Length: 279mm Width: 151mm
Height: 70mm Weight: 530g The B17 Narrow was first featured in the 1910 catalogue. Since then it has been the choice of road racers looking for more freedom of thigh action without sacrificing comfort.
MADE IN ENGLAND
*Cost excludes shipping
I can't praise brooks enough. Some people talk about the break in period, some talk about the saddle making them want to ride more. I'm both of those people. The first time I used my b17, I was amazed, and wanting to break it in more gets me to ride more. I love this saddle. Thank you brooks.
When the leather cracked on the Brooks B17 seat on my 1943 BSA Airborne Folding Bicycle I was prepared to carve a wooden mould from the original leather and use that to shape a new piece of Oak sole leather for it. To my surprise and considerable satisfaction I found that a) you're still in business, and b) you still have the model I needed in production. My replacement B17 recieves the proper attention that the original should have had - an occasional wipe with saddle soap and a bi-annual brush with neat's-foot oil, which should massively prolong its' working life, even under the heavy use I put to it - over 50 miles/week on the road.
I've been riding on a Brooks saddle since I appropriated my dad's (an expat-Englishman) bike as a teenager over thirty years ago. Our aluminium touring tandem has always been equipped with a Brooks B17 up front and my 26 year old Miyata touring single now sports a brand new Team Pro copper saddle. Both are great saddles and I've found both comfortable right from the start, even the much stiffer Team Pro on my now much older posterior. A firm saddle is the best present you can give to your sit bones.
I wrestled with the idea of trying a Brooks for a long time, I should have gotten one a long time ago. It has been the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden at every mile after mile #1. The most difficult part of breaking in a Brooks saddle is openning the tin of Proofide!
My Brooks Professional was a bit of a splurge for me in 1970 when I was a college student -- if memory serves, it was about $40 then, which was the same price I had paid for my first (used) 10-speed. Forty years later I'm still using it, currently on our tandem. Its finish has worn to a soft satin, but the leather is in excellent condition despite having been exposed to all types of weather for decades and receiving only intermittent care in the form of whatever leather treatment was available at the time, usually olive oil and boot polish. The rails are in like-new condition with no pitting, the rivets brighten right up with a little metal polish, and -- most important -- it continues to be the most comfortable saddle I own. When I built up my next bicycle, it absolutely will be equipped with another Brooks, which I fully expect will last for the rest of my life.
First day on my new Team Pro, and I have to say, this is THE BEST SADDLE I have ever ridden. I think a lot of the stories that put people off from purchasing a saddle like this come from folks 150 lbs and under, because my 200 lbs put this saddle in it's place immediately. 20 miles and I can already see visual clues of break in. For years, fashion has been dictating saddle design, and I was following it. While there is certainly not a saddle out there that can satisfy everyone, I would have to say that, odds are good there's something in the Brooks lineup for about 90% of riders out there. Sure, it's not the lightest saddle in town. Who cares?!? Are you going to sit around and look at your bike, or ride it? If you plan to ride it, then get a Brooks.
This saddle is simply awesome! I rode for 2 hours when I first put the saddle on my bike and all I can say is it is one of the best rides I've had. I've tried several other saddles before I decided on the Brooks and I'm glad I did. I had no discomfort that I have had with other saddles and no sore butt at the end of my ride. If you have been thinking about buying one of these just do it you won't be sorry!
I am a member of the VETERAN CYCLING CLUB SCOTTISH SECTION and have an original flying scot racer which was fitted with a b17. unfortunately, due to its age(1958), the leather split across the front rendering it useless. I purchased a new saddle via the VCC and fitted it to the bike and bedded it in which took many miles, though i do swap the saddle to other bikes in my collection which i also use on VCC runs. After many miles the saddle is as comfortable as the one it replaced, the only thing i had to do was retension it with the spanner for this purpose, i also obtained a bottle of leather polish at an autojumble which was marketed for rolls royces and bentlys. Several applications of this has helped the leather as well. I reckon i have covered over 700 miles since purchase and wouldnt use any other make of saddle and would recommend a brooks to anyone contemplating doing a lot of cycling
This is a great saddle. I recently built my first fixed gear frame, constructed entirely of bamboo. Because this frame is one-off and means a lot to me, a Brooks saddle was the only saddle i could put on it. Its very comfortable and looks great. I cant wait to put many miles on it.
