Brooks England Cambium C17 Carved, All-Weather, Waterproof Bike Saddle

The TL;DR Pros & Cons:These are my experiences. Everyone's body is different, so saddles will fit people differently. In general this saddle is highly rated by a lot of customers, so it is likely a good fit for the wide variety of riders, but if you have some a unique physical inclination, it may not be for you.Pros:- Very comfortable, despite how thin & unpadded it looks- Cut out relieved the genital numbness and overall discomfort issues I was having while riding my road bike.- Price was just right. Paid about $100 at the time. I know that might be expensive for some people, as it's more than what they paid for their bikes. It's all relative, and to me the comfort is worth it.- Weatherproofing really works!- I am a big fan of the look (and lack of maintenance) on my bike compared to Brooks' traditional leather saddles. Now my only issue is that my bike looks faster than I actually am. Oh well.Cons:- Sizing was kind of tough to determine, and I ultimately ended up buying the wrong size.- The saddle is on the heavier side, so if you're someone that's concerned about component weights, this saddle might not be for you.- The vulcanized surface of the seat is not very slick. Hard to describe, but it's not sticky or tacky in the sense where it will leave a residue if you touch it, but it will kind of catch at your clothing a little bit.As a male rider, I was experiencing some issues with numbness and discomfort with the boys downstairs, even on relatively short (12mi.) rides. After some research, I found that a saddle with a cutout was likely what would help relieve my issues. I'd read a lot about the supreme comfort of Brooks' leather saddles, but frankly didn't care for the leather look on my road bike, as well as the maintenance that goes with them. Then I found Brooks' Cambium line.The saddle looks very thin with minimal padding, which would lead you to believe that it won't be comfortable, but contrary to popular belief, my online research told me that thinner saddles with less padding are actually more comfortable in the long run than extremely padded saddles. Still do not completely understand how that makes sense, but it seems to be true in this case. Not only was it comfortable, but also the cut-out in the saddle resolved the numbness issues I was having. You're welcome, my future children. I did it for you.Sizing was a question that I had, and it ended up being kind of hard to determine which model I needed between C15, C17, or C19. Somehow, I was lead to believe that the C17 was the right size for me and my riding (road bike riding, with a bike frame that puts me in a less relaxed, more aggressive position). I am an average build (5'10 x 180lbs), and the saddle was actually a little too wide. My sit bones started to feel a little sore on longer rides. If I could do it again, I'd go narrower with the C15 (and I actually have bought a C15 carved because I like the saddle so much). The C17, as I found out later, was built more for women, since women have wider sit bones then men, as well as people who have bikes that put them in a more relaxed and upright position (i.e. not me.).Other than that, the saddle is everything that has been advertised, and I don't see myself looking for a different saddle anytime soon.

The Brooks C17 is the perfect blend of style and function. It’s comfortable right out of the box with no break-in period, and the weatherproof design makes it ideal for all conditions. The woodsy, minimalist look is a bonus—it adds a touch of class to my bike. While slightly heavier than some options, the durability and comfort make up for it. Highly recommend!

Like most road cyclists, I’ve tried many saddles over the course of many years. I’ve had various levels of success, but my best experiences have been with Brooks, I have one B17, and it’s a great saddle too, but it’s heavy, and requires a lot of care. It’s also suceptible to wet conditions. This is the third Cambium C17 that I have purchased, the Vulcanized rubber is impervious to weather, it’s lighter in weight than it’s leather counterpart and is equally comfortable, I’ve ridden many long rides - a hundred or more miles - in reasonable comfort (no saddle can be 100% comfortable over those distances, but this one is as close as I’ve ever come). I ride the carved all weather version - I find it durable and it seems to reduce pressure on the sensitive bits. Everybody is different, but for me, this is hands-down the best saddle there is. Money well spent.

I have found this to be a very comfortable saddle. Note that Brooks has multiple sizes and styles in their lineup, but I chose this one that had a similar shape and size to another saddle I like. I like the look. It is quite simple, so it looks good on most any bike.I have had it on my bike for over a month, and have done a lot of rides a couple hours or more, and one day of 12+ hours over mixed surfaces.It took me a few tries to get adjusted just right because there is flex in the middle, so what looked like a level mounting felt more like nose up when I rode. Once it is adjusted, though, that flex really makes for a comfortable ride. Since then, I haven't had any issues with comfort.Initially when I was finding the optimal position, I was sitting too far back, and found that the metal pieces along the back were digging into my sit bones. Since I adjusted the position, I haven't had that problem again.I can't say yet what the longevity of the material will be, but it seems to be holding up well so far.The only real downside I can think of is that it is a bit heavy. Not ridiculous, but noticeably heavier than a similar saddle I have, and about the same as a much larger, more hefty looking saddle. I think the comfort is worth a little bit of extra weight, though.

Initially right out of the box the saddle felt very stiff and I doubted that it would be comfortable. It was to replace an older Terry saddle. First ride was a 16 miler and I was pleasantly surprised with how comfortable it was. I have ridden it several times now and am very pleased with the overall performance of the saddle. Time will tell in the end.

I have a Brooks B17 on my commuter/gravel bike and it is the most comfortable saddle ever (over 4500 miles ridden). I was debating on a 2nd B17 or the C17 and was happy I went with the C17 for this application. The reality is either saddle is a rock solid choice if weight is not your #1 concern. The C17 is synthetic instead of leather if that is a concern for you.That being said, if you want comfort with a bit more performance, the C17 is amazing. I just re-did my more road/exercise bike cockpit to be a bit more comfortable so I use it more. The C17, once adjusted properly, gave a tremendously comfortable ride with no chamois (bring a wrench to adjust for that first ride). The roads around me have gotten worse and this saddle helps quite a lot with the rough roads.I am a total Brooks convert now and will upgrade my fat bike to a C17 when funds permit.***edit, I now have one on my Fat Bike