I own 3 of these saddles, 2 black and 1 honey colored. I replaced a Brooks C17 with this. The leather saddles are more comfortable for me on long rides. I was able to ride 32 miles on this right out of the box.
Hundreds of miles on a quality leather saddle makes all the difference for a long continued adventure.
Over the winter I detailed a Vitus 979 I found for a riding friend of my wife. Some drillium, matched skewers in era Mavic sew-ups and this B17Sb Imperial. She is systematically getting every bike saddle converted. Now if only I can get a B18 raspberry...
Its strange that this leather can be so hard feeling when you first purchase it, but its such a comfortable seat regardless. Done some seriously long rides and Im about to do my first century ride with this saddle. Ive heard they get better with time too so Im very excited to see how it can get even more comfortable
Im wondering if the previous cyclist really ever road long distances with this seat. The cut out is very harsh even rough to my fingers touch. After having this seat for more than 8 months now it rubs like a knife the inner lady parts. The edges of the cut out are too rough too sharp they hur the lady parts. Even after hundreds of miles its not wearing in not the inside edges. Its not the firmness of the seat its the cutout.
This is my second Brooks saddle. I have a black one on my road bike. People think that a bike seat should be soft and comfortable. Unfortunately, nothing could be farther from the truth. My husband taught me that the reason a seat works is that it allows all the pressure to be on your sit bones and not soft tissue. Having leather that over time conforms to your unique physique is so necessary. If you have a soft, cushiony seat, you are, over the duration of the ride, putting more and more pressure on your soft tissue which causes the pain and numbness. The Brooks Imperial B17 Saddle for women allows you to 'sit' where physically you should be - on your sit bones. After a break-in period, you will never look back. I've had my other Brooks saddle for over 4 years - it is phenomenally comfortable, even after riding 100 miles at a stretch. Give this seat a try - you won't regret it.
