I have tried nearly all of the brooks saddles, so let me weigh in with my observations on which to use where.

B.33 - springs are loaded for heavy-weight riders (around 200ibs+) so this should be THE choice for anyone in that catagory. There is no other sprung saddle I know of that is really designed for heavier riders. Also features the widest top available in a textured non-slip finish. Handlebars should be above the saddle.

B.190 - This is a perfect choice for women with full hips, out on a shopping expedition. It's as wide as above B.33, but with a smooth top. The spring system is loaded for the same weight-class (200ibs or less) as the more popular B.66/67 saddles, but with the addition of dampeners which remove the rebound effect after the initial bump has been absorbed. Since the dampeners are on both sides, the stability of the bike is increased both side-to-side and front-to-back. This is makes it fantastic for hauling heavy cargo, as it is easier to balance the load.

B.135 - Personally I feel this should be the default choice on any Dutch/Danish bike where you would be carrying significant cargo. Same spring/damper combo as above B.190, but the top is the same size flat-top found on B.66/67 which is a good fit for men, or women with narrower hips in an upright position. This is a better choice than the B.66 in many cases, as the dampening is very useful, and the difference in price and weight is only slight.

B.73 - The most comfortable saddle choice, by a wide margin. Way better than the B.66. Put this on your gradma's or grandpas's bike. On my cobble-stone road test, this one wins for smoothest ride hands-down. You will have to use it on a bike that keeps you sitting bolt-upright, like an Oma or Opa, which only carries light cargo. If leaning forward or stability is more important to you, take a look at the B.135 first, because dampening acheives the same end as removing the front spring.

B.72 - If your hips are wide enough, and your're sitting upright enough to use this saddle, than you should really be using the B.33 or B.190. This saddle has very limited shock-absorbing abilities. It is however the only spring saddle that you tie a large saddlebag onto the back of easily. The nose is shorter on this saddle than the other wide models.

B.66 saddles - Good choice for any bike with handlbars at or above the saddle. Just like the B.135 but without the dampener springs (stabalization) The B.135 is a better choice if you are hauling any kid of cargo.

B.68 - Intended for use with a suspension seat-post or soft-tail bike with handlebars at or above the saddle. Same top as B.66/67/135, etc.

B.17 saddles - Good choice for any bike with the handlebars at or below the saddle height, where at least half of your weight is on your hands when you ride. Unless you never put any weight on the saddle, you would want the Flyer model, as you'll only notice the springs when you need them anyway. Fancier versions include the Champion Flyer Special, etc. The B.66 Champion is actually a better version of the B.17 Flyer, but built with double-wire clamp for straight seat-posts.

Team pro - For long-distance racers.

B.17N, Swift, Swallow - For fixed-gear track bikes, competitive athletic trials, etc.

Women's "S" version saddles - Means the nose is "Short" for women who complain about the hard nose of the saddle. Short saddles are easier to get on and off of, but provide less stabilizer effect. If you complain about the nose, but don't have trouble mounting a saddle, I'd recommend instead raising your handlebars significantly, and using the B.73, which has a spring under the nose. The loop spring found in other heavy-duty saddles also provide a softer nose, but only if you are upright.

Brooks Proofide - Rub in a thin layer and let it absorb overnight in a dry room. Buff off the next morning. Do this every 6 months, or if the saddle drys out completely, and then re-condition. Contains: Tallow, Cod oil, Vegetable oil, Paraffin wax, Beeswax, Citronella oil The people at Rivendell, who love their Brooks saddles, claim that Obenauf's Saddle Goop is a better product to use. It contains bee's wax, and propolis, a preservative made by Bees. Supposedly if you get a very old Brooks off ebay or a yard sale, it would be best to treat it heavily with Obenauf's, to prevent cracking around the rivets.

Thank you Lee for this concise review. Most of us have not had the opportunity to see - let alone ride the many Brooks saddle variations.

I bought my first Brooks saddle (B67) a month or so ago. Its the most comfortable saddle I've had but it did take some getting used to. Its very hard to start with and I had to adjust the seat position maybe a dozen times before I found the right setup. It seemed odd to me, but the nose has to be pointed up slightly and the saddle has to be lower than I've ever set a saddle. I don't understand why the nose up but after I set it that way I noticed that all the pictures I've seen of English 3 speeds have a up-pointed Brooks. It had to be set lower because otherwise my left hip hurts after only a couple miles.