My girlfriend found me this saddle in a welsh charity shop, for five pounds. Its amazingly comfortable, I love this saddle. I feel I really owe it to Brookes to buy something direct from them now, its the only thing on my bike which is improving with age!
COMMENT > Fell in love with this thing from the first time i sat on it. It’s a thing of beauty, true craftsmanship the likes of which is not seen in abundance these days. After my first ride (short 30 mile) I just didn’t notice the numbness I have felt my whole life on standard seats. I put it on my Slingshot mountain bike which I converted to my daily street commuter. Couple of suggestions: First, if you are so adamant about using Proofide and no other saddle soap or conditioner you should include it with the saddle. Hell increase the price if you have to but what’s the point of getting home and eagerly reading all the material that comes with the saddle only to find out you should condition it prior to riding and you didn’t buy any. Second, if you don’t want to include you should insist that the retailer that sell the seat carry enough for every saddle purchase. (the same suggestion for a rain cover) Third, you should make a under seat bag. None of my canvas bags do this piece of art justice. I just can’t bring myself it to hang my specialized bag under this beautiful saddle. After reading the reviews on the new imperial, I will be purchasing two for my mountain and road bikes. I wish my retailer had those in the first place.
REPLY > Thanks for your suggestions. We recently managed to increase our prices and include a spanner with all our saddles and a rain cover with the more expensive products. The point is that convincing hundreds of dealers to increase prices is not so easy... Hopefully we will get there sooner or later.
I bought one for £17.50 in 1991. I still have it, and it looks as if it's good for many years. It's now on its third bike, a titanium-framed Enigma. You must have realised by now that I'm a contented customer. The only improvement I can think of is a lightening of the frame.
Q > Are there any plans to bring out a B17 Narrow with Ti metalworks? By the way, which of the saddles with Ti metal parts is most like the B17N in fit? I'd quite like to be able to put a lighter saddle on my Enigma, & the old saddle on another bike.
A > We have no plans to make the B17 Narrow with Ti. If you look for a Ti model with similar comfort, I'd recommend the B17 Titanium, but it's wider. Narrower Ti saddles are the Swift and Team Pro. The first is more elastic, the second is very stiff.
I have just purchased a new Trek 2.3 Alpha compact race bike which is a superb bike and it looks fantastic, however it came with the normal razor blade saddle in white, riding home was extremely uncomfortable (50 mile commute to work) When I got home, off came the beautiful looking saddle and was replaced by my trusty and oh so comfortable B17 Narrow, the guys at work take the mick about me riding on a saddle that has been around since 1910 but I would'nt change it for the world. I may upgrade to the B17 Copper when this one wears out, so I should be back in about 10 years !! Great Saddle, Great company. Keep up the good work.
The B17 Narrow is my first Brooks saddle in several years. I got back into biking in a big way this season. When I saw the resurgence in interest in Brooks saddles I decided to try one again. I did a lot of research and decided that the B17 Narrow was the way to go. Almost all the testimonials and blogs I read talked about a breaking in period. In my first ride of about 20 miles I experienced no discomfort from the saddle but felt that it should be moved back a few millimeters on the stem for optimum pedaling. When I did this I accidentally tilted the saddle forward slightly from a level position. After the same ride I had tenderness in my sit bone areas. Two days later I straightened out the saddle and from that point on on it has been extremely comfortable. I think the lesson is that finding the right angle and adjustments that work for you can really cut down on the amount of time it takes to break one in. I love these saddles. Over the course of the next few months I have 2 other bikes I will put Brooks Saddles on. Another B17 Narrow for my Trek mountain bike and a Swallow for a mid-1970s Italian racer that I am restoring.
