Length: 275mm
Width: 175mm Height:87mm Weight: 860g The Flyer and its ladies model Flyer S are classically sprung saddles for long distance trekking and touring. It is directly descending from the B66 Champion, first featured in the 1927 catalogue. Sharing the same leather tops of the B17 models, they combine the comfort of these popular models with the extra suspension granted by two rear springs. Both are available with tubular steel rivets or with hand hammered copper rivets under the names of Flyer Special and Flyer S Special.
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I have just purchased a mountain bike, and the first modification I have made is to install a Brooks Flyer. I'll never understand why sprung saddles aren't more popular on road and mountain bikes, perhaps people don't think it's part of the 'hard core look'?!? Anyway, I think they look great and make for a much more enjoyable ride. Thanks again for producing a brilliant product. Kind regards, Cam.
A free market requires consumer choice and competition among sellers. For long-distance touring there is no real alternative to the Brooks saddles. I can't think exactly what Brooks could do about it but it seems the rest of the industry could at least try. As an aside I would mention that unless one is in some enormous hurry or has a butt made of iron. one ought to get a sprung saddle. The difference in weight is about that of a large gulp from your water bottle.
A> Is this a complaint? ;)
The quality of Brooks are definitive unique, the saddle seem to live with the user, the history of the engineering is on the first sight placed in the steam punk , industry revolution, Baker Street , designed but it is not placed or fixed in the past. They are Timeless, but I do love them because I have seen and began to love them as I had saw her on a NSU Bike a perfect Combination, Thanks to the Brooks engineer for such a was conciseness memory it was like framed picture her athletic buttock on a brooks signed and stamped saddle.She is gone but the picture remains.
Over the last 15 years I have commuted over 20,000 kms on my brooks flyer. It has provided exceptional comfort in three of ways, Firstly, the suspension has dramatically reduced the shocks from riding Sydneys rough roads. Secondly, in the humid summer heat, this leather saddle "breathes" like no other eliminating sweaty saddle rash. Thirdly, after breaking in, a short period compared to the life of the saddle, it provides an incredibly supportive and comfortable fit. Just remember to pop a shower cap over it when it rains. Recommened without reservation.
I've been riding for most of my life and have spent countless hours riding atop a variety of saddles, including plastic, leather, vinyl; hard fill and gel. Suffice it to say that I've known my share of saddle pain! Over the years I've narrowed my saddle choices to a precious few: the Brooks Pro for my restored vintage racing bikes; the Brooks B17 for the more "leisurely" frame geometries; and the Brooks Flyer for my touring and randonneuring bikes. When it comes to spending long hours, day after day, astride one saddle... well my choice will always be the Flyer for comfort and ride stability.
I know saddles are a personal thing, but the brooks flyer works so well for me its untrue. Took over 11 hours to complete the Wicklow 200 yesterday in the most appalling conditions (50k winds, 40mm of rain, bad visibility, very rough country roads) and the brooks was a little bit luxury in hell. No soreness either during the ride or after, and a comfortable seat throughout. Tried other good well known brands, and would have typically getting sore 3-4 hours into a ride, with the Flyer it simply isn't an issue. It's best described as having what was a major problem with my bike solved. Brilliant. I doff my hat to you master leather saddle makers. Excellent product. 10 out of 10.
Depuis ma plus tendre enfance les selles Brooks et la marque en général me font rêver. Mes rêves sont désormais exaucés, et à 57 ans, je viens de m'offrir cette magnifique selle. Merci beaucoup.
I have been sitting on my flyer since Jan 2011. why O why did I not buy this saddle years ago ! No more sores or chafing . worth every penny . even the youngsters like the retro look !.
I'd been using different (plastic) saddles for about one decade, and a Brooks Flyer saddle for another decade. Unfortunately, the Flyer had been stolen, so I had to get a new one (plus a saddle lock this time). I hadn't even spent a single thought on buying another make, or model, as the Flyer just works for me. I'm using my bicycle for daily short distances as well as for short and long tours. Thus my bike needs to be durable, reliable, and comfortable.
More of a general comment on the service received concerning a new saddle that turned out to be defective - the problem was resolved extremely well by Brooks who definitely went "above and beyond" duty's call. Gold Standard! The replacement saddle has had its maiden run and is perfect. Very satisified.
I've been riding on a Brooks saddle since I appropriated my dad's (an expat-Englishman) bike as a teenager over thirty years ago. Our aluminium touring tandem has always been equipped with a Brooks B17 up front and my 26 year old Miyata touring single now sports a brand new Team Pro copper saddle. Both are great saddles and I've found both comfortable right from the start, even the much stiffer Team Pro on my now much older posterior. A firm saddle is the best present you can give to your sit bones.
