the middle “sitting” part; it was ok for short rides in street clothing.

[Will Boericke]

For anything over my 40 minute commute, padded shorts are essential.

W

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[Andrew Scherer]

I am tall and lean-ish with wide sit bones and not much "organic" padding so I prefer padded cycling shorts and gloves. B17/C17, both carved, are my preferred saddles. That said, I recently acquired a Selle Anatomica X which was very comfortable on a 50-mile ride this past Saturday. 

Andy Scherer

Manhattan & Woodstock NY

[Mathias Steiner]

I find the C17 to be significantly more narrow than the B17.

My favorite commuter saddle is now the C19, which is wider than the B17, but not by much. I'm glad I tried it.

It took me a while, but I've come to the conclusion that no matter how much weight I lose, my sitz bones will not move a whole lot closer together.

[Minh]

FWIW, i recently bought a B17 having not ridden one in about 10 years, and the leather feels much softer than the last one i rode, and feels more broken in out of the box.  i find mine is also creasing like yours after not that many miles, so its quite possible that a replacement will do the same thing.  

[Mathias Steiner]

That's not unusual, Minh... B17s are not all the same.

I've had a half dozen of them, and I've had them comfortable the first time out, or had to put 300 miles on them to be OK.

I rode a friend's bike with one that was almost new and it was so uncomfortable it was years before I tried another.

I've never had one that wasn't comfortable after break-in.

[Joe Bernard]

I wouldn't stress over the creases, it sounds like you got a super comfortable B17 and each one is different. I'm calling your purchase a win 🏆

[Jay]

Thanks!

I did another ride on it today.  It was comfortable although seems to be flexing more, like it needs to be tensioned.

I have two bikes and wanted another one so went to an lbs that had the saddle on sale.  What a difference compared to the amazon one; you can tell this one is unridden, and much stiffer.  I'll put it on my Roadini and go for a couple of rides and see (feel) the difference.  I gave it the customary proof hide application.  They are nice looking saddles!