Two Wheel Blogs

I think it is time to say a bit more about the Brooks Swift Titanium saddle.

I have owned this handcrafted leather saddle for over a year now and ridden it through many conditions. This saddle is clearly not for everyone, so if you are in the market for a new saddle, perhaps this review will help you to either add or subtract one from your list.

Out of the box. First of all, I bought this saddle new for a MTB that I had built (I figured a custom frame built to my anatomy deserved a saddle that would similarly conform to my special shape). The saddle comes in a nice cardboard box that most would toss in the trash (I did), but some would keep. This is a nice touch that a saddle manufacturer would think enough of the product to ship it in a box this nice with the saddle safely secured to the inside of a protective container like this.

Initial impressions. The saddle is not as damn heavy feeling as the B-17 that I had been using (still not light though), and it is QUITE a bit stiffer than the B-17. I thought this would be great as I like a stiff saddle and perhaps stiffer leather would last longer (though it may take longer to break in).

Initial ride. Humm, this thing feels as if it is already broken in! I found this saddle to be very much to my liking right out of the box. Perhaps I should point out that I have been a long time fan of Brooks products, and I just spent close to 200 bucks on this saddle...there was very little chance of me not liking it!

After several more rides during a very hot summer, I noticed that my copious amounts of sweat were taking a toll on the saddle. In spite of my attempts to care for the saddle (a little Profide, etc.). The wing (flap bent downward on the side of the saddle to provide the supportive structure) on the right side was creasing in front of the rivet. You can see the remnants of the crease in the right side of the second photo. It seemed that the thicker-unrelenting leather upper had directed the stress to the thinner beveled area in front of the rivet. Perhaps thinner leather everywhere would have deformed locally instead of passing the stress on to another area...who knows? The primary function of a saddle is to deal with stress, and hopefully distribute the stress so the rider notices it less.

That brings us to the second photo... I drilled a few holes and tied this saddle to attempt to eliminate the crease and restore the structure to the saddle. I really had been enjoying this saddle and did not want to give up on it.

This drilling and lacing seemed to work well, but not well enough for a MTB. I decided to remove the saddle and put it on my road bike. In fairness to Brooks, I am not sure that they designed this saddle with the intent to be ridden on a rigid MTB. I like the B-17 MUCH more for the MTB application. The B-17 is available in several widths and with Ti rails, so take this persons recommendation and try the B-17 if you ride rough stuff and want a Brooks.

On the road. I have been riding this saddle on the road for several months now, and I really like it, but the added maintenance continues as I battle the failing structure. The left side of the saddle is noticeably firmer...at first I thought, "hey I am not symmetric, and no one really is", but I now realize that I was making excuses. So I took it to a pro.

I have sought the advice from someone who has been dealing with Brooks saddles for MANY years. Long story short, he made some good recommendations and some reasonable statements.

First the statements (this should come as no surprise to any Brooks fan). We Brooks fans like to brag on the beauty of a natural material like leather and its ability to morph into a structure that fits like no synthetic plastic tray can. Well there you have it, the biggest downside to leather (no it is not its water-phobic personality) is the fact that it is a natural material...funny, that sounds a lot like what we call a benefit?

Leather is workable and predictable, but it is possible that this natural material can contain irregularities that give it character...or weakness. Sure a great leather worker can spot theses irregularities and work around them, but it seems that my saddle has one...that that has made a lot more work for me.

So this friend of mine has assisted me in drilling and lacing this saddle two additional times in effort to salvage the piece (yeah, I called it a piece...like art, because it is *truly* one-of-a-kind now). If our efforts do not prevail, I will take it to a local leather shop and have it re-strung with a new leather upper.

Is my saddle defective, or was I just too hard on it with the MTB use? I do not know, but I am still a fan of leather saddles. I would probably not recommend this saddle to others though. I think that a saddle with this little leather should come pre-laced like the Swallow, which has a very small cap of leather, but has its structure reinforced by lacing it together from the factory. I have since learned from the experience of my friend that the Swift is the shortest lived of all the Brooks saddles he deals with.

If I had it to do over again, I would have tried the Brooks Swallow. It costs a bit more, but reports indicate that the selection process of the leather is a bit more rigorous, and the resulting structure is far more durable. For those on a budget, it is hard to beat the B-17. They have come in various sizes for decades (actually over a century)...I wonder why plastic saddles have only recently started to be offered in different widths?

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