WTB Brooks B67

Before I pull the trigger on a new Brooks or possibly the VO equivalent I thought I'd see if someone has one they're looking to sell. Doesn't have to be mint as the bike it's going on isn't.

B67 is the 'sprung' saddle with modern rails. NOT looking for a B-17, thanks.

For that matter, I'd welcome comments from anyone who has tried the VO (or Cardiff or other knockoffs).  The VO was on sale for $65 but not anymore.


Prefer black.

Look forward to any possible replies. Except spam. I hate those.

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on April 5, 2012 at 4:35am

Was this problem resolved?  If you have similar tech problems please send us a message about it at techproblems@thechainlink.org

Albany Park Al said:

Thanks Chris...I'm going to message you here; don't even know if that will trigger an alert email to you. 

Ooops.  I forgot the strange message system here says I can't send you a message until we are 'friends.'  However I can't seem to do that either, I get a message that there is no such member as Chris C.  

Which is obviously not true, as if it were I'd be talking to myself here.   Which would be crazy.  Heh.

Permalink Reply by Albany Park Al on April 5, 2012 at 11:09am

Deal reached with Chris, the first to respond.  Thanks to him and to Duppie and Kevin C...I am going to keep an eye on Wallbike, too, for future needs.

James and Kevin T., I don't think you realize how your responses came off.   I posted saying 'I want X' and you both responded to say that 'No, you really want Y' or even 'Z'.  Or even to imply that I am a snob for wanting X.  And neither of you even had a Y or Z to sell! 

FWIW it took me a day to 'find' a used B67 this time, about the same to find another last year which is now on my wife's Bob Jackson mixte.  (That's what my daughter has been riding, and enjoying, so that's what I was looking for.)   So my experience contradicts your advice.   And I am not interested in hunting down 40lb Raleigh roadsters (properly speaking the models with 28" wheels) to harvest a B66; you are welcome to those and to all the mattress saddles you find, too.

(btw Justin, there was an Asian-made mattress saddle on the c. 1979s Motobecane mixte this Brooks is going on.   Contact me, you are welcome to it.)

We are all interested in older bikes so I am sure in person we would get along fine (esp as we would not be competing for the same type of bikes, at least I wouldn't), but in this forum you seemed kind of condescending and not very helpful.  I'm sure you meant well but...

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 5, 2012 at 12:42pm

You are welcome too.  Have a nice day!

Permalink Reply by Ash L. on April 6, 2012 at 2:42pm

My comment is moot now but I have two VO leather saddles, the sprung touring and the B-67 copy upright model. I find them to be much more durable than Brooks saddles since the single piece hyde is of a thicker composition. They take a wee bit longer to break in which I know some people don't jive with but after 750+ miles I've yet to get that sagging hammock thing that began after only 100 miles on my Brooks B68.

Permalink Reply by Albany Park Al on April 7, 2012 at 3:05am

Hi, Ash: thanks for commenting anyway; someone is going to find this thread when searching 'VO'.

  

I haven't even seen a VO saddle up close much less ridden one.  From what I have read though, people have been saying that the leather on the VO saddles and the other current Brooks-alikes is that the leather is *thinner* which is evidently not your experience at all.  Maybe they are better now than they used to be?  I would probably have bought a VO were they still at the sale price of $65, but $100 is more than a lightly used Brooks. 

Supposedly the other recent 'Brooksalikes' (Cardiff, Gyes) come from the same vendor as the VO (in Taiwan I think) with different cosmetics and brands stamped on them.

There are older Brooksalikes too, French Ideale, English Wright's and Middlemore, Japanese Fujitas from the 70s and 80s.   From those I've had or seen, Ideale and Fujita are similar quality, Wright's and Middlemore definitely thinner leather, though they have their fans.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 7, 2012 at 9:25am

The Wights are not simply Brooksalikes.  Up until the old Tube Industries group split up around Y2k and sold off all the Nottingham brands Wrights was part of the same corporate family, and the Wrights saddles were made in the same factory as the Brooks by the same people.    Now the Idialians own Brooks and the Wrights name went with Sturmey-Archer to the Sunrace folks.  

For all intents and purposes the Wrights and the Brooks are the same saddle with minor cosmetic differences (like painted rails instead of chromed, and a different stamp) and some say a slightly lower/thinner grade of leather although this is disputed among some. 

I wish SunRace would revive the Wrights name and build clone saddles that they would legally be able to produce and give Brooks some competition.  It's ridiculous the prices Brooks is getting for saddles these days and could use some peers to help keep them in line. 

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