An aesthetic improvement to the B17 standard, with large copper rivets, chamfered sides, and copper rails. Still a classic touring saddle though. Like all leather saddles there is a break-in period, but the reward is well worth the effort, it has a smooth top, with 3 small holes for ventilation, chamfered skirts, large copper rivets, copper rails, with quality saddle bag loops on the frame. http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brooks-b17-champion-special-leather-saddle-with-copper-rails-prod21478/?src=froogle
Let me start off by saying I have never had problems with saddles – I find most comfortable.
I had a Selle Flite on my Klein (this was a road bike saddle) but suited the bike until I wiped out and cracked the plastic shell. Some people have terrible problems so here is the article in bits ….
Can’t tell you what the best saddle is (Brooks!) because only your bum can tell you (Brooks!). I can point you to an excellent article on saddle fit, and excerpt some content, with deepest gratitude to Sheldon Brown (who was a god on all things bike):
Everybody wants a comfortable saddle on their bicycle. What is not so obvious is what constitutes a comfortable saddle.
You’ll notice that I do call them “saddles,” not “seats.” There is a reason for this. A “seat” is something you sit on, and is designed to bear essentially your entire weight. Recumbent bicycles have “seats,” but conventional upright bicycles have saddles. A saddle is intended to carry some, but not all of your weight. The rest of your weight is mainly carried by your legs, and some by your hands and arms.
A cyclist who is out of cycling shape, from being off a bicycle for a bit, will start out strong, but the legs will tire rapidly. When the legs tire, the rider sits harder on the saddle, and that’s when the trouble starts. Many saddle complaints are actually traceable to fatigue caused by starting out the season with a longer ride than you are ready for.
Hard or Soft?
When a cyclist finds a saddle uncomfortable, the first impulse is often to look for a soft one. This is often a mistake. Just as the softest mattress is not necessarily the most comfortable to sleep on, the softest saddle is not the most comfortable to cycle on.
Imagine sitting down on a coffee table. Your weight is concentrated on the two bumps of your “sit bones”, also known as the “ischial tuberosities.” These are the parts of your body designed to bear your seated weight. Most cases of saddle-related discomfort arise because the load is carried on the soft tissues between the sit bones.
Imagine placing a soft pillow on top of the coffee table. Now, as you sit down on it, the sit bones compress the pillow, which yields until the sit bones are almost on the table surface again. The difference is that now, you have pressure in between your sit bones from the middle part of the pillow.
Many cyclists are unaware of this, and many saddles are made to appeal to the purchaser who chooses a saddle on the basis of how easily the thumb can sink into the squishy top. This type of saddle is only comfortable for very short rides, (though an inexperienced cyclist will often find it more comfortable than a better saddle, as long as rides don’t exceed a mile or two). Saddles with excessive padding are also a common cause of painful chafing of the inner thigh, as rides become longer.
OK, so you want a minimalist saddle which is just wide enough to support your sit bones.
Most saddles are designed for men, not for women. Due to the wider hips of most women, this can result in the sit bones overhanging a narrow saddle, leading to painful pressure on soft tissues.
In general, women’s saddles are somewhat wider and somewhat shorter than those that work best for men. Some newer women’s saddles have a large cutout in the middle to eliminate pressure on soft tissues. These work well for many women, but some riders find the sharp-ish edges of the hole irritating.
My saddles have been that first Selle Flite (cracked in fall)
Selle Flite
Than a Selle Storika (for the looks) but bent the titanium rail when I took a big tumble and couldnt straighten it.
Selle Storika - post crash - see the rail bend
Then bought a Brooks Swift – a great sadde but was getting slaughtered by the mud so moved it onto the Yuba Mundo
Brooks Swift
Then Ritchey WCS saddles on both my Carver and the Klein
Ritchey WCS Marathon
And another Brooks this time a B17 on my Brompton.
Brooks B17 Narrow
Until the mid 1970s, most good quality bicycles came with tensioned leather saddles. These have a frame basically similar to that of the padded plastic saddle. A thick piece of leather is rivetted to the bridge, and to an adjustable fitting at the nose of the saddle. The leather is suspended sort of like a hammock.
