Submitted by
Marrz
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2011
Strengths: Uber-Comfort, Break in not as bad as other Brooks
Weaknesses: Water Anxiety.
Bottom Line:
I got this saddle ~10k miles ago and love it more each day. The break in was no where near as bad as the other brooks I own and for a ridged frame bike springs made a huge difference.
Submitted by
Houlie
a Cross Country Rider
from Windermere, England
Date Reviewed: May 30, 2011
Strengths: The Brooks Champion Flyer is a traditional sprung leather saddle that is made in Birmingham, England. The saddle will shape itself to your contours over time. How long that time is can be variable. If you use the bike every day, it can be a fairly short period, but if you use it once a month, it will take forever. As I am a daily user, it took about a fortnight (approx 200 miles). Once it has formed the correct shape, that's it. All you have to do is give it some TLC with a dab of Brooks Proofride to keep the leather in tip top condition now and again. The saddle comes with an adjustment spanner to retension the leather, but it usually causes more problems that it solves, as users seem to overtighten the leather and it will tear, which is a bad thing to do. It must be a measure of my happiness with the saddle in that I may buy a new bike, but I keep to the saddle, which has been on a few over the years :o)
Weaknesses: Doesn't like to get wet, but neither do I
Bottom Line:
A saddle that should last a lifetime, even if the bikes don't!
Strengths: the most comfortable long distance saddle, instantly for me, gets better with age or get a pre-aged one.Now I can sit on it all day no problems and eventually I will get there in a good mood.
Weaknesses: not as heavy as it looks but not featherweight.
Bottom Line:
If you go out for the whole day get one. If you are going to do 500miles tour in a week get one.
Similar Products Used: brooks team pro and b17comp, flite-max, rolls , etc etc
Bike Setup: N=n+1 where N is he number of bikes you need and n is number you have.
road bikes tourers shoppers folders
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Submitted by
Holmes
a Weekend Warrior
from Front Range, CO
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2008
Strengths: Comfort, durability, retro looks
Weaknesses: Weight, might be too wide for some, needs to be kept reasonably dry.
Bottom Line:
By far the most comfortable saddle I have ever ridden on. I've got about 1,300 miles on it and it's been fantastic. My current bike is a Surly touring rig, but I have ridden some mild single track and a fair bit of forest service roads and jeep trails with it. I'd say this is where a sprung saddle really shines - long days on rough roads or non-technical trails where you just want to sit up and take in the scenery. A typical weekend ride for me might be 50 - 70 miles on pavement or 20-35 miles on dirt roads and trails.
This was my first leather saddle, and I read quite a few reviews before I took the plunge. There seems to be a fairly even number of people that love or hate them. For myself it was very comfortable out of the box (after a bit of tweaking the angle and position). No break-in misery.
A leather saddle does require a bit more care than a synthetic (mostly keeping it from getting totally soaked and rubbing a little leather conditioner on it ever once in awhile). But after taking a fairly good spill on some gravel double track doing 20mph or so I can say that they are definitely rugged - a few minor scuffs that are barely visible is all it suffered (if only I had been so lucky). I am certain a synthetic saddle would have gotten chewed up a lot worse.
Bike Setup: Currently mounted on a Surly LHT w/ mustache bars
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Submitted by
Anthony
a Weekend Warrior
from Whitehorse. YT, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 28, 2007
Strengths: Awesome comfort, durability, and looks great to boot. Definitely a conversation starter. Great for big clydes like me.
Weaknesses: Kind of wide, can make it hard to get off the back of the saddle. Can make creaking noises.
Bottom Line:
So comfortable that it feels like you're riding a couch, even on a rigid bike. I loved riding this on my MTB, but it was almost too cushy so I switched to a B-17. This saddle is now on my road bike. I'm one of the converted and will never ride anything else but Brooks saddles.
Similar Products Used: Brooks B-17, WTB Laser V, various other saddles.
Bike Setup: Rigid Karate Monkey singlespeed.
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Submitted by
John Harmon
a Weekend Warrior
from Framingham, MA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2007
Strengths: Simply the best quality saddle made. Conforms to you over time.
Weaknesses: Pricier than lightweight disposable saddles, that is, until you factor in the lifespan of the saddle which is rumored to sometimes be decades.
Bottom Line:
For the first few rides, you may wonder if you made a mistake. Then, instead of making peace with the pain, you'll notice the saddle will breakdown a bit on top as it shapes to you. The other thing I've noticed is, not only do the springs absorb the bumps, but the leather itself seems to flex a bit when needed (think of a hammock type flex). This saddle makes me wonder if all that padding, gel, etc. on all the other saddles really does much. It might be a bit heavy but, now due to the comfort, I ride more and have more than made up the difference in my own weight.
Similar Products Used: Specialized, flite, SanMarco Rolls(second best).
Bike Setup: Old hardtail REI Novara. I keep beating it, it keeps working. What can I say?
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Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Wayne, PA
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2006
Strengths: Classic style; supposedly lasts forever; disappears beneath you on long rides
Weaknesses: Costly. Requires some break-in, maintenance and care that a vinyl saddle doesn't. Saddle is finicky about its and your position.
