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The Brooks company is straying from the leather path with a new “Cambium” model, available this June.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Cambium is made from a uniquely flexible natural rubber and organic cotton top, enhanced by a thin layer of structural textile for added resilience. This vulcanized waterproof top, which follows the rider’s movements, is immediately comfortable, maintenance-free, and highly abrasion-resistant to offer the longevity for which Brooks is legendary.”

Anybody ever see the “Plyflex” models from Brooks?

The new Cambium saddle is designated the “C.17.”

These teaser photos are all we have to go on right now. Brooks is looking for 100 testers to give the new model a workout before introduction. Fill out the form on their website and you might get lucky!

Tags: Cambium, new Brooks

When I talk with people about saddle choice the color of the saddle can sometimes become a big part of the conversation. Blog “Lovely Bicycle” has a very good article about choosing colors for saddles, bars and accessories. It will be a big help the next time the subject comes up.

“Choosing colour is not just a matter of “what matches what.” It is a matter of understanding the psychological mechanisms involved in human colour perception and processing -”

I just put a new-ish B.17 on my bike. I’m always telling people to try their Brooks saddle with the nose “up” just a little so I thought I’d show what “nose up” means to me.

This setting is my starting place. There will be tweaks as I ride and as the saddle breaks in.

When you set the nose up like this you are more likely to sit on the “seat” part of the saddle. Often we can be pulled forward, reaching for the bars, until we are more on the nose than we should be. The nose of the saddle is narrow and hard. No comfort there.

The bag is a new model from Detroit Cargo that I am evaluating.

Tags: Brooks saddles, Detroit Cargo, saddle setup

Brooks has a few different colors that could be considered ‘brown.’ Here is a picture of all the brown-ish Brooks saddles I could find right now.

The main ‘brown’ colors are ‘honey’ and ‘antique brown’. Honey is a more golden brown while  antique brown (sometimes just ‘brown’) is a darker, chocolate-like shade.

‘Ochre’ is a new color for 2013. It is kind of a yellowish brown and is offered on the B.17 and Team Pro models.

Mustard was offered on the Colt in 2011 and 2012. It is no longer offered. (We still have a couple on the shelf.)

Pre-Aged is unique in shade and finish. The color is more matte than the other Brooks models.

The “Select” saddles are not dyed but are natural leather. We are showing here a special edition World Traveler model with a special imprint.

The honey and antique brown saddles are discontinued B.66 Champion models. This was the sprung B.17 on the old style two-wire frame. This saddle was superseded by the Champion Flyer in the 2,000′s. The antique brown version here has a few miles on it.

Tags: brown

We have the new Brooks price list and can report on a few changes in the saddle line:

Prices:
prices are going up slightly. It looks like 1-2% on most models.

Drops:
The complete B.68 line does not appear on the new list.

Colors:
The Colt will be dropping violet and mustard. The B.17 Standard will no longer come in mandarine.
The Team Pro will be produced in olive green, ochre, and maroon. The B.17 Standard will come in ochre and red.

Without going into too much detail, the grips and tape will follow the saddle color changes and there will be some changes in the bag line. The Criterion jackets are no longer listed.

Remember, though, that these changes don’t turn on a dime. I am paying the new prices now but some of the new variations might not appear before spring and we don’t know how many of the dropped pieces are still sitting on distributor’s shelves. We will work to keep the old products in stock as long as we can and to get the new items as soon as we can.

Where Ya’ Rack has been  taking on the challenge of populating New Orleans with their friendly little bike racks. Individuals and businesses can sponsor a rack and specify a location. Where Ya’ Rack will place it if they can. Wallingford Bicycle Parts has sponsored one of these racks at the Tout De Suite cafe in the Algiers Point neighborhood of New Orleans. Tout De Suite, with a funky atmosphere and good food and treats, is a favorite refreshent stop for area cyclists.

The Deepwater Horizon is the oil rig that BP blew up, causing damage that people of the Gulf Coast will be living with for generations, if not forever.

Tags: bike rack