#saddles

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Brooks and Levi’s® Cambium C17 Denim Saddles

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Brooks and Levi’s® Cambium C17 Denim Saddles

I love the looks (and feel) of this collaboration:

“Brooks England and Levi’s® Commuter™ have teamed up to create a Numbered Limited Edition Cambium C17 Denim Saddle. This release of 1,000 pieces will be exclusively available at the flagship B1866 store in London and the Brooks online shop from the 5th of February, 2015.

This special saddle is manufactured from recycled Levi’s denim utilising the same vulcanisation techniques of the comfortable, waterproof, and long-lasting Cambium C17 original. The used denim was collected at Levi’s Commuter Workspaces in Brooklyn, Los Angeles and London in summer 2014.”

Head over to Brooks England for more information.

Fizik’s Custom Saddle Designer

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Fizik’s Custom Saddle Designer

I don’t want to say this is a new feature, because I’m not sure how long it’s been out, but in the vein of Nike iD and other customizable products, Fizik has a saddle customization application on their website. Match virtually any of their saddle shapes to a spectrum of colors and tones.

See more at Fizik.

Brooks for Movember

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Brooks for Movember

Brooks England is throwing a party at their B1866 store in London and will be auctioning off one of these limited edition Movember saddles. Head on over to the Brooks blog to find out more information!

Fabric Saddles: Shapes Based on Somotypes

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Fabric Saddles: Shapes Based on Somotypes

We’ve all got different bone structures, which ultimately determine our body size, independent of diet. These is one of the factors in determining fit, from clothing to even saddles. These bone structures are known as Somatotypes and come in three varieties; Ectomorph (Light bone structure) Mesomorph (Average bone structure) and Endomorph (Broad bone structure).

Fabric Saddles takes a look at how your Somotype determines your sit-bone width and sizes you off of your height and wrist circumference.

Their line is taking shape and will be available in early 2015. For now, head over to Fabric and check out their saddles. The Cell and ALM models look interesting.

Initial Reaction: Brooks C15 Narrow Cambium Saddle

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Initial Reaction: Brooks C15 Narrow Cambium Saddle

This saddle has been creating quite the stir and rightfully so. I’ve been riding the C17 on and off for several months and it’s great, but I usually ride a narrower saddle, so it was never ideal. When Brooks England gave me two C15 Cambiums to try out on my bikes, I was eager to see how it felt on my touring bike and a road bike. First up, is my Geekhouse Woodville touring bike.

I’ve been pedaling around today on the C15 and I’m already in love with it… See more below

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Brooks England for Levi’s® Commuter Cambium Denim

I caught wind of this while I was in England and I’m way into the concept:

“Brooks England and Levi’s® Commuter™ are teaming up to create a Limited Edition saddle: the Cambium Denim, exclusively available this Summer at Levi’s® Commuter™ Workspaces in Brooklyn, Los Angeles and London, and from October at the Brooks online shop.

Levi’s® Commuter™ is partnering with Brooks England to produce a special bike saddle manufactured from recycled Levi’s® denim. The saddle will be a Limited Edition version of Brooks’ newest product, the Cambium C17, which uses vulcanized rubber pressing techniques to create a comfortable, waterproof, and long-lasting saddle whose features align with the performance benefits of the Levi’s® Commuter™ collection. Teams from Levi’s® Commuter™ and Brooks England are taking this opportunity to work together to create a product of unique beauty and utility.”

See more at Brooks, including availability and information on the Levi’s® Commuter™ Workspaces.

A Look Inside Brooks England

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A Look Inside Brooks England

Since 1866, Brooks England has been making bicycle saddles in the UK. While their original facilities were located in Birmingham, the current factory is nestled in the industrial town of Smethwick.

We’ve all probably owned a Brooks saddle at one point in our life and can attest to their longtime comfort and character that develops from heavy use. Before a saddle ever touches a seat post, they begin as just raw leather and steel. The process by which they make the transformation to a bicycle saddle is complex, yet streamlined in their bustling factory.

Dozens of employees make Brooks England tick and each has their special task. While they will transfer stations every few months, a unique marker on the saddles can tell you who was doing what, when. This catalog of information spans decades and is what makes Brooks so unique. If something goes wrong with a batch, Brooks can asses the situation and make their end product better.

For me, the most interesting part of the process was talking to the workers and watching them move through their tasks with efficiency… In an age when Great Britain has shipped much of its industry overseas, it’s great to see heritage and craftsmanship are still alive at Brooks.

See more in the Gallery, as I walk you through this process.