B17

Premium leather develops a unique patina over time, so as you cover more miles on it your saddle will change and mature. Every well-travelled Brooks leather saddle has its own tale to tell – one written by you and your adventures. Possibly with a chapter or two by the person who owned the saddle before you did. As well as this gentle beautification that takes place, the leather will also gradually mould to the unique shape of the individual. This makes for a much more comfortable ride over time, with your saddle coming to fit you like a glove. We never tire of seeing old Brooks leather saddles out in the world, aged by use but never diminished, a proud record of the miles its owner has covered.

Brooks England selects the finest vegetable-tanned leather for this product. The vegetable-tanning process confers extra strength and density to the leather’s fibres, properties which are not found to such a degree when the material is tanned by other means. Leather must be strong indeed when used daily as a seat for a bicycle – it is a question of structure and support. High-quality leather also happens to be beautiful, with a lustrous finish when it’s new that is impossible to replicate by other means. Of course, as it wears, it wears with you – and the patina effect of the leather allows each saddle to tell its own story. Finally, leather is a naturally breathable material that provides a unique type of well-being. By allowing air and moisture to pass through it, the leather of your saddle keeps you cooler, fresher and more comfortable for extended periods of time.

These saddles have a simple purpose: to provide unrivalled comfort for as many years and as many miles as the rider needs it. This keeps each saddle true to its underlying authenticity, and can be seen in every design and refinement. Perhaps the ‘signature’ feature is the way a Brooks leather top is suspended over the saddle rail to create a moulded seat, similar to a hammock, with just enough give for tailored lasting comfort. But this is just one facet. The ingenuity that underpins a Brooks leather saddle lies in its natural comfort, yes, but also its incredible longevity. Both robust and flexible, the leather top learns the rider’s shape and movement to become a seamless connection between rider and bicycle. With leather carefully chosen, moulded and hand-finished, each is also repairable, extending an already long life. The extended 10-year guarantee we offer on leather saddles is founded on the quality and consistency of materials, and exceptional work of our craftspeople. Register your saddle with us to activate the guarantee.

“In again submitting our Catalogue for the coming Season, we have to thank our Friends for the support we have received at their hands, and to say that we will endeavour to merit the continuance of their patronage.” These words formed the epigraph of the ‘J.B. Brooks & Co. Price List of Cycle Saddles and Accoutrements for 1888’, but it is immediately striking how relevant the message remains. Without you – our friends – and the adventures – both ambitious and quotidian – on which you take your Brooks products, we would still be nothing. And now just as then, we will endeavour to meet the expectations you have for us, and to justify your support. A Brooks leather saddle never exists in isolation. Each handcrafted seat lies on a timeline with over a century-and-a-half behind it – and many decades in front. This has been the way since 1866, and each saddle that comes out of our Smethwick factory is infused with the same heritage.