Brooks B67 sprung leather saddle

The Brooks B67 saddle is probably the ultimate saddle for “comfort” bikes. It is one of Brooks’ wide saddles, and is a great choice for riders who like to sit upright on their bikes, with handlebars a fair bit higher than the saddle and most of the rider’s weight on the saddle. The B67 is plenty wide to make this position comfortable, and has a full compliment of springs underneath to take the sting out of bumps in the road. The saddle is 260mm long, 210mm wide, and weighs 1530 grams. It is available in a black or honey (brown) leather top, with black steel rails and chrome springs.

The B67 is based on the B66, Brooks’ most popular sprung saddle. The B67 has exactly the same shape and suspension as the B66, but uses just one pair of bottom rails rather than two pairs. This means the B67 works with all modern seatpost clamps, without requiring an adapter the way the B66 does.

All Brooks saddles are hand-crafted in the Midlands of England, using materials and methods that haven’t changed much since the company started in 1866. The key to the superiority of the Brooks saddle is its thick leather cover. Leather has two qualities that stand out. First, the saddle adapts to your shape. Over the first few hundred miles of riding (the break-in period) the leather molds itself to your body, so when you sit on it your weight is spread evenly across the whole saddle, not just on a few pressure points. Second, leather has pores and naturally breathes. This means that even on the hottest, stickiest days the Brooks saddle will feel much cooler than any plastic, foam and lycra seat.

Leather, being a natural material, does require a bit of care. It is wise to cover it if you expect to leave it in the rain or snow. (But then, your entire bike should be covered if left exposed to the elements.) Depending on riding conditions, you’ll want to treat the leather every 6 months to a year to keep it supple. Brooks makes Proofhide Saddle Dressing just for that purpose. Do just this minimum of maintenance, and your Brooks saddle will last for years and years.

There is no single saddle that is perfect for every body. While Brooks saddles with their ability to mold to your shape fit a bigger range of people than most saddles, not everyone likes them. We have found that most people who try Brooks saddles and reject them have given up way too soon, long before the saddle has had a chance to conform to their body and become truly comfortable. So when you buy a Brooks saddle, give it a chance. Expect it to feel hard at first, give it time, and remember that over time it will become the most comfortable (and quite possibly the last) saddle you’ll ever own.