Brooks Swift Titanium

Price Paid:  $160.00 at Wallbike

Favorite Ride:
Alpine Loop, Utah

Bike Setup:
At the time, Merlin Extralight with Campy stuff.

Summary:
I tried this saddle at the kindness of Wallingford in Louisiana, but had to reluctantly return it at the six month mark. Its construction, looks, quality, etc. are all excellent, BUT (or maybe butt) you have to be careful that your ischial tuberosities (sit bones) are narrow enough, and I discovered to my embarrassment that despite being fairly skinny otherwise, mine were not. After several other saddles didn't work, I gave up any pride and tried the Brooks B17 (my brother says so named because of its weight being similar to the aircraft of same name) and have been comfortable for the following three years. So, Brooks are great, really, but make sure you get the right one.

Strengths:
Durability (the B17 hardly shows any wear and just seems better with time), comfort (if you get the right one), cachet.

Weaknesses:
My brother is kinda right - the Swift is very reasonable weight-wise, the B17 would be a serviceable boat anchor. Since I bought the B17, prices have skyrocketed - doubled and tripled.

Similar Products Used:
Name it - I must have strange anatomy

Price Paid:  $200.00 at chainreaction

Favorite Ride:
Any ride with mates

Bike Setup:
colnago c50, chorus 11sp, fulcrum racing 1s, ritchey WCS carbon everything, brooks titanium swift.
bianchi 928 lugged, durace 7800, custom training wheels. ritchey WCS alloy everything. Brooks swift.

Summary:
I bought this saddle to put on a retro build I put together but then enjoyed the ride of the saddle so much I bought another one for my carbon rig. I do about 250km per week and was getting a few saddle sores from the other saddles I tried. after a week or two on the swift... no sores.. and the amount of road buzz this saddle dampens is fantastic. I've since sold the retro bike and kept the brooks for my mid week bike.

Strengths:
comfort, looks (that patina that the tan saddle gets is awesome!) long lasting. also the shape of the saddle meens you feel quite secure when you tuck into it with your legs on decents.

Weaknesses:
it's a tad long. plus you have to cover it in the rain and the saddle cover it comes with doesn't protect the underside of the saddle so I usually tie plastic bag around the saddle and put the cover over the top of this. also some people think it looks odd on my c50.. i disagree. also they aren't cheap.

Similar Products Used:
ritchey WCS, san sel marco,

Price Paid:  $280.00

Favorite Ride:
Yosemite!

Bike Setup:
Raleigh Supercourse (1973)/ Raleigh Interntionl (1972) / Medici Pro (1990s)/ All campy Record 10 speed system.

Summary:
This may be an unorthodox way to start, but very few would be the alternatives on what I would put on a classic 1970’s Raleigh. Those were coming with Brooks B17 actually but still, this saddle suits them much better. I think that it is either the most beautiful or at least one of the handful of those saddles that really look beautiful. When it comes to looks I was also considering the San Marco Royale, but the idea of riding on leather to me was not exactly that of having a plastic layer underneath. Once heavy thick leather breaks in, it is a different situation. The surface level softness is not really my aim when it comes to a saddle. The Swift takes way too long to break in. You need to work on it a lot and use lots of that proofide (not a lot at once, but a thin layer at a time). I also used a fair amount of leather wax in the beginning (wax based shoe polish also), which did not do as good a job as proofide. A B17 breaks in within a month or so. The swift may take at least 1000 miles and a number of proofide applications for you to sense the initial change. In the meantime you get used to the harder ride and you appreciate how well it is contoured. I can feel the bounce of the titanium rails more than that of the leather!

This saddle is not for everyone. It is for those of us that have the patience and the will to break it in and form it, and in the meantime for us to adjust to it as well. It is the saddle to use if you want to have those sudden bursts of acceleration and be able to slide on it. In the beginning I needed good padding. Now, I can easily ride it without any padding. The swift will likely never become very soft. It is not meant to be. It is a classic performance saddle. For randoneuring it may be slightly hard even after break-in. Like a thoroughbred horse, its elegance and grace are unmatched, but it will not do for just any type of riding and it takes patience and work to get it there.

Strengths:
Beautiful just to look at.

Once it breaks in it is comfy.

Titanium rails have great elasticity.

Weaknesses:
Takes patience and time to break in.

Expensive.

Similar Products Used:
Brooks B17

Price Paid:  $125.00 at Hardisty Cycles

Favorite Ride:
The one with the tailwind

Bike Setup:
Specialized Allez Expert, full Ultega, carbon bars, Xero XR carbon/alloy wheels, Panaracer extreme evo tyres

Summary:
Love these saddles. Used a couple of Brooks over the years and put the titanium swift on a Vitus and my mountain bike a few years ago. Vitus has gone and saddle is now on a Allez Expert. Fairly hard for a couple of hundred miles but now it's like sitting in a tub of butter.

Strengths:
Beautiful, hand made quality construction. Breaks in to your own personal anatomy. Ti rails have a certain amount of 'spring'.

Weaknesses:
Not really weaknesses but it will need a little bit of care and is a little bit heavier than some but I'd much rather be sitting in comfort than worry about a few grams. Not cheap but should give many years of service, what price for comfort?

Similar Products Used:
Selle Italia Turbomatic, various 'cheapies'.

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Wiggle.co.uk

Favorite Ride:
Roads without cars

Bike Setup:
Titanium road bike with Campagnolo throughout. USE sumo Ti seat post

Summary:
I tried many other saddles, Fizik deserving an Honourable Mention, but still suffered regular chaffing and sometimes soreness on long rides. The lack of sharp side edges on the Swift precludes chaffing and I have found it to be extremely comfortable. The absence of foam or gel means that road buzz can be felt more, but on fast descents this is good, as I can feel the road and judge traction better on corners with poor surface. Larger shocks and bumps are absorbed better on the Brooks as the natural springiness of the leather stretched across the Ti frame is an excellent cushion, compared to the more rigid, hard-shells of plastic / carbon saddles. There is a weight penalty even with the Ti frame, but in perspective this is less than a couple of deep swigs of drink. One day I shall recoup this small weight gain from some other component, but I could not give up the Swift now. The ability to ride for long periods without fear, or large amounts of chamois cream, is just too important to me.
Another benefit with this saddle is that on long hills I don't get pushed backwards, with the need to re-adjust my position every few minutes. The rear of the Brooks acts as a nice buttress to a grinding long climbing effort.

Some common sense monitoring and maintenance is required. After two months I had to increase the tension using the simple adjustment bolt, as slight sag was evident. After this it has stayed stable. Unlike previous reviewers I considered my saddle broken-in in less than a month of mostly weekend rides. These were mostly hard, sweaty, rides in a humid country (Malaysia) so maybe this helped. I have a small pack of tubes / tools strapped under it which seems to protect it well from road-spray. I forgot to get Brook's own "Proofide" when I was in the UK so I applied some mink oil (available from cobblers), which soaked into the underside as a protective coating. I have used mink oil on leather goods for years and suspect it is the main component of Proofide anyway.
It is an expensive saddle, but I have spent more in the last 2 years on other makes trying to cure my chaffing problem.
A great product.

Strengths:
Excellent comfort and "feel". Ideal for hard riders and fast tourists

Weaknesses:
Leather needs a little care

Similar Products Used:
Several Selle Italia and Fizik models Two San Marco, including the Rolls