Another stupid price...

[SAR_boats]

I like the Selle An-Atomica Titanico better. USA made, handformed leather, adjustable tension and no uncomfortable break in period. And it is cheaper.

http://www.selleanatomica.com/Product Info.htm

 

[Hoosierdaddy]

I like the Selle An-Atomica Titanico better. USA made, handformed leather, adjustable tension and no uncomfortable break in period. And it is cheaper.

http://www.selleanatomica.com/Product Info.htm

That would be the perfect saddle for the Phantom Pooper!

 

[jj nicholas]

I dont think i would pay $200 for that but it sure is pretty!!!

 

[kanga]

I love doing urban rides. Lots of fixies and restored old clunkers with Brooks saddles worth more than the rest of the bike combined.

That said, I do know a few people who swear by them and the way the leather conforms to your "personal contours" with age.

For that kind of money my personal contours will have to conform to the saddle they're given.

 

[BH1]

Thats like the Rolls Royce of bicycle seats and I look at people in Rolls Royces with a funny look on my face. It's like anything in the bike industry though. I see the trust-funders on their $8k DH bikes that cant even ride off a curb. But I'm sure most of the cyclists out there would shake their heads is confusion at the amount of money I've dumped into the bike I jump over piles of dirt. Whatever floats our individual boats.

 

[kazlx]

It's funny how a lot of people in here wondering about a $200 saddle are on bikes that 99.9% of America would think cost an absurd amount of money. What I thought I would spend on my first bike and what I spend on bikes now are definitely different numbers. You get what you pay for for the most part. It doesn't seem like Brooks is one of those companies that is out to take people's money and run with the new high-priced gizmo. They provide nice saddles and the people that drop the coin love them. I don't have one, because I would probably destroy it from turning my bike upside down to work on it...not to mention the crashing, but they sure do look perdy.

Lambos are expensive too, but I'd have one in the garage in a heartbeat if I had the cash....money is relative and you can't take it with you....

 

[Pablomatic]

other saddles have ti rails. so what makes the handformed leather so great?

Probably the same thing that makes a handmade frame or a finely crafted brew so great.
Had an older version of this on my old cruiser and loved it.

 

[Pain Freak]

Let me clarify a little. Most componets on a bike will have a reason why they cost more. Usually for performance and some bling factor but mostly for performance I don't see a saddle fitting this unless of course it was a slice of pizza and would support my arse. I know wheelsets go upwards of a 1,000 $ now for mountain and three times that for road wheels but then you are getting technology that requires pricing to be up there. Same with forks and cranks,shocks,etc.

 

[kazlx]

High end consistent, durable and reliable $$ = new technology $$

 

[ryandood]

Here's a fun little video about how the saddles are made (part 1,2);
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9w-y24Waz4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYirlnS19-s

When I first saw these saddles I thought they were absolutely beautiful! The craftsmanship that goes into each one makes them look like pieces of functional art IMO. Then I saw the price and said, oh well.

It's funny how you look at prospective products and the prices seem to become more and more reasonable the more you research and see the same ridiculous prices again and again. So, I a brooks on my cross/touring bike hahahah

The price is ridiculous and it is completely unnecessary but so are most things that aren't having to do with one's food, shelter, safety. I mean, this is a MTB site where we all talk about our bikes that can cost THOUSANDS of dollars.... for BICYCLES!!!

We could say the same for women and expensive purses, hummer owners that don't also work in the Appalachians, and having a gun collection when you aren't Colonel Custard or starting a revolution. To each his own, whatever floats your boat, etc.

 

[bwolmarans]

Stupid looking and heavy.

 

[MTBMaven]

As stated Brooks saddles will last a LONG time. Mine has survived many crashes and looks not worse for wear. It is tremendously comfortable. The cost of a Brooks is not only because of the quality of the materials (all natural materials BTW), but because they are hand made in the UK. Cost of living in the UK is very high and the US dollar is very weak. Add this all up and you get an expensive product.

It is worth it? Only the buyer can say. $320 is pretty high for me. My Brooks was only $80 from Bike Nashbar. Grated mine has steel rails and weighs something close to 600 grams. Besides the weight the rails has very limited fore and aft adjustment.

I have a Selle AnAtomica Titanico on my road bike and it is amazingly comfortable as well. I think more comfortable than the Brooks by a small margin. I hear the AnAtomica rails bend easily for mountain use. I'm hesitant to spend over $100 for a saddle with rails that bend easily.