Re: [CR] B-17 Champion Special saddles...Shape changed on recent ones?

(Example: Production Builders:Peugeot:PY-10)

From: <gpvb1@comcast.net>
To: joebz@optonline.net
Subject: Re: [CR] B-17 Champion Special saddles...Shape changed on recent ones?
Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 05:33:13 +0000
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

The Special is a "deluxe" B-17 Standard.

It's all pretty much spelled out (at least for the current models) at:

http://www.bicycleclassics.com on the saddles page.

Greg Parker
Ann Arbor, Michigan


-------------- Original message --------------
From: joebz@optonline.net

> OK- I need to understand this in the old school context.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Lets start with the B-17. Way back when that was the top Brooks saddle.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Goings from narrowest to widest.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> B17 Sprinter? (this one is inhumane)

\r?\n> B17 Racer? Maybe longer also.

\r?\n> B17 Narrow

\r?\n> B17 (that's a pretty wide saddle)

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Then the Pro was slotted in between the Narrow and the regular B17. And

\r?\n> presumably better but that all varies hide by hide , doubler by doubler etc.

\r?\n> For example a good B-15 is better than a bad B-17 especially since saddles with

\r?\n> uneven thickness side to side are sort of doomed (unless the result matches your

\r?\n> particular anatomy).

\r?\n>

\r?\n> So where does the current Special sit in now?

\r?\n>

\r?\n> I guess the Swallow is like a Narrow. I say that because I like the Narrow and I

\r?\n> like the Swallow.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Ideale saddles are all just sort of puny. So an 80 or 90 really fits like a B17

\r?\n> Narrow.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Discuss.

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Joe Bender-Zanoni

\r?\n> Great Notch, NJ

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n> ----- Original Message -----

\r?\n> From: gpvb1@comcast.net

\r?\n> Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 11:49 pm

\r?\n> Subject: Re: [CR] B-17 Champion Special saddles...Shape changed on recent

\r?\n> ones?

\r?\n>

\r?\n> > Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 15:18:16 -0500

\r?\n> > From: "Tom Sanders"

\r?\n> > To:

\r?\n> > Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

\r?\n> > Subject: [CR] B-17 Champion Special saddles...Shape changed on

\r?\n> > recent ones?

\r?\n> >

\r?\n> > Vlad,

\r?\n> > I have two of them and I think they are shaped a bit more like the Pro

\r?\n> > models. I also notice that the steel railed one I have is more

\r?\n> > comfortablethan the Ti railed model. this puzzled me a good deal

\r?\n> > until I finally

\r?\n> > realized that the tension is set greater on the Ti one. Whether

\r?\n> > all of them

\r?\n> > are like that or not, I don't know but I am going to back off the

\r?\n> > tension on

\r?\n> > the Ti one a quarter turn and see if I like it better. I think

\r?\n> > these are

\r?\n> > about the most comfortable saddles I've found...especially the

\r?\n> > steel railed

\r?\n> > one.

\r?\n> > Tom Sanders

\r?\n> > Sitting in Lansing, Mi wishing I were going to the Tour De New York

\r?\n> > withthose guys! What fun!

\r?\n> > ----------------------------

\r?\n> > The B-17 Special, in three colors, is the most popular Brooks

\r?\n> > saddle that I sell, so it seems that many folks would agree, Tom.

\r?\n> > The "basic" B-17 Standards (two colors, women's model as well) are

\r?\n> > right behind the Specials in popularity, then probably the Team Pro

\r?\n> > (four colors, women's models too, now a Ti men's one also). After

\r?\n> > that it's a bit of a toss-up - maybe the Flyer is next in

\r?\n> > popularity? I stock several Ti-railed Brooks saddles now, but only

\r?\n> > sell a few of each type per year. The cost premium is significant,

\r?\n> > but they are significantly lighter as well. (Some are available

\r?\n> > only with a Ti frame, of course, such as the Swallow Classic and

\r?\n> > Swift...).Greg Parker

\r?\n> > Ann Arbor, Michigan

\r?\n> > http://www.bicycleclassics.com