Our Verdict
Score
Test dateJan '19 - Jan '21 |
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What we like
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What we dislike
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The overall verdict
Brooks saddles have been around for a very long time. The Brooks leather saddles are made from vegetable tanned leather and are supple enough to mould to your "derriere". And we can absolutely vow that it will mould, but the first couple of 100km will be hard and maybe even a tiny bit uncomfortable, but once it has moulded to the contours of your backside, it is as comfortable as your sofa.
There are some reviews which claim that the quality of the rails isn't as good as they used to be, but we can't say anything bad about the quality.
We tested this saddle over the last two years, took it on a 10 day trek from North Spain to South Spain over the roughest terrain, all without any issue.
There are some reviews which claim that the quality of the rails isn't as good as they used to be, but we can't say anything bad about the quality.
We tested this saddle over the last two years, took it on a 10 day trek from North Spain to South Spain over the roughest terrain, all without any issue.
Full test review
The Brooks Swift saddle arrived in our hands in January '19. The first test we always carry out is a visual inspection, weight test and build quality check.
Weight test:
The Brooks saddle is not a saddle for weight obsessed cyclists, but is made for the cyclist who loves aesthetics, quality and comfort above anything else.
But for whoever is interested, the weight of the saddle is 510g
Build quality:
Absolutely nothing negative to report on this saddle. The upper of the saddle is made from 5mm thick vegetable tanned leather with hand-hammered copper rivits at the back and front. A thin stripe of the leather top surface has been cut back exposing the lighter colored suede beneath.
The saddle comes in 3 colors, black, honey or brown. The saddle we tested came in honey.
The rails of the saddle are made out of chromed steel.
The swift is a narrow racing saddle which is suited for racing bikes, gravel bikes or fixed gear bikes. We fitted ours to a gravel bike which is deemed a work beast which has brought me through Spain, but also taken me on local adventures.
Weight test:
The Brooks saddle is not a saddle for weight obsessed cyclists, but is made for the cyclist who loves aesthetics, quality and comfort above anything else.
But for whoever is interested, the weight of the saddle is 510g
Build quality:
Absolutely nothing negative to report on this saddle. The upper of the saddle is made from 5mm thick vegetable tanned leather with hand-hammered copper rivits at the back and front. A thin stripe of the leather top surface has been cut back exposing the lighter colored suede beneath.
The saddle comes in 3 colors, black, honey or brown. The saddle we tested came in honey.
The rails of the saddle are made out of chromed steel.
The swift is a narrow racing saddle which is suited for racing bikes, gravel bikes or fixed gear bikes. We fitted ours to a gravel bike which is deemed a work beast which has brought me through Spain, but also taken me on local adventures.
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The first thing you notice when you receive the saddle is the box in which the saddle is packed. The outer packaging is very plain, but once you open this box, you find your saddle, a spanner, a sachet of proofride and an introduction to the saddles maintenance within.
It is really important once you receive the saddle to give the saddle a rub with the proofride on the top and on the bottom. Proofride is a cream that helps with the break-in process and keeps the leather supple. The cream also helps to condition, preserve and shower-proof your saddle.
So once you have treated your saddle and installed it, you get the pleasure of breaking this saddle in. And with brooks saddles, there is no easy way to get through this process with as result that your first few cycles won't be the most comfortable ones.
First of all, the saddle is very slippy for its first few rides and it is very hard. But don't panic, this initial process will make way for the most comfortable saddle which will last for many years to come.
And Brooks is so confident in the quality of their saddles that they give you an extended 10 year guarantee.
It is really important once you receive the saddle to give the saddle a rub with the proofride on the top and on the bottom. Proofride is a cream that helps with the break-in process and keeps the leather supple. The cream also helps to condition, preserve and shower-proof your saddle.
So once you have treated your saddle and installed it, you get the pleasure of breaking this saddle in. And with brooks saddles, there is no easy way to get through this process with as result that your first few cycles won't be the most comfortable ones.
First of all, the saddle is very slippy for its first few rides and it is very hard. But don't panic, this initial process will make way for the most comfortable saddle which will last for many years to come.
And Brooks is so confident in the quality of their saddles that they give you an extended 10 year guarantee.
How we tested it
We have been testing the Brooks Swift saddle on our gravel bike which has seen us cycling from Santander to Malaga, but has taken us also on shorter cycles.
And where the first rides weren't the most comfortable ones, the saddle breaks-in quick enough and moulds to the contours of your behind.
We can say we love this saddle and score it 100%, but we must also say that saddles are a very personal thing, and where it suits us, it doesn't mean it suits everybody.
And where the first rides weren't the most comfortable ones, the saddle breaks-in quick enough and moulds to the contours of your behind.
We can say we love this saddle and score it 100%, but we must also say that saddles are a very personal thing, and where it suits us, it doesn't mean it suits everybody.
