Congrats on the new cycling forum!

Adding in my question here

I'm looking to make my ass feel a bit better while riding longer distances. I generally ride about 10-20 miles when I get a chance to get out. I have a 2016 specialized AWOL and was thinking about getting a Brook's leather saddle. The OEM saddle doesn't quite fit me in a comfortable way. Does anyone have any input on if I should get the standard B17 or the B17 with the springs for mostly road with some gravel/rougher travel. Thanks!

First thought is there are 10,000 different type of saddles. Go get fit for a saddle before you just buy one. I had a sport shop switch my saddle 15 times while I was there for a fit. Over a 2 hour period I had a knee pain he cured with a washer on the pedal, hands were falling asleep on long rides, he adjusted the horns, and the saddle fit. It’s worth it.

Saddle width is huge

Have not tried a brooks, thinking about it.
Just wanted to post pics of my awol.
Attached File

That isn't the route I'd go for 10-20 mile rides.  When I started back riding 5 or 6 years ago, I had lots of seat fitting issues, between sitbone blistering issues to taint pain. I've read a number of stories from people that had issues when the leather got soaked...you need to keep the leather properly  conditioned, and people recommend wrapping it with a plastic bag in the rain...seems too maintenance intensive for me. People DO say they're comfortable, though. I imagine with our FL heat and humidity that I would ruin one with sweat pretty quickly.

I did the simple sitbone width test with some cardboard and figured out I needed to start with a wider seat. My sitbone width was out at the edge of my 155ish seat, where it was turning down.

Once I figured that out, it took a few seats, each one getting better, and I've ended up with an Ergon that I'm really happy with. I don't start getting any discomfort from it until 2.5 hrs, and then it's just some discomfort.  If I lose the weight I need to, the issue would probably disappear.

I bought a Brooks C17 to try to get the Brooks comfort with the weather proofness.  I bought it for a new build that I put together while healing from a AC (shoulder) tear.  I hadn't ridden bikes for a couple months and probably shouldn't have jumped right on that new untested seat with my now-soft butt.  35 mile ride and I had quarter-sized blisters at my sitbone spots.  Had trouble sitting for over a week.  I may try it again one of these days.

One of our bike shops has a set of WTB loaner seats that they let me try out for a week each (though only two were wider, I think).

That's a good looking bike!  This forum needs a dedicated bike picture thread.

I've been curious about Brooks saddles for about 9 years, but being a super clydesdale, I've been reluctant to make the investment.  I did test ride a Salsa that came stock with B17 and I was surprised that for the short test ride, it was very comfortable.  Probably more so than the normal saddles on other test rides I've done.