Stuff We Love: Brooks Saddles

Everyone has a million opinions about saddles, it's just a fact. Very few people feel indifferent about what they choose to perch on because it can make a huge difference in your comfort while riding. This one is great, that one is the worst thing ever, etc, etc. Your butt ultimately makes the final call, but seeing as most of us here at Bicycle Revolutions ride a lot and have all found that Brooks saddles rule, there must be something to it right? Everyone says they're great and turns out it's pretty true, but here's why.
Brooks saddles come in tons of shapes and styles but the basic thing that makes them feel like they were made just for your butt is the same across the board; they're made from super tough leather and riveted onto a sturdy metal frame. Effectively, they're really hard leather butt hammocks that break in to fit your body perfectly. The leather itself gives the saddles a bit of spring so you get a less jostled, and with a little care they can last for a seriously long time. The leather is really hard at first, but Brooks claims after 100 miles of riding they're broken in. Not a bad price to pay for something that ends up feeling like it was custom made. Personally I didn't feel like it needed to break it in at all to be comfortable. They definitely do get nicer with miles on them, but my brand new out of the box Brooks saddles have already felt better than any of the other women's saddles I've tried. However, I know this isn't typical so I very professionally interviewed my fellow shop workers Varun and Aaron whilst leaning on a trash can/being a trash basketball obstacle.

Varun has an older model with thicker leather and he said his took considerably longer than the standard 100 miles to fully break in. While admittedly that kind of sucked, he likes it a lot and puts it on whatever bike he's going to be riding for a long distance because now that it's broken in it's the most comfortable saddle he has. He rations it almost. Aaron has a Brooks Professional on his commuter bike and his took about 40 miles to fully break in. He also will switch it onto any other bike he's planning on using for a long ride, 100 miles is pretty serious and the Brooks is the best. I have a Brooks B17 S on my cross bike which is both my everyday commuter and the bike I use for long rides. My only complaint is I wish I'd bought it sooner, it's possible that saddle has made me like my bike more.

They're an investment for sure, but totally worth it as far as we're all concerned.

(Pictured top - Swallow in Antique Brown with chrome rails $240 & B17 Standard in Honey $130. Bottom - My B17 S in Black $130)

High Low Gift Guide - MultiTools

It happens to the best of us; we think about how great the people in our lives are all year round, then around comes gift giving season and we're at a complete loss. They have everything. They like cycling and you don't know the first thing about it, you like cycling and they're just getting into it, your incredibly stylish daughter just won't buy herself a helmet... well, we're going to take care of you this year guys. From humble stocking stuffers to the toughest take everywhere/everyday cycling bags, we'll be here to support every kind of cyclist you may know and make your shopping a little easier... maybe even fun because, you know, we're about that. So here goes, High Low Gift Guide #1 - Multi Tools!

Brooks MT21 - $70
The Brooks MT21 multitool is 21 useful tools packed into one classy, leather wrapped package. Designed for "the traveler", it has 7 allen keys, 3 screwdrivers, 3 torx wrenches, 4 spoke keys, a chain tool, a Brooks saddle spanner, a knife and of course, a bottle opener because not everyone is down to open a brew with their teeth. It truly is the tool for adventure because while you're out in the wild world you never know when you're going to have to slice open a Tauntaun a la Han Solo. The Brooks saddle spanner built in is great because you'll never lose it again, and with the various spoke wrenches and allen keys you'll be able to help yourself or any fellow cyclist that's run into a bit of bad luck. The tough leather wrap, which comes in Black, Brown and Ochre, will keep everything tidy and looking incredibly good, who can argue with that?

Crank Brothers Multi-10 - $20

This light and sleek Crank Brothers multitool just may be the perfect combination of minimalism and functionality. With just 10 tools and weighing in at a mere 125g it's not going to slow you down but it just might save the day. With 7 allen keys, 2 screwdrivers and one torx wrench this tool is the perfect bare necessities, live-in-the-pocket-of-your-bag multitool. No muss no fuss, no blowing your credit limit. Put a bow on it and maybe you'll get a story about how it saved the day down the line sometime.

Saturday Only: More Deals!

Here are some more deals in addition to and on top of the smoking hot bike sale!

Brooks Cambium Saddles Are Here!

Yes, you read that correctly, the latest in saddle technology from Brooks has arrived! The Cambium, come check them out today. Production is very limited so if you want one, act fast. $160. Men's and women's in natural and slate.

Gabriel's New Crosscheck!

Some of you might remember Gabriel assembling bikes in the BRevs Boutique last summer, when he wasn't selling Bern helmets and Re Load midpacks. He has moved on to other employment, but he still comes by to show us some Baltimore love.
The Surly Crosscheck in robins egg blue is looking quite handsome dressed in tan.
Lookin good GJVD!

Brooks Select Saddles are here!

As huge fans of the superior durability and comfort of the legendary Brooks saddles, we are pleased to be stocking the newest line in Brooks' range - the Select. The Select line of saddles features vegetable tanned leather which Brooks hand-picks from cattle raised at a natural pace on certified organic farms. These saddles boast Brooks' toughest hides and are recommended for high mileage cyclists. All the saddles in the Select line have hand hammered copper rivets.

You can read more about these saddles, other Brooks offerings, and the rich heritage of this fantastic company, here: http://www.brooksengland.com/

We are currently stocking some of our favorite models in this new variation: the B17 (men's and women's), the Flyer (men's and women's), and the B15 Swallow.

Brooks x Vans Team Pro Saddle!

So we have them in stock! Only three available to us, the boss (me) gets first dibs and the other two might already be sold. Will update later and let you know if there are any up for grabs, but at the very least come by and check it out. These bad boys are going for $320.

Update 12/16: 1, yes ONE, is still available!

Update 12/21: All Sold Out...

New Goodies From Brooks

Still sifting through photos from the Inter-Bike trade show. Here are some lovely new offerings from Brooks that we will be receiving in a few weeks hopefully.

Candy colored Colt saddles, they are also doing an assortment of B-17's in colors this year.

Here are the "Organic Leather" saddles, new vegetable oil treatment for the saddles. They definitely have a unique look, wonder if they will feel any different?

Here is a close shot of the Navy B-17, very classy!

So excited to be getting in the newest goodies, keep posted for a mid november arrival. If you can imagine how big my Brooks order is this year, so many new and improved products, I had to get at least one of each...