Reviews of Brooks B17 Standard Antique Brown w/Black Rail

Pros

It's dope

Cons

None

Pros

The Brooks saddle turned out for me to be more comfortable than I thought. It is simple yet provides a comfort ride no matter how far you ride your bike. The saddle shapes to your bum as expected. Great saddle overall.

Cons

None

Pros

I have had leather seats in the past and have not found them comfortable. When I was rebuilding my bike, I decided to give this seat a try. With proper treatment (Brooks Proofide), the seat is supple, it fits my back side perfectly and is very comfortable! The key is not to let the leather dry out. With proper care, this seat should last a long time.

Cons

None.

Pros

comfortable, looks good

Cons

heavy, but not too heavy

Other Thoughts

The Brooks B17 is the most comfortable saddle for a man.
It is comfortable for two reasons. First, it flexes as one goes over bumps thus providing some shock protection. Second, one's rump is able to slide around on the smooth surface, which just seams to make it feel better than if one could not move around easily on the saddle.
I have found the Brooks B17 to be slightly more comfortable than the Brooks Pro. I've owned two Pros and about four B17s.
This particular B17, I bought for my son. He loved it until his bike got stolen. He bought another B17.

Pros

Once the saddle is broken in. It is comfy. The break in is the killer.

I put the saddle in a bag a netsfoot oil and let it soak for three day.

Dry for a day and then ride with dark shorts. 300 miles it is ready to go.

Cons

The break in. Some say 1000 miles. I say 300 miles.

Pros

Nice looking
Quality build
Comfortable

Cons

Have to worry about leaving it in the rain. (Buy the rain cover

Stealable: Nice saddle you should lock up.

Other Thoughts

My first leather saddle. Replaced a cheap hard mtn bike racing saddle. Brooks did not disappoint! Adds style and comfort to my touring/commuter bike. Did two months of 3x week commuting 15m per day and a 83 mile ride on it. The only complaint is now i feel the need to lock my saddle up because it is so nice!

Pros

High quality leather, great traditional looks and feel.

Cons

First saddle was built wrong - one rivet did not even contact the leather!

Other Thoughts

Modern Bike instantly corrected Brooks' problem. Shipped a replacement the same day and credited my account immediately.

Pros

I have four Brooks saddles on different bikes. With proper care they last for years and become ever more comfortable.

Cons

The leather requires periodic coating with a leather treatment, like the one Brooks sells. You also need a rain cover. I like the ones made by Aardvark.

Pros

Best seat ever. Would not be able to go on long rides without it.

Cons

A little heavier then original equipment seats on lightweight bikes.

Pros

This seat exceeded expectations, as the quality is top notch along with a quick break-in procedure.

Cons

None so far and I don't expect any either.

Other Thoughts

I didn't order a tin of the preservative and will need to do so.

Pros

Comfortable, especially on long rides. Conforms to one's anatomy over time.

Cons

Needs occasional maintenance and shouldn't be allowed to get wet.

Pros

Reviews have been generally positive.
Seems well constructed.
Priced at a point that I could deal with.

Cons

it's not on the bike yet.

Other Thoughts

Holy smokes, I placed an order for this saddle yesterday afternoon. It arrived mid-morning today. Free shipping. I'm impressed.

Pros

Very nice quality

Cons

Takes time to break in but when it fits it's the best

Other Thoughts

Just give it time

Pros

Brooks saddles are the most comfortable saddle I have ridden on. Their reputation as being hard to break in is unjustified. Just treat it with Proofide two or three time before use. They also are cooler since you don’t sit on a foam pad which most saddles have.

Cons

A little slick for bike shorts at first. May need a light buff with fine sandpaper. Time helps.

Pros

Great looking classic English leather saddle. Everybody deserves to ride one of these works of art on at least one of their bikes.

Cons

Break in time is a bit longer than some and it is a good heavy saddle. They are great four touring and city riding but not what you would want if you are trying to shave some weight.

Other Thoughts

My wife and I love our Brooks saddles. We rarely ride more than fifty miles a day and neither of us have had any discomfort with the B17. I refuse to wear padded shorts and this saddle has never caused me any discomfort. Be sure to get the correct width for your sit bones and you will be riding happy for years.

Great product!!! First class service, best price and a speedy delivery!

Pros

A work of art

Cons

analysis paralysis from reading too many reviews

Other Thoughts

I Bought the honey version for my British racing green pacer. Looks and feels amazing. Years ago I tried a dried out brooks on a beloved Raleigh. The seat was horrible and made me afraid to buy this one but a fresh version is all it took. Quit reading these reviews and cop the $100 to buy one. Modern bike has the best price trust me I searched till my eyes hurt.

Pros

Great seat, plenty comfortable, good looking, and built well with very nice materials

Cons

Just don't rest your seat against brick or concrete because it will scratch the finish easily

Pros

Very comfortable. Love the size of the saddle. Not too big or too small. Very little break-in time.

Cons

I slide around on the saddle at first. It didn't take long to adjust.

