Finding the perfect bike seat is a tremendous pain in the ass. I’ve sat on dozens as I’ve tested models from cheap to swanky, sleek performance machines to cargo-carrying mini-pickup trucks.
Most folks are under the impression that adding cushioning leads to a superior bike seat. I disagree, and I submit the Brooks B17.
Made of leather stretched taut over a metal frame, it’s the most comfortable seat I’ve ever sat on. Yes, more so than those gel-cushioned seats that always seem to create a pressure point in my rear end.
support over cushions
Maybe there’s a pattern here. Two days ago, in the old Metrograph theater, a friend was lamenting the lack of AMC’s ludicrously plush, electrically reclining chairs. I dissented. I was more comfortable in a firmer seat.
Likewise, when my work-from-home coworkers show off office chairs that look like they were ripped out of Cadillac Escalades, I ease out of the webcam’s way so they can see the thinly padded wooden chair I use.
I’m not a masochist, I swear. I just think support is more comfortable than throwing every ounce of padding at a seat that you can find. So it is with bicycle seats, also called saddles.
The full-grain leather Brooks B17 retails for $175, but you can find it for $135. Yeah, I know. That’s not cheap. If it helps you rationalize the purchase price, you can expect it to last for a decade or longer, as long as you don’t let it rot out in foul weather night after night.
It’s available in a range of brown shades, as well as in black. Brooks says to tighten the bolts that hold the leather taut every so often, but I’ve only needed to do it once since an initial break-in period of 50 or so miles.
Downsides? Aside from turning your bike into a handsome devil, they’re sought after enough that thieves like to target them, so keep an eye on them or buy some bicycle security bolts, such as Pitlock, to keep your seat where it belongs.
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