A properly shaped leather saddle is an excellent choice for the high-mileage rider who doesn’t mind the fact that it is a bit heavier than a plastic saddle.
Leather saddles provide “give” by stretching and flexing, without the need for foam padding. The lack of foam greatly improves comfort in hot weather, as heat and perspiration can “breathe” through the porous leather.
Leather saddles also “break in” to fit the particular shape of the rider, in much the same way as a baseball glove does (or a fine pair of shoes!). They do require more care than plastic saddles.
I have a Brooks B17 and a Brooks Swift. No, you can’t have either of them, I love them both. Best of luck finding your perfect saddle!
Style: The style and elegance of the 1930s Path Racer has returned with the Guv’nor.
Based on the model made by the Company in the 1930s, the Guv’nor has a classic and relaxed style, but is equipped with modern components. It features a Pashley built Reynolds 531 diamond frame (in 20.5, 22.5 and 24.5* inch), with relaxed style forks, Brooks B17 Titanium saddle, drop North Road handlebars with leather grips, and a Sturmey Archer single speed rear wheel with 28 inch gold lined black alloy rims.
The sure-footed feel of the Guv’nor is aided by the 28in Westwood alloy rims laced with 36 stainless steel spokes in a three-cross pattern. Designed around a wide, contoured shape they’re stiff and heavy, but not at the expense of comfort.
Those fat tyres help, but they take some effort to get up to speed.
Braking is done by Sturmey Archer drums both fore and aft and their relative lack of stopping power compared with top-end rim or disc brakes takes a bit of getting used to. If anything, this encourages you to take a more relaxed attitude to cycling on a Guv’nor.
Actually, a lot about the Guv encourages you to take your rides at a more leisurely pace than normal. The rolling resistance of the wheels and fat tyres for one, added to the relaxed trail of the fork – none of which encourages rapid changes of direction nor rewards aggressive riding.
The position offered by the North Road, leather gripped dropped bars also feels relaxed. These aren’t drops in the modern sense but are more akin to bars on a US street cruiser – excellent for taking in the sights as you ride.
Should you wish to take your Guv’nor up to race speed, they do afford the ability to tuck Graeme Obree style, but provide little positional variety if you attempt – as one tester did – to negotiate steep climbs.
It will increase your admiration of pre-war Tour riders though.
The Guv’nor, of course, isn’t really designed for taking on Alpine – or Cotswold – climbs. Three Sturmey Archer gears are an option, but ours was fitted with the standard single-speed.
This is a smooth running 42/18 that’s good enough for around town cruising/posing and, we found, ideally suited to towpath pub-to-pub jaunts.
Equipment: retro chic
The Brooks saddle with titanium rails, retro drops, leather grips and brass bell all add to the Guv’nor’s chic. You even get a tin with a spare tube, saddle rub, a spanner and an Allen key, plus a bag of Guv’nor’s blend tea.
The wheels look fantastic but they’re the one thing we’d change, as each wheel alone weighs more than the frame.
Verdict: big grin sheer fun
This is a bike you’ll ride simply because you want to enjoy riding a bike. Obviously, it’s not for training and you won’t take it on a tour of the Lake District – although you can attach mudguards and Pashley’s catalogue states it’s ‘Just the ticket for exploring the English countryside’. But you will smile. And when you return home from your ride, you can brew a pot of the special Guv’nor’s Blend tea that’s supplied with every model sold.
Pashley Cycles is England’s longest established bicycle manufacturer. Founded in 1926 and based in Stratford-upon-Avon, our dedicated team design and hand-build a unique range of specialist bicycles and tricycles.
From our flagship traditional Princess and Roadster models to the exclusiveGuv’nor Path Racer, every one of our bicycles is built to exacting standards. Our range includes classic and contemporary commuter bikes as well as retro beach cruisers. Adult and children’s tricycles provide stability and pleasure on three wheels, with a range of trikes for those with special needs.
Pashley also supplies high-quality work bikes, cargo bikes and load carrier tricycles for industrial and commercial use, offering companies an economical and environmentally friendly alternative for transporting food and equipment, vending, or delivering post.
Kite*Surf*Bike*Rambling 