Other Thoughts

Purchased this seat in October 2016 and went on a 50 mile bike ride out of the gate. There was little discomfort. Didn't take long to break in at all. Would highly recommend this saddle!

Pros

Beautifully made, more comfortable than the synthetic saddle I had.

Cons

The leather requires a breaking in period, but this is not really a con , it is an acceptable aspect of owning a Brooks saddle.

Pros

Love it

Other Thoughts

Good experience with Modern Bike, would order again

Pros

Knowing it's a Brooks Leather Saddle
It is stiff, but surprisingly comfortable
More comfortable than the (road) saddle it replaced

Cons

Its surface is notably slippery, though to which I have adjusted.
Its vulnerability to wet and rain and covers cost extra

Other Thoughts

I have had it on my errand bike which gets about a third of the miles I ride. Just moved it to a Surly Disc Trucker I purchased this month. Looking forward to years of comfortable riding.

Pros

Comfort, durability.

Cons

None

Other Thoughts

It's a Brooks. Believe what you read about their comfort. Give it time to conform to your rear (or vice versa), and you will not be sorry. I own about 5 of them, and ride about 10,000 miles a year.

Pros

I have owned many brooks saddles over the years and they are exceptional. I find them comfortable from the start yet they only get more comfortable as time goes on, as it forms to your rear.

Cons

The leather saddles might be a little heavy for racing

Pros

Comfortable, durable, aesthetics

Cons

Somewhat long break in period

Other Thoughts

King of saddles, the Brooks B17. After it's broken in, it is the most comfortable and durable saddle I ever owned. If taken care of well, including using Proofide as suggested by Brooks, it will last a lifetime.

Great product. My third. No better fit for comfort and treating your body right. Plus looks fantastic. Modern Bike provided a great price and great service.

Pros

So far I've only have put 40 miles on it since I bought it a month ago. Great packaging and although it's still in the break in period I have no complaints on comfort.

Cons

None

Pros

Comfort, long lasting!

Cons

No cons!

Other Thoughts

This seat is replacing an older B17 that I've been using since 1999 with over 20,000 miles. From 2010 to 2015 I've put in over 16,000 miles on this saddle riding mostly long distances events like, one 1500k, two 1200k, two 1000k and and bunch of SR series and 200k/100k rides. This is the perfect seat!

In regards to breaking in; just stop complaining about how hard it is or how long it takes to break in. If you are having issues your fit on your bike is most likely off. This is not a racing saddle, set up your handlebar height a bit higher, close to your seat height to make your butt sit on the wide part of the seat.

You're not a bike rider if you don't own a Brooks.
No problems with break-in, treat every 200 miles with proofide.
I highly reccomend this saddle.

Pros

I commute by bike and have had a lot of seats. I had to get used to them. Not this one. It's been great. Comfort. Quality

Cons

None

Pros

Great saddle.
Is slippery for about the first 100 miles. Prior to breaking in can be a little uncomfortable on 15 plus mile rides. Once fully broken in - which takes around 500 miles - feels great all the time.

Cons

None

Pros

Comfortable

Cons

Not good for rain.
I don't have the money to put one on every bike I own.
Now I know what I was missing.

Other Thoughts

I have about 800 miles on my Brooks. It was more comfortable than what I had since day one. I think it has gotten better the more I ride it. I need another.

Pros

I put a lot of miles on my Brooks - at first I was apprehensive because it was so stiff but over time it loosens up and is very comfortable, especially for touring. I recently did a 1200+ mile trip through Europe and I had no saddle sore at all. I did a similar trip years ago with a cheaper gel seat and had a lot of chaffing problems. Brooks are worth the money, will last for years and are a quality product. The worst case scenario is that you don't like it - Brooks hold their value and once broken in, are highly sought after.

Cons

Nothing.

Pros

Long lasting very tough and great looking saddle,comfortable too.

Cons

None as of yet.

Other Thoughts

What more can I say,great saddle!

Pros

I've always heard about Brooks but never tried one. After treating the saddle as recommended it felt like I was riding a cloud. Well, not really a cloud, cuz that would be awesome, but this was a close second. My lower back really noticed the difference. Looking forward to getting another one for my single speed.

Cons

A little work to get in broken in, but well worth it.

Pros

I have logged over 4000 miles on his saddle and I love it. It is used year round in very wet weather and has stood up very well. I do keep it covered when it's raining hard but for a short ride in light rain, it's fine uncovered. Just keep your butt on it...

Cons

Brooks says it will take about 100 miles to break the seat in. That was not my experience. It took me about 1000 miles. Perhaps that's because I'm small and light. However, it's still one of the best bike seats I've ever ridden.

Other Thoughts

Brooks recommends using their Proofide saddle treatment to aid break in and for water protection. I have found good old fashioned SnoSeal works great. Keeps it water proof and won't do too much to soften the leather. Maybe that's why it took so long for me to break it in....

Pros

built very good

Cons

Leather will not break in is still as hard as when I bought it has many riding hours on it. not pleased with this seat.

Other Thoughts

Don't buy it.