Brooks Cambium Saddle Longevity

[ElHardeen]

Long time user of Brooks leather saddles. Rode a B17 for 3 years on various bikes before snapping the nose off. It became quite stretched but definitely lived a hard life and served its purpose. Still using a Team Pro off and on and just added a Flyer to the family.

Picked up a Cambium C15 and used it for a two month ride. The idea of no break in time and waterproofness was appealing for a bike that would be ridden every day in all weather with little maintenance.

Well, here is how it looks after that. For something marketed as more durable can't say I'm too happy about this. Just filed a warranty with Brooks, will update with how they respond.

[CDollarsign]

That all looks superficial though...

[d_douglas]

Yeesh, I want to buy a Cambium C13 143mm, but this give me pause. Sounds like you rode it a lot, but still, that is a lot of wear in two months.

[bicycletricycle]

What kind of use? yours is really destroyed.

I have 3.5 years of almost every day use on a c17 carved, looks pretty nice, a small split in the fabric is starting on the nose. They are making a new weather proof C17 that uses a synthetic fabric, wonder if it will be better. Overall I like them better than B17.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4701/25909991258_31e90fc77d.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FtztHd)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/FtztHd) by bicycletricycle666 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/24583601@N08/), on Flickr

[andeww]

i have them on both bikes and just my two back corners have wear from wall leans. do you ride in regular jeans or shorts, or jorts?

[andeww]

actually im dumb, i ride in regular shorts on my mtb without issue

[bicycletricycle]

I don't wear jeans,

I wear dress pants, carharts in the winter, cotton casual shorts and rapha rando. shorts

[Bentley]

I have one on my Serotta, same color as the OP. I dont have the issue he has with his but my complaint is that it becomes very slick over time. I took a brush and some laundry detergent to it, to see if it was oil or something but its still slick.

Ray

[Tall]

My Cambium looks pretty ratty too:

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kamT97c8PRY/WkEQQOHiq5I/AAAAAAAAzlw/3fG3ZYmrc-wycqJLH3mtrQbagPatr9-9gCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_20170827_133152342_HDR.jpg

Since I'm also not in love with its comfort, I'm definitely not buying another one.

[alexsteinker]

I've broken two of them at the front rivet. Horizontal crack starts to form where the metal nose piece hits the vulcanized rubber.

These are not my photos and it seems fairly common ; I reached out to warranty but no help. I like this saddle too much not to ride it. Crappy predicament.

[ElHardeen]

When these first came out they were marketed as an all weather alternative to their leather saddles, and were pushed heavily in the CX crowd.

The fact that they have released a new version marketed as waterproof acknowledges that there is a known issue with the first generation.

Have ridden my B17 in rainy/muddy/gritty conditions, and it got pretty ugly from sand being ground into the surface. Quick job with some leather honey and it was good as new.

For the record, this catastrophic wear happened in one day, where conditions were gritty and wet for the whole day. Have a C17 "Natural" purchased right before discontinuation that has actually seen more use, even some rain/snow just not a miserable gritty/muddy rainy day.

The C15 that wore out was ridden with Endura Singletrack shorts, the C17 that is still alive saw some cutoff Carharts through to the end of their life.

Curious if anyone has tried Beeswax curing one of these? If they decline a warranty, that might be my next step.

[macaroon]

You're paying for the name IMO. It's clever marketing, that's all.

Selle San Marco and Pro Logo make durable saddles IME.

Avoid saddles with a cut out (if you value durability) as they always tend to go saggy in the middle. As do Flite SLRs. Fizik aren't too bad.