Fitted a new B17 Narrow to my recently purchased Boardman Pro hardtail MTB on Friday night, in place of the fancy dan plastic and cro-mo doodad the bike was shipped with. Saturday morning we hit the road, 11 miles on tarmac, followed by 50 miles up hill and down dale off road. For the first 30 minutes I was aware that the saddle was narrower than the B17 I normally ride and I stopped to tweak the fore and aft positioning and the saddle height. That done I promptly forgot I had a new saddle and got on with enjoying the ride. No saddle discomfort at all for an entire day ride. That's a first off road for me. The nose is long enough to get your weight forward when climbing and because it is a rigid leather saddle you can slide your weight all over it with no stiction whatsoever making weight shifts something you do unconsciously. A great saddle from a great line of products. Yeah it is heavy and a bit clunky looking. So am I! Thank you Brooks
I borrowed my dad’s 25year old B17 Narrow to see what all this fuss about Brooks saddles was about..... and now I get it! Yesterday, after riding only the Brooks for about 1500 miles, I got back on my other bike with what I used to call a comfy saddle on it - and I got straight off again and looked to see what was wrong! I'd got so use to being cosily suspended on a leather hammock that the padded plastic felt painful. I’m converted. My only reservation is that I race a lot of cyclo-cross and I suspect leather might not last well when covered in mud and frequently jet washed. I might have to just go Brooks for road and touring.
My name is Smiley, I'm a part-time bike fit specialist living in Maryland US and I cycle about 3,500 Miles a year. I have three custom fitted bikes that I ride throughout the year (for those of you who know about these things I own a Serotta Hor's Categorie Ti frame, a Co-Motion Al-Cappucino tandem with soft ride stoker beam and a Serotta Ti mountain Bike, a TiMax to be exact). I fitted all three of these machines with Terry Fly saddles and, as they performed ok, I stayed loyal to the product. However, the Terry on my tandem would give me aches if I did not dismount and give my butt a break every 25 miles or so. It's a familiar complaint and one that I thankfully no longer have since I discovered Brooks. I was initially skeptical about how something as old fashioned as leather could be more comfortable than modern gel or plastic saddle. To be honest, it was the stylish retro-look of leather saddles as much as anything that made me seriously look into leather saddles. I then read a few online testimonials about leather saddles being the most comfortable and decided to give one a try. I contacted a well-respected Brooks retailer (Wallingford Bicycle Parts in the US www.wallbike.com) and spoke at great length about saddle fit and sit bones - things that really were never discussed when buying a plastic saddle. After my consultation, I was advised to try a Brooks B17 Narrow and, after some initial fine-tuning and breaking-in, I've never looked back. Am I done yet? Not likely! My Brooks dealer informed me about the re-introduction of the New Brooks Swallow so I've just put down a deposit for this limited edition saddle. It will look great on my treasured Serotta Hor's Categorie bike and I really want to move my B17 Narrow to my mountain bike because I know it will improve the ride of this bike as well. I have this to say with my new found knowledge of bike saddles from Brooks, my advice is to give them a shot. These saddles only get better with age or break in time. For the amount of money I spent replacing commercial plastic saddles, (I have a basket of failed saddle experiments at home) and chasing down the latest fads every 2 years or so, I am glad I can depend on a Brooks to outlast all these saddles combined. Brooks saddles are the GOLD standard for me now, it's what a comfortable saddle should feel like. Weight freaks ""forget about it"" and enjoy the ride. I hope my story inspires you to give Brooks real leather saddles a go on your bike. It's nice to know my butt won't give out on me before my legs do! Sincerely
Great saddle. And it's beautiful. I ride it on both of my Mericans, and cannot imagine riding anything else. The copper-railed honey Pro is, to my eyes, one of the most beautiful bicycle components made. But most important, it's the most comfortable saddle I've found, by a wide ma If you're trying to decide which model to buy, ask whether you can test-ride friends' saddles or see whether a shop near you has "loaners." Or, you can buy a saddle from Wallingford Bike and, if it's not right for you, they'll let you return it within six months. In my case, I tried both the standard and narrow versions of the B-17, the Pro and the Swift before settling on the Pro. And, I tried men's and women's models of each. Although I'm tall and rawboned, I have unusually narrow sit bones for a woman. So, the men's version of the Pro turned out to be what my Mercians and my bum needed. By the way, I ride a brown B-67 on my commuter/townie bike. I have difficulty imagining myself riding anything but Brooks saddles.