Bottom Line:
At the advice of Sheldon Brown I ditched my suspension post and went with this sprung saddle. Based on my results after two weeks of riding, about 80 miles total, I think this is going to be a great saddle. The first ride was the most uncomfortable but the discomfort only lasted about five minutes. Once I got settled into a comfortable position it sort of disappeared. For the next few rides it was uncomfortable for a couple of minutes at the start and then did the disappearing act. Now after about 80 miles of break in there really isn't any discomfort at all. The key is finding the exact saddle angle and fore/aft position and then getting into your own stable riding position. One interesting thing is that the saddle bounces when I peddle at too high a cadence. Originally I found that annoying but now I use the bounce as sort of a gear selector advisor. No problem sliding back on steep descents or to get extra leverage. The saddle stays cool even on hot days. In another month this should feel like my couch. Defintely worth giving it a try.
Similar Products Used: Last saddle was a Selle Royal Lookin mid-cruiser
Bike Setup: K2 Newport with butterfly bars, Direct Curve brakes and WTB All Terrainasaurus Tires.
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Submitted by
Denny Mayfield
a Cross Country Rider
from Sachse, TX USA
Date Reviewed: December 5, 2005
Strengths: Comfort
Weaknesses: Have to be careful with leather and moisture, but a raincover for the seat just about takes care of everything.
Bottom Line:
The world would be a wonderful place if everything worked as well as this simple, time-tested product. If you have any interest in touring, this is the seat to do it on. Very comfy, but it takes getting used to after skinny racer boy seats.
Bike Setup: Trek 520 w/Extended Stem, Blackburn racks, front and rear
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Submitted by
Steve Burgess
a Weekend Warrior
from Covington, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2005
Strengths: comfort, durability, comfort, shock absorbtion, comfort, it's a B.17 on springs (B.17 is the best road saddle which, by the way, is what is on my road bike)
Weaknesses: leather - watch out for rain, occasionally treat w/ conditioner, very occasionally adjust w/ spanner. weight - what's the big deal? How much does a full water bottle weigh?
Bottom Line:
Brooks makes so many sizes, shapes, and models of leather saddles (Do you know why bicycle seats are called saddles? Brooks Saddle Company made the first bicycle seat.), that anyone of any size or weight should be able to find the right seat/saddle.
Similar Products Used: I've tried them all and I don't have enough space to write all the problems I've had with non-Brooks.
Bike Setup: front suspension w/ hardtail softened w/ Brooks Champion Flyer springs is my best combination
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Submitted by
Casey Greene
a Cross Country Rider
from Kent,OH, US
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2004
Strengths: Comfort
Weaknesses: Nothing
Bottom Line:
This Saddle has prooven itself to me on numerous trips and tours. i had about a 200mile breakin time with the leather, and about 500miles for the springs. Brooks saddles are the best you can get. next time though i will probably get a model that does not have springs to save weight; however, i will never buy another brand of saddles (unless Ideale comes back in buisness. i also hear there is a small company in holland or belgium that makes nice hard leather saddles).
Bottomline: there are brooks saddles for every type of cycling, and if your bum is important to you, get one, and take care of it.
Bike Setup: Brooks Champion Flyer saddle is on a Hardtail Gary Fisher Marlin frame set up for touring with ShiDXT derailers, Original front wheel, Rear wheel: chris king hub laced to a sun ryno rim. shimano crank and cassette. tubus cargo rear rack with ortlieb backroller panniers. ortlieb handlebar bag. kmc chain.
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Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2003
Strengths: Perfect anatomical shape. Leather seems hard to the touch, but however it gives the perfect amount of cushion (when combined with your existing body weight and built in cushion - even for thinnest riders). Hard leather is also the absolute coolest material I've ever used. The springs on the champion flyer are extremely firm and do not bounce while riding (at least for me). The springs offer just the right amount of cushion for hard jolts and jumping up and down in the saddle. Absolutely you must get this saddle from wallbike.com. Best service and no questions asked 6 month warantee. If for any reason you don't like the saddle, you can return it no questions asked!
Weaknesses: You have to treat it annually with proofride - but this takes 15 minutes. It's heavy at about 2 lbs - not for weight weenies. It is too wide to get behind on steep descents, and is not likely the perfect MTB saddle, but it's still very good for xc.
Bottom Line:
Most comfortable saddle you can buy, handmade in england and not from china or taiwan, but weighs 2 pounds.
Similar Products Used: Selle italia flite Ti gel, Serfas dual density, Avocet (old school), Trek no name saddles.
Bike Setup: Litespeed Blue Ridge, vintage Trek 720, Trek 9.9 - all with same saddle.
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Submitted by
Lenny Taylor
a Weekend Warrior
from Sacramento, CA
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2003
Strengths: Comfortable beyond comparison, quality of workmanship, a certain amount of elegance associated with it too.
