choosing a saddle

most people rave about one product when it comes to serious touring:
brooks b17 saddle

other people simply hate it. it has to be 'broken in' which means a lot of pain for some people until it is. then they feel comforrtable with it. the saddle is also cumbersome. it has to be treated with a special paste that you have to buy from the manufacturer and the tension can only be changed with a special tool. on top of that you have to use a raincover because the saddle is not waterproof.

here is the suspended version of b17 called flyer:

the bikefriday nwt is said to provide a harsh ride on bad roads. this saddle got an estimated 100 year old mechanical spring suspension which is supposed to work well on long tours and even on commutes. i bought this saddle in black matching the color of my bike for only 87 bucks@universalcycles. definitely a steal!


at the moment i find wtb the best saddles for longer rides. i have to test brooks and see if it works for me. if i keep it, i will just treat it with a waterproof agent and skip the voodoo...

portland is one of the top cities for biking in the world. there are many bike shops where you can find advice.