After their long day Saturday, I was able to reward my hindquarters with the purchase of a snappy new Brooks B17 saddle for the Jamis. I found it on craigslist for about a little over half of what it would have been retail. We're talking brand, spanking new. The guy I bought it from said he'd had an older B17 that he modified to look more like the Brooks Swallow and theorizes that some uninformed person decided it was the real $300+ McCoy and swiped it. But, as the story goes he installed the new one (unmodifed) and rode it for about two hours before deciding that his ass couldn't take breaking another one in. I decided mine was up to the challenge.
There was nothing wrong with the Selle Royale Sport that came on the Jamis. Especially after I adjusted it's position on Saturday so I didn't feel like I was always sliding off the back end of the bike. I also flipped the stem which raised the handlebars on the Jamis about an inch and spent some time fine-tuning the front derailleur, both of which make a world of difference, but we're talking saddles here. The Selle has RoyalGel and is supposed to lower the pressure peaks on the prostate/pubis and sit bones by up to 40%. But who am I to argue with over 140 years of experience?
I mounted the B17 as soon as I got home and took the bike for a quick, and surprisingly dark, jaunt around the 'hood. While it was only 2 minutes or so, I was surprised by how comfortable I found it. This can only be a good sign. I've put over 100 miles on the Royale and I was still unsure about it. Though this means that I probably shouldn't ride the Jamis in the Ironman next week. Riding a century on a bike that I've got barely 100 miles (three rides so far) on and still dialing in the comfort and fit, along with a brand new Brooks is just asking for trouble.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
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7 comments:
I was wondering about that saddle - saw it on Craigslist and wished that I had the $50. I've got one that I chopped, then rode in the rain too much. It's stretched beyond repair now :(
I never had any luck with the B-17
broke mine in all lopsided
maybe I need to oil it
maybe I need to ride it in the rain
maybe I need to hang it on the wall
How do you go about breaking a saddle in lopsided?
Maybe all y'all are just riding half-assed. ;-)
If your bikes are set up correctly (and having fancy-schmancy leather need-to-be-broken-in seats I'd assume they are), then it's probably your bodies that are a tad out of alignment.
Your choice of bodyworker (massage therapist, chiropractor, craniosacral therapist, etc) can probably help you with that (contact me for appointments) - but then you'd have to buy a new seat to break it in correctly for your newly tuned body. ;)
Good luck on the Ironman, dude. Hope it's warmer than the 38 degrees it was this morning.
i love my B-17, but it has this "click, click, click". it's very comfortable, but i've yet to identify where the "click" is, although i've tightened everything down. i like it so much i bought a B-17Narrow for another bike.
and these lopsided breaker-inners are just that, lopsided. i'm pretty sure my left leg is a good bit shorter than my right. hence i ride on the left side.
I've only had my B17 for a year but it's the only saddle I've used that's still comfortable after more than 2-hours on the road.
I know that they don't work for everyone, but mine is aok.
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