I hadn't proofed so I was happy to read that I don't HAVE to use Brook's Proofride. I used plain old mink oil.

I must have a couple hundred miles on it by now and yesterday the springs started to squeek. I hate that, have you had that problem? Any suggestions?

in chicago, many messengers and commuters swear by their brooks saddles. last summer, i invested in a ladies b17 and placed it on my commuter bike. the bike was not "sit up and beg," but it had a more relaxed geometry than a road or mountain bike.

a person at my bike shop kindly proofed it for me - top and bottom - so that i could ride it home. (we women are a bit more finicky about the saddle issue with the nice slant of our pelvis.) i rode the brooks b17 day in and day out for an entire summer. for the first few days, my sit bones were a bit weary. however, after 10 riding days, i fell in love with my honey b17.

my friends have said that proofing is not necessary; however, it greatly reduces the break-in time. i found this to be true.

interestingly, if one considers some terry saddles or other "geometry-specific" saddles, the costs are comparable to the brooks (non-titanium) saddles.

Saddle position relative to the riding position is a key factor in what can make a saddle comfortable or not. Skinny saddles are made for a more aggressive riding position, where a much larger percentage of the rider's weight rests on their hands. The reduced weight on the saddle and a more forward-angled saddle (to match more forward-angled hips) relieves pressure on the pubic bone. Skinny saddles work best for a race oriented position, but since most of us aren't racing (any more) this position makes no sense on a city/commuter bike. Our B67's and Henry's B66 (the B67's fraternal twin) are comfortable because they create the perfect support structure to match an upright riding position.

That said, no saddle will be comfortable if it is not adjusted properly to meet your riding position or if you begin with an unnatural riding position which you can't easily maintain. Fatigue or stress in the rest of your body will lead to saddle fatigue. This means if your neck or shoulders get tired on a long ride, chances are you butt will be sore too. You may be in a too aggressive position or you may not yet be fit enough for your riding position.

I will paraphrase Chris: no part of your relationship with your bike is more intimate than the one you have with your saddle. So, choose wisely, make certain your saddle style supports your riding style, take time to properly adjust your saddle (angle and forward/back location), as well your bar angle, reach and stem height.

Derek,
Just noticed your comment after writing the above.

I'm very comfortable on Brooks B66 city bike saddle, as are many of our customers. I've got them on a couple of my own bikes - found one on an old bike and I'm sure its older than I am (41).

As for the sporty Brooks saddles... I can't stand them. I also think they look great and have tried and experimented, with patience, enough times to know that they don't fit me. Somehow the rivets are always exactly at my sit bones. and the slight sag of the leather raises the nose in relation to the middle of the saddle, pressure on my perineum.

I've a pretty normal butt and I'm a very experienced cyclist so I'm a little baffled about who they actually do work so well for.

-Henry

We send a couple Brooks saddles out to the mean, wet streets of Amsterdam each day and then watch them survive or deteriorate depending on their use and care. Most of these bikes live on the street so the conditions are anything but ideal.

Tip 1: Grease it up liberally and regularly, from both above and below. A heat gun (be careful) will help it melt and soak in deeply. Ignore Brooks recommendation to only use their absurdly expensive Proofide soldd only in teeny cans. We scoop from a big can of "Rapide" normally used for equestrian saddles, and have also had good results with a mixture of beeswax and turpentine but it doesn't smell as nice. I'm sure many other types will work just as well.

Tip 2: Cover your saddle to prevent it from getting wet. Take the cover off and stuff it under the saddle while cycling. Make this a habit.

Tip 3: Ideally you should never ride on the saddle while wet but eventually it will get wet and you'll have to get somewhere. Fortunately a well greased Brooks saddle will generally return to its form... as long as you don't tension the nose bolt so that it can't.

Tip 4: Use the nose tensioner as little as possible. I've seen customers kill their saddles within weeks by tensioning, stretching and re-tensioning until they'd reached the end of the threads. Oops, dead saddle.

Groeten,
Henry

I'll look forward to that. I took a bike on a test ride one time with a brooks saddle and other than looking nice, I couldn't understand why anyone would buy one.