Lopsided Brooks B17 ?

[TimTyler]

I was working on my bike the other day and noticed that the Brooks B17 saddle was not level left-to-right. It's about 1-3mm higher on one side.

I pulled it off the seat post and sure enough, one of the rails is shaped slightly different from the other.

Now, I've had the saddle for almost a year, and I don't think my tush notices the slant, but I do recall a few months ago wondering why the bike pulled to one side when I took my hands off the bars. I attributed that to a nearly empty pannier on one side of the rear rack.

I know that Brooks saddles are known to morph to fit a tush, or perhaps it's the tush that morphs to fit the saddle, but is it possible the saddle rails where straight when purchased and have since bent?

As far as a break-in period... I remember that the first few hours on the brand new saddle where very uncomfortable, but just 15 miles into the saddle it didn't bother me anymore. I think it feels the same now as it did back then after the first day of use, just fine. So if Brooks will take the saddle back I don't think I would have a problem breaking a new one in.

[Tourista829]

I ride a Brooks Professional Saddle not all that different from a B17. Now you got me curious. I went to the garage to check the saddle. It was balanced. Where did you purchase the saddle from? Maybe they would consider reviewing this situation and help you out. I would have a LBS check it. Do you have this problem with any other bikes you ride? I would also contact Brooks of England at www.brooksengland.com/ I am sure you are not the only, who has had this problem. You have nothing to lose. I would be curious as to what they say.

[waynemyer]

My B17 is asymmetric too.  I am not sure if it came that way, but the rails are also asymmetric. 

There is a long-running stereotype about in manufacturing engineering about countries and their proclivities in final manufacture: Germans make everything look machined, even if it was handmade; English make everything look handmade, even if it was machined.

[digimarket]

For many years I rode a third hand Brooks Pro that had been crashed by the infamous Larry "Pig Pen" Glickfield (he did a lot of crashing).  It was slightly bent, but the main reason it developed an off-center ridge was because one of my legs was slightly shorter than the other and I was riding with the saddle so high that I leaned to one side.

[ducnut]

I highly doubt your Brooks was manufactured bent. More than likely there's something going on with your anatomy or it was inadvertently bent from a drop, accident, etc. Periodically, I have to level my GF's Adamo. I don't what's going on with her, but, something about her riding style makes it lopsided.

The way to break-in a Brooks is to follow Sheldon Brown's guideline. Using neatsfoot oil allows for the saddle to have suppleness from the moment you bolt it on.
http://sheldonbrown.com/leather.html

[TimTyler]

I highly doubt your Brooks was manufactured bent.

It's not really bent as in "dented" bent. It's more like one of the rails is shaped a bit differently. To me it looks like the metal bending machine is setup to make bicycle saddles, not space shuttle parts.

I'll live with this one for now and maybe replace it later with a more symmetrical one down the road.

[ducnut]

I highly doubt your Brooks was manufactured bent.

It's not really bent as in "dented" bent. It's more like one of the rails is shaped a bit differently. To me it looks like the metal bending machine is setup to make bicycle saddles, not space shuttle parts.

I'll live with this one for now and maybe replace it later with a more symmetrical one down the road.

In that case, I'd definitely be sending pics to Brooks. Being tilted can't be good for your back. And, that's a one-time deal; you only get one shot at taking good care of your back.

[Michigan John]

I wouldn't ride the saddle lopsided -- can cause some extra aches and pains. I've shivvied a couple saddles with metal rails back to levelness with judicious use of a jumbo screwdriver as a pry bar. Maybe it'd work for you.

[cyclocamping]

Brooks has a rgeat customer service, I would contact them. I am sure it is something they've heard of before.