Weaknesses: It isn't so much a weakness, but since it is perhaps the most critical interface between the rider and the cycle, so you must adjust it correctly and do very minor maintenance from time to time.
Bottom Line:
The best money you'll spend on your bicycle is that which makes it more comfortable for you to use. Having said that, you can't get a better ride than on a correctly adjusted leather saddle from Brooks. "Numb nuts" and other common ailments are a thing of the past, and because it is leather, it feels cooler to ride on also. I'd feel fairly safe in saying that most cycle discomfort is a result of incorrectly adjusted components. Take the time to learn how the seat is supposed to be used and follow the factory directions. You won't be sorry, and your seat will thank you for it!
Bike Setup: Hard-tail mountain bike set up for loaded touring.
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Submitted by
smokey strodtman
a Cross Country Rider
from gilliam, MO USA
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2002
Strengths: COMFORT!!!!!!!, appearance, reasonable price, dealer service (Wallingford Bikes is GREAT to deal with!).
Weaknesses: i guess some would say weight, but the most overweight component on my bike is the rider!
Bottom Line:
i've got several seats here, all with their good and bad qualities. the koobi has found a home on my fisher hardtail, although i sometimes use the selle italia if the trail is really gnarly and requires a lot of movement and hanging off the back. i had not found a seat that was comfortable enough for my road rides on the Poprad. read many reviews on brooks saddles here and decided to give wallbike a call. talked to bill laine and he explained their 6-month return policy and the best way to care for the saddle. i bought a champion flyer because i thought the suspension would be good for my lower back problems. i got my saddle in TWO DAYS! put it on the bike, treated it with proofhide, as bill recommended, and went riding. the break-in was not bad at all, pretty comfortable right from the start. treated it several more times and it kept getting more comfortable. you can tell when a brooks is broken in because there will be an exact impression of your sitbones in the leather. i usually take several 25-30 mile road rides each week (sometimes up to 50) and i absolutely love this saddle. it works best if you mount it slightly nose down. it also looks very good on my bike, i got the honey color. it darkens with use, but still looks very classy with the copper rivets. some complain about maintenance with a brooks. come on! i can treat mine in less than 5 minutes, and it's a lot cleaner job than chain maintenance. i've been caught in hard rain storms with no cover, and have had no problems. if it sets out in the rain, then you would definitely want to protect it. 5 smoking chilis for the champion flyer, wallingford bikes, and bill laine!
Favorite Trail: rock bridge state park, landahl trail
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At: www.wallbike.com
Similar Products Used: selle italia tri-gel, terry liberator, koobi, stock selle san marco (OUCH!!!!).
Bike Setup: Lemond Poprad cyclocross bike, sora 8 spd STI shifters, specialized armadillo 700X28 tires with stan's original tubeless system.
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Submitted by
Florian
a Weekend Warrior
from Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2002
Strengths: Quality. Craftsmanship. No pain. Soft, dry, cool, and I like the retro-look. People tell me it would last forever and I believe them but mine got stolen after just three months, arrggh!
Weaknesses: Expensive, heavy, needs maintenance. European bike-thieves seem to know its value and extrapolate onto the whole bike!
Bottom Line:
My experience with this saddle was somewhat the opposite of the folklore behind it: First, it didn't need any breaking-in but was comfortable for the sitbones from day one. Second, after a three-hours ride on day two, I felt the beginning of a slight CPS (Cold P*nis Syndrome). So maybe it was a little too soft for my 200 pounds. (You didn't expect a Brooks to be *too* soft, did you?) However, this is not so bad because on a gel-padded sattle I suffer from CPS after fifteen minutes! Third, I sweat a lot, but this saddle kept the skin on my backside perfectly dry. (Leather! The folklore was right here.) Fourth, the leather surface is very smooth! I liked this because my trousers didn't chafe, but you offroader-downhiller-rockjumper-types out there may consider it a major weakness because you will always slide a little on the saddle when you rather need control. So... My next one will be a a Conquest, or a Professional, or even a Champion again, but in any case a Brooks!
Similar Products Used: Noname gel-padded "racing"-style, Nishiki Hard-as-a-rock, Selle Italia
Bike Setup: Nishiki Hybrid Pro (no suspension).
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Submitted by
stan grayson
a Weekend Warrior
from marblehead ma usa
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2002
Strengths: Comfort and quality -- one of the few totally satisfactory new products of any sort that I've bought in a long time. The Champion Flyer is ideal for use on an upright/around-town/commuter bike. It is wide and its springs really work. It transformed the kick-in-the-butt ride of my aluminum frame Marin San Anselmo.
Weaknesses: None yet but if you left it out in the rain, you might be sorry.
Bottom Line:
The way the molded leather shape of the saddle adopts your bottom's shape makes for a unique product. I expect I'll be replacing my road bike's Flite with the appropriate Brooks.
Similar Products Used: The sprung saddle standard on the Marin San Anselmo was the right idea but too narrow for anything longer than 20 minutes of riding.
Bike Setup: Marin San Anselmo w/7 speed Nexus, fenders, rack, pannier, riser stem.
