The Brooks B.17 Imperial, as presented at Eurobike.

The saddle will come with laces of different colors for individualization and personal expression.

Tags: Brooks, imperial, new, saddles

The Brooks distributor shipped the following saddle models to us yesterday

• B.17 Champion Special, honey
• B.17N antique brown
• B.17S black and honey
• B.67 antique brown

We should have these saddles later next week. We will make them available on the website when we get them. If you would like to order before then give us a call – 888 731 3537

Tags: Brooks, saddles, stock

note: 6/18/09 – The Berthoud saddles will be here any day. See this post.

Friedrichstafen, Germany -Gilles Berthoud presented his new leather saddle to the world bicycle trade yesterday to a very favorable reception.

The Berthoud leather saddle comes in three colors: black, “cork” and natural. The natural color is not dyed and will vary with the hide used. The saddles are pre-softened by hand.

The initial model is a casual-riding saddle, something between the B.17 and the Team Pro. It will come in men’s and women’s version. Plans include sport models and lightweight models.

The Berthoud saddle has many unique features. A partial list includes:
Extra thick leather
The leather can be easily removed with an allen key
Patented tensioning mechanism that won’t twist
Flexible cantle plate for extra comfort.
Lighter than a Brooks
Brass washers engraved “Gilles Berthoud France”
Nose washer engraved with sequential serial number

M. Berthoud has also developed leather grips, bar tape, and handlebar plugs.

The saddles should cost in the $250 neighborhood. I wil be able to say better when I know the price the US Importer will charge. Be assured we will have these beautiful new saddles as soon as they are available.

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Update: 16 September: The Berthoud distributor in the US (Euro Asia Imports) tells me they expect to get their first shipment of the Berthoud leather line towards the end of December.

Tags: Berthoud, eurobike, new, saddles

We have been sweating the Brooks supply around here. If the importer doesn’t get some saddles in soon we will be out of everything Brooks. Now I see on the Raleigh website that they are putting Brooks’ on many of their ’09 bikes. Could that explain the shortage?

Tags: Brooks, saddles

I have seen the Brooks product list for the upcoming year. The much anticipated Imperial is on there – B.17N, B.17S, and B.17, black only. There is also a “Team Pro Tubular Rivets.” I expect this is a more affordable Team Pro made with the machine-set steel rivets of the B.17 Standard, and others, rather than the large copper hand set rivets that we are used to on a Team Pro. The copper-rivet Team Pro will still be available.

As to when we will have the Imperial: It will be introduced at the September trade shows with the goal of having it in the shops by the end of the year. Before Christmas is a slight possibility.

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16 September update: the Brooks folks have told me that the first Imperials will ship at the end of September.

Tags: Brooks, new, saddles

I have received word that Brooks is raising prices as of August 1st. I don’t have all of the information but we will be raising our own prices once we have gotten a couple of shipments at the higher price.

Tags: availability, Brooks, saddles