I received my new Brooks Professional saddle recently. Back in my youth (mid 60s), my first "good" bike came with a leather saddle. Comfortable, rode in cutoff jean shorts with no problems. About 12 years ago I returned to cycling. And, with most, was caught up with bicycle weight, so no leather saddle. Instead, I went through a succession of high tech, low weight, etc. saddles. Recently, my 4 yr old reputable Italian manufactured saddle was increasingly uncomfortable. I e-mailed the maker, and the reply said that, essentially, their saddles are good for about 10,000 km, and then the foam breaks down. So I ordered a Brooks. Comfortable right out of the box (first ride with it was 42 miles), and getting better each consecutive ride. And, it will probably last forever. Now, after my experience, one of my riding partners is gearing up to order himself a B17 (he's a bit larger and wider than me, 6'-2", 200 lbs vs my 5'-8", 150 lbs). And yes, while my Brooks weighs 500 grams vs 200 grams, with the additional comfort, I can ride longer and am sure I will drop more than that weight from myself in no time. I should probably be in the 135 - 140 lb range. So, keep up the good work, I'll keep promoting your saddles. You may want to talk with the boys in the pro peloton. With the drop in bicycle weights, where they actually are adding weight to their bicycles to meet the UCI minimums, some smart professionals may want a more comfortable, i.e. Brooks, saddle. After all, your products were good enough for Eddy Merckx, and he wasn't a bad cyclist!
I've ridden Brooks saddles since the early 1970s and I love them. As a 15 stone (95Kg) powerlifter who cycles for fitness I need some width to support my large rear end and I've got three Brooks among a collection of about twelve saddles ... the pricey but worthy Honey coloured Swift, a B17 narrow and a B17 standard, which my wife has hijacked. The Swift Titanium is also really light in relative terms. The classic styling of Brooks saddles just looks so good and draws many comments. Although some of the others are comparatively heavy that extra few hundred grams is a sacrifice worth making for the sake of the great comfort and durability you get from a genuine Brooks hide saddle especially on the longer rides. I continuously recommend Brooks saddles. It's just such a shame that the titanium metalwork is so expensive otherwise I would replace my two other others for the titanium special models withe the big rivets..
COMMENT > Received my #39 Green Swallow BFF Ltd Edition. Love it. However after a long ride, the seat seems sunken in especially on the rear right side. That normal? I've only proofide it once. Otherwise it's the most comfortable seat ever. Thanks
REPLY > The Swallow is the most elastic of our saddles, so if you tend to be asymmetrical in your ride, the saddle will shape asymmetically.To a certain degree it is normal. If it shapes too much, you should probably go for a stiffer saddle, like the Team Pro or B17 Narrow. The Swift is somewhere inbetween.
in 1998 I bought a Greg LeMond Alpe D' Huze...in orange and white. This year I changed saddles..to the B17 Narrow....I have ridden around the block and adjusted the seat height. It is not yet broken in...it will be starting tomorrow....as of this moment it just LOOKS great!!!
answer - I rode that same frame for 4 years as a bike messenger until it broke.
I still miss it. :(
Do you intend at some stage to make a saddle more suited to a bmx, they are an exceptionally popular bike and feel you should have one on offer. Albeit they are a token saddle on a bmx as they seldomly get used, generally much smaller than the average for aesthetics and weight considerations, but nontheless a vital piece of equipment. I certainly would purchase one right now were you to begin producing them.
i have riden on a lot of saddles in the last 25 years from many manufacturers who all promise comfort and durability, there is only one who can truly live up to that promise, and thats Brooks ,
Hi I recently purchased a B17 special (the brompton version, brown top, copper rivets, standard black frame) I have only put 70 kms and it's by far the most confortable saddle I have riden, by far much much more than my previos gel saddles (one with ventilation) they were fine for a few kms then it's was a pain in the butt, literality. Q: My concern is only one, I sweat a lot from the buttocks and I can't always wear padded short, which helps a lot with this matter, so when i use jeans sweat stays there in touch with the saddle, and leaving a very embarassing trace in my jeans. Would this sweat damage severly the saddle eventualy? Because I noticed in some parts of the saddle it has become darker just like a few spots, and in the back part has a little brighter spot as if the color has fell off.
answer - Sweat will not damage your saddle!
