As bicycle beginning to be the healthy option for commuting everyday and to spend some leisure time outside, more people are starting to pay attention to their bike parts like saddle. If you are the type who seek for comfort, classic saddle like Brooks B67 Vs B17 will be a worthy investment to try in your bike but, before deciding on either of them, see what can we expect from them in our article below so we can choose the best choice.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
– When to Change Bike Saddle
– How to Shop for a Saddle
– What are Brooks B67 and B17
– What Brooks B67 and B17 Look like
– Are Brooks B67 and B17 Comfortable
– Does Brooks B67 and B17 Fits you
– How to Install Brooks B67 and B17
– Brooks B67 Vs B17
Changing Saddle
As we pedal the bike and go to various places, it will also put so much pressure on some of the parts particularly those that comes in contact with our body such as on the feet and handle. These parts have padding and protection which help against the wear more effectively than without. This happens to be the same between our body and the part in our bike so over time we still need to replace those worn out parts to get the best performance.
One of the most important parts that affect our overall experience while pedaling is the saddle because if it is not comfortable enough, even expensive and easy to ride bike will become a nightmare. It is also one of the most unique parts on our bikes because it somehow stay the same from the start until now in modern day and we are talking about the basic triangle design. When this part is getting uncomfortable, it is a good sign to start choosing for the next.
The amount of time required for a saddle to deteriorate may differ based on the material and the frequency of it being used. In general both foam and gel saddle will show a sign of being worn out starting after a year with regular usage while the exact time when to replace it varied widely. However, it seems that many manufacturers are recommending to replace the saddle every 2 years or anytime when you feel like it won’t support your body properly anymore.
Choosing Bike Saddle
When it comes to choosing the perfect saddle for the bike, our choice may not uniform since it depends on your needs such as what kind of activities we do, the type of cushioning, with center cutout or not, saddle materials, and size. All of them will play an important role on how it will affect your overall ride so we have to choose carefully. For example, the activities we do can differ with recreational cycling fits plush and soft saddle.
On the other hand those doing road cycling will be better with long and narrow saddle because it can transfer more power while pedaling. Saddle cushion will affect how plush or firm its surface be and those who like plush saddle will choose gel since it is very soft yet flat quickly as well. Foam cushion is similar to gel but will get you more support, easy to shape, and will also last longer without being too stiff. In addition there is no cushion saddle as well, and it all depends on your taste.
About Brooks B67 and B17
If your older saddle began to wear off or if it is not as comfortable as it used to be, now is a good time to see what the market is offering because there are so many of them out there and our option should only based on our preference but, if you are here, we are sure the hard leather saddle is what you find more comfortable. It is strange because comfort is often related to cushion but it is different for bike saddle.
The answer is probably because it will shape to our sitting zone as we use it over time and it is like getting a custom made but without the instant result so we do have to bear a little at first. Among those many good brands that offer bike saddle, those who seek quality must know Brooks because this classic is one of the best as well as among the oldest in the market for the brand have been operating for more than a century. Read also: Park Tool PCS 9 Vs 10 here.
Surprisingly they still carry few oldest design in the catalogue for all of these times and if both classic and comfort are very important points to attend, the B67 and B17 will be a very ideal models to look at. They are comparable due to the many similarities but in comparison, the latter is an older version by being offered by Brooks for over a century old today and still loved by many due to its performance and how it elevate the users cycling experience.
On the other hand, Brooks B67 is fairly new and as the name suggests, it is the new direct brother of B66 which is also popular and have been in the market since the early 1900s. These two is a nice choice for any leather saddle lover out there and those who love the B17 usually will love the latter as well especially if as time take tolls in your body, it will need something to reduce the shake or any small effects from the bike to the body.
Brooks B67 and B17 Design
As you can see on the sample picture above, both of them are quite similar to each other and there is also the female version of each saddle stated with “S” on the end of the model name. Their size in general is comparable but the B67 is slightly wider because it is measured at 10.8-inch long while the latter is only 10.2 and the width from one side to another is 8-inch on the former then 6.8-inch on the latter.
The kind of material specifically leather used in both of them are actually the same vegetable tanned leather but the one we get on B67 is textured while the other is smooth. We have the black version of each saddle but if you prefer different fashion, there is light brown, dark brown, and even red in Brooks B67 collection.
Brooks B67 and B17 Comfort
As with any saddle, comfort is the most important part to consider when looking for a bike saddle and while almost all users are satisfied with these models performance, it doesn’t mean that they are completely identical because in our opinion, the feature that makes B67 different from the older saddle is their spring suspension since we don’t have this on the newer unit. Spring suspension may not fit everybody’s taste but the function is clear by being a method to elevate comfort.
Saddle with spring or suspension is mostly used in road or as daily bike for commuting because it will reduce some discomfort by potholes or uneven bumps on the surface but those doing mountain biking or touring where suspension will affect their performance and deliverance from the bike will often choose for those with no suspension. This type of saddle is actually fine for road riding as well but people with some back problems or elder people may want to consider the choice.
Brooks B67 and B17 Riding Position
If you ever heard the saying about different saddles will complement different posture, this is the same with Brooks B67 and B17 since some people struggle to find the perfect match for their kind of cycling. We rarely see B67 as touring bike because this model is made for an upright position so it is not surprising to feel awkward when flexing forward. On the other hand, the narrower B17 is matching the posture of a mtb activities better because it’s narrow surface is fine for when you lend forward.
Installing Brooks B67 and B17
The last important point is their installation because some saddles may not match with your bike saddle post and in this part, both of Brooks B67 and B17 are the same with steel rails on each side. This system match with many today’s micro adjusted pillars. Installing them are pretty straightforward and won’t take much of your time but Brooks does recommend to treat their products with their Proofide leather dressing on all of the surface’s or leather part and let it dry for 24 hours.
However, this salve is not provided in the box so if you want to follow the exact recommended procedure we will have to make an additional purchase. After you let the salve dry or choose to not use it, we can start installing the saddle by removing the old one using Allen wrench or if needed, the mounting system as well. Place the mounting system or bracket on each size of the rails then fasten it together with your bike saddle post.
Comparison
Both of them are an equally good option for riders who prefer to use leather saddle because they are very comfortable and one of the best things is they do last longer especially with B17 which some people have been used for more than 10 years. Their difference is B67 have slightly wider surface, making it more comfortable for anyone who ride with straight posture and the spring suspension suit road riding activities the most or anyone with some health problems.
On the other hand B17 with its narrower surface is nice for any riding that will require you to arch the body a bit forward and the lack of spring is nice if you need more control over the bike or specifically need to lower the weight of the bike.
Brooks B67 vs B17
Conclusion
At this point we are sure almost all readers can choose which bike saddle will suit their application and taste the most. However, among the two we do like the Brooks B67 because we ride pretty straightforward and just around the town so the wide surface felt very nice.