Brooks EnglandB17 Special, Leather Bike Saddle with Hand-Hammered Copper Rivets

After receiving my new B17, I used the official Brooks proofhide that came with the saddle, and what was a nice rich deep dark brown ...... turned to a light colored caramel color. Proofhide application top/bottom was applied indoors, cool temp 70s no sunlight no heat. 4days past and the color did not go back to the original rich deep dark brown and remained this light color brown. I thought bout adding a high quality rich dark brown leather dye but ended up just buying the 15.00 dollar tin of Brooks Proofide since that is what Brooks recommends to only use. After a 2nd thin application the color remained the same, no change, did not go back to the deep rich dark brown leather but did not change lighter either. I was considering returning the saddle and getting a replacement because of the color change but decided to just keep it, I guess maybe overtime the saddle will darken?Comfort from the start. After reading & watching all the YouTube vids bout Brooks discomfort saddle break in time, I didnt have to do any of that. No lycra, no padded shorts, only merino wool. Brooks instructions said only adjust tension a quarter, but I noticed the saddle sank in the middle during a short 20mile jaunt. I found that bolt super ultra loose 2 miles into the ride, I did 3 quarter turns and the saddle now feels right. The center holds/doesnt buckle/suports and no pain (weight 170) My B17 replaced an SM Pro L Saddle I've been using for about 2years.My reason for replacing the Ergon saddle is just like all other saddles I"ve owned over the years the underside "plastic material" develops a certain flex in the middle overtime that can not be fixed only replaced, so I replaced the saddle for the B17 Copper.I did try a Brooks C17 in 2022 and instantly returned it same day, I dont see where anyone can find the C17 comfortable at all. I suppose the C17 would be better suited for a rider seeking bike weight reduction and heavy narrow technical riding. The riding I do is distance exploration, recharging my inner battery and absorb the beauty of mother gaia. The B17 from the start has been awesome, no regrets the leather Brooks used to craft the saddle is quality. The only down side??? for me is after the 1st proofide application the saddle color lighted in color alot and the saddle lost that rich deep dark brown. I may consider using a high quality leather dye or polish, but that would void the warranty if I do.

I took the plunge and bought this seat after much debate. I've been riding cycles almost my entire life starting at around 5 or 6 I can't recall. As I got older, I got more into competitive cycling and had more than two dozen different types of seats. Each and everyone takes time to break and some are better than others. Some start out pretty comfortable but after a long ride, it really hurts. Some less if I wear padded shorts plus another layer of padding. But they pretty much all hurt nevertheless. Now here's the Brooks. Rather clunky looking yet very aesthetically pleasing to the eye saddles.First ride about 24 miles, trying to micro-adjust to my bike (Bike Friday Pocket Rocket) but keep sliding back and forth and I feel like I keep slipping forward. So I raise the nose just a bit but then it was too much. This isn't the saddle's fault but rather the seat post design. It feels rock hard even though I had applied the Proofhide overnight.On the second ride, more micro adjustment and lowering the post an mm or two. Still felt like sliding forward a bit so I adjusted the tilt again. But, here's the weird part. The seat still hasn't been broken in and it still feels very hard but I don't feel pain. And my bottom is saying "Hey this is very comfortable, keep riding faster!" My single-gear Bike Friday now feels like a completely different bike.. only much better!On my third ride, I noticed a couple of very important habits that I used to have during my years of cycling. First, I don't stand anymore when anticipating a bump or washboard on the road surface. Actually, I now just enjoy going over them and feeling those imperfections on the road (like vinyl vs. CD?). Also, that last few miles after a ride when you're tired, wow, that feeling of relaxing and just enjoying sitting and pedaling very joyfully!If it's this good and I now only put less than 70+ miles, I can't wait for several hundred or a thousand!Update:So far, I have put over 200 miles on the new Brooks B17 Special saddle. I have applied Proofhide after each ride as well as put Obenauf's Leather Conditioner on the bottom of the saddle. One I noticed was that as soon as I applied the oil underneath saddle using a small brush, the leather quickly became very supple and flexible. On the most recent ride, I immediately noticed how comfortable saddle began to feel even at the beginning of the ride. This did not happen at least towards the end of the ride which was about 20 miles. I also started to notice a slight arch forming on the seat which wasn't there before when it was new (compare the 1st pict which is most recent vs. last picture when it was new). I will continue to do the Proofhide/Obenauf's oil treatment and start to scale back some what down to every other month from hearon.Update (5/27):To date, I have logged over 500 miles on the B17. Without the slightest doubt, as what others have said about this saddle is undeniably true. That is, the more miles you put on, the comfortable it gets. Now I ride fairly briskly on my single gear Bike Friday road bike. Because of this, I think it's breaking-in a lot faster. I already started to see darker spots on the area where my body makes the most contact during the ride. Also I noticed that the saddle, although it's firmer than say Terry's gel saddle, it is way more comfortable yet because it has less give, I tend to put power down on the pedals more efficiently and feels less tired after the run. I also have the B17 with the cutout in the middle which is comfortable, but I think the B17 Special would be my first choice if I had to buy a new one.If you're on the fence about this saddle, don't, by far, this is the most comfortable saddle I've owned to date.Update-7/4:So far I must have put close to 800 miles on the B17 Special. As you can see from the last photo, saddle has begun to take some noticeable form according to physiques. Also notice the discoloration started to occur around the edges. However, the seat is now noticeably more comfortable. I can unanimously say, so far, I am loving this saddle, it makes my daily workout on the Bike Friday a shear heaven!