Brooks B17 standard with silver rails

[der_amerikanische_freund]

Hi all, just out of curiosity, has there ever been a Brooks B17 standard with silver rails? At present the only B17 standards with silver rails are the carved version (known as Imperial) or the Special version with copper rails (or copper color like rails...).

I'm sure I've seen photos and a friend of mine swears he has one "Non-carved" in silver rails, but they don't seem to exist in the Brooks catalogue anymore.

Thanks

[Bill Lindsay]

It sure seems like it's a straightforward combo.  They have tons of models with chrome rails, so they know how to make chrome rails.  The B17 with chrome rails ought to be a variant.  I concur that it's not an obvious find on the internet.  

BL in EC

[Josiah Anderson]

I have owned a standard B17 with chromed rails in the past, but I believe it was from the late 80s or early 90s, so maybe not helpful for you. All my recent B17s have black painted rails.

Josiah Anderson

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[Sally Bidleman]

B17 Blue Lug Special came out recently with chromed rails, I think. Looks like Brooks still has some but Blue Lug sold out.

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[Nick Payne]

They certainly have been made in that combination in the past, as I have a couple that I purchased about 20 years ago. But it's been quite a while since I bought a Brooks saddle - I've decided that I prefer Berthoud saddles, in particular the Vars/Aubisque/Mente models, which are a few millimetres wider than the B17, and which I find to be more comfortable.

Nick Payne

[der_amerikanische_freund]

Thanks for your input.

They must have been made in chromed rails as 'standard' up until not very recently as my friends bought his around 2013 I believe... Unfortunately, no trace of them on the internet thus far.

[Mike Packard]

FWIW I had a chromed b17 rail break a couple years ago. It was slightly out of warranty and Brooks support only referred me to Firth and Wilson. I did some googling and found others complaining of similar breaks, some wondering if the chromed rails were more brittle or something. Kinda disappointing but I never really loved the fit of the b17 so I didn't pursue repair or replacement. Anecdotal I know.

I just got a b68 a couple weeks ago and so far it's great.

Mike in Austin

[Ryan]

Interesting...that happened to me with the B17 Special with the big copper rivets and chromed rails using a 27.0 Chorus seatpost on my X0-1 a number of years ago. A bit disconcerting, to put it mildly. I replaced that saddle (might still have it kicking around) with a black standard ladies model (which I sold to a list member because I didn't care for the width, so replaced with a brown standard men's width). In addition , using an excess of caution and not incidentally,  based on aesthetics, I swapped out the old Campy SR single-bolt seatposts on my A/R and Road with Nitto's S83 2-bolt seatposts, reasoning that the 2 bolt design might relieve stress and prevent a recurrence. So far, so good even though my reasoning might be less than solid. 

[Michael Baquerizo]

the copper riveted b17 special goes to chrome or silver color after some time, at least mine did. it started off 'matching' the copper rivets but over time i noticed that just disappeared. 

[Doug Van Cleve]

“Hydrogen embrittlement” can occur from chrome plating, also chrome is expensive and environmentally unfriendly.  I think all 3 played into chrome rails being a lot less common on Brooks’ than they used to be…

Doug

P.S.  A Brooks top that is still good can be mounted on a new frame.  Not super cheap, but maybe less than a new one that is also not broken in?