Q > Hi! Could we now in this Ipod age have White saddles in a range of models (and not just for the very exclusive few!), please.
A > White BROOKS Saddles are much more difficult to make. It takes us more than triple the time than any other colour and lots of leather is wasted in the process. These are the reasons why we can't offer them in the standard range.
Q > I am very intrested in getting a b17 saddle but in the Titanium version, i have bought over 10 different saddles in the last few weeks trying to find one that is comfortable, unfortunatley me rear is obviously different to most peoples as I have tried all the popular versions, my questions is do Brooks have test saddles? For example Sella Italia offer at the dealers the ability to try the saddles before buying them which is brilliant, as the Titanium is very expensive and I am not willing to part with that much cash without knowing they will fit. Thanks Chris
A > We don't offer test saddles simply because you need to break it in! Once broken in, the saddle cannot be passed on to another person. In order to minimize risk, I would suggest you to buy the B17 Std, then if you like it buy the B17 Titanium.
Q > I want to buy a Brooks saddle for my Brompton M2L. I know the B 17 could be the best choice but i'd like to have something a little bit more sportive; can you suggest me wich is the best solution among Swallow, Team Pro and the Swift?
A > Brooks range of racing saddles includes a variety of models for gents and ladies: -the B15 Swallow: our most elastic saddle -the Swift: a slightly stiffer saddle, featuring partially cut-away flaps -the Team Professional and the B17 Narrow, our stiffest saddles -the Team Pro S and its titanium version, the Finesse, for ladies
I'm back again. Last Spring I posted about the B17 Narrow. This Christmas I received another B17 Narrow for use on my mountain bike. Yesterday, the first day of Spring, and with the snow gone in the Northeastern United States I had my first ride of the season using this brand new saddle. It was a short ride, only about 15 miles, but over rough roads. I made the same adjustment to this as my other B17N, got on it and rode. I can't stress enough how comfortable these saddles can be even before they are broken in. If yours is giving you trouble keep fine tuning the adjustment until you get it right. As for me I've got 2 Brooks saddles with 2 more to go.
The B17 Narrow Imperial broke in quite promptly -- within 100 miles, the leather was softening up nicely under my sitbones. I also found the Narrow model to be just right, as it is about as wide as the saddle I have been using (Avocet 02 40r). My only complaint is with the cutout -- the edges provided a not-very-pleasant sensation through my biking shorts. Not a pinching, not a chafing, no permanent damage nor saddle sores, but I could FEEL the edges and it was not pleasant over a longer ride. This issue, and only this issue, prompted me to remove the saddle from my bike. I think that the edges of the cutout may benefit from chamfering or some other treatment. The saddle seems exceptionally well-made and should prove very durable. I would, and probably will, buy a different Brooks -- a model without the cutout. I found the Imperial Narrow perfectly comfortable except for the issue, explained above, with the cutout edges.
Hi, I was always very content with my Brooks which I bought from a friend about ten Years ago until this morning on my way to work through a snowstorm the Metal under the leather cover broke. Can you repair it?
answer - All Brooks saddles may be repaired, please visit the Getting in Touch section of this website!
I had this saddle for a year and put about 3,500 miles on it. My sit bones 'sat' between two of the back rivets and occassionally did the bump'n grind into the rivets. Uncomfortable as all heck. If I moved the saddle back, I didn't have good coverage over the pedals. Sold the Brooks and put on the Terry Liberator X. It's 100 grams lighter (still too heavy) and my butt thanks me every day. Sorry Brooks, your saddle is for heavy 200lb manly men. -V Biker Chick
The Classic range includes many of our best selling models for the modern cyclist, since all saddles have single rails and are thus compatible with micro-adjust seat posts. The B17 is the most popular saddle in the BROOKS Classic range. It is certainly the oldest Brooks model and longest living saddle in cycling history. This icon has been sold as far back as 1896 and for over a century never went out of production. Most of these models are available also in the Aged and Imperial lines.