I found myself getting a little fatigued, not sore exactly, but kind of 'tired of sitting' on my B17 after about 150 - 200km on a ride. An acquaintance suggested trying a Flyer Special before attempting longer distances. What a revelation! I thought the B17 Standard was a very comfortable saddle but the Flyer Special raises the bar for really long days. On an Aluminium framed touring bike - No! the purists cry - it takes away the zing/buzz transmitted from the frame via the seat post and the springs introduce just enough 'give' to make one forget the dreadful condition of so many of our country lanes these days. You notice the springs for the first 5 minutes or so of a ride and then you simply forget they are there and enjoy your day's cycling.
I've ridden Brooks saddles since 1972 when I bought a used Schwinn with a B.15 which I understand was made especially for Schwinn. Since then, I ride on three Brooks saddles: a touring bike with the Flyer, a mountain bike with the Flyer and my daily exerciser with the B.17. All three have very, very many miles on them and still look like new simply because I keep them dry, apply Brooks Proofide before winter storage and occasionally adjust them with the Brooks Spanner. I don't believe they will ever wear out. I've tried many other leather and plastic competitors out there and they only remind me of why I stay with Brooks. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
I have played the “find the right saddle game” for years, and while this is the most expensive saddle I have ever owned, it is also by far the most comfortable. It also has the understated elegance and function over fashion I prefer as well. I don’t mind paying for quality, but when I do, I demand quality when I spend my money for it. I feel that I have found such quality in your product, and that you have earned my future business. I am very happy with my Brooks Flyer.
HERE IS YOUR NEXT AND LAST SADDLE! My B-17 Flyers (Standard Honey and Standard Black) have revolutionized my riding. I have these saddles on my titanium framed road bike (this one gets some comments!) and my steel touring rig. There is NO buttock pain, back pain or neck pain even after a century ride. They totally outclass every saddle I have tried before, including the B-17 titanium without springs. Seriously folks, try this saddle. My only beef with it is the weight. But it's definitely worth it.
For years i have been riding a Gazelle Rocca with a SR gelpacked saddle. It was such a bad experience. Each time i had to stop after 45 minutes or so to make the numb feeling or even sometimes pain in my rear end go away. I sort of got used to it, ride for three quarters of an hour and without looking at the clock I would stop and take a rest. A short while ago I bought a new bike, the Sparta Inca model 2009 at J. Bos rijwielhandel in Deventer and it came with yet another SR saddle on it. Some nice lettering on it informing me of a vacuum and gel build up that was somehow worked into the saddle. I made my first 40 km ride on it, not stopping after 45 minutes because i figured it would be new and i would have to get used to it, but when i got home I had a terrible pain in my behind that wouldn't go away for two days. Then i remembered about my wife's Flyer, how she uses it for decades now and even though she isn't a fanatic where biking is concerned she never got rid of the saddle and she is using it on her third bike now. I read all I could find on the net about the Flyer saddle and when I walked into the bikeshop they had just one there, a black one. It is called the Champion Flyer and i understand why. From the first minutes i sat on it while I was riding home it felt like it is right! This is what a saddle is supposed to be like. I am still breaking it in and as I read about it and hear others talk about it it is even better when broken in. Somehow that is impossible as it is so perfect, my behind is in heaven already, no pain, no distress, smooth and fitting like a glove. It truly is the best saddle i ever sat on and I even enjoy rubbing it with proofide and such, it might be the best € 79,95 i ever spent on a bike! I wish i could chip my saddle so if it gets stolen it could somehow be traced and I would be able to get it back. It would be worth the money as there is no part as individually formed and shaped after me on my bike.
After many years of riding a brooks Colt (I believe the model does'nt exist anymore) on a racing bike, I decided to start another way of biking, I bought a randonneur for making large trips in Europe. The new bike came with some terrible Selle Royal saddle, which for more than a year spoiled nearly every ride I made, so since I was desperate to solve this painfull problem, I recently bought a Champion Flyer. And I have to say, from day one there was a great difference in both comfort and the distance I was able to ride without the saddle soreness, and that even when still in the breaking in period. In time it can only get better and better and more and more comfortable, like the old Colt. Last but not least, the Flyer is beautifull to the eye as well. So..YES...BROOKS MAKES THE BEST SADDLES IN THE WORLD !! Greetings from Holland.
I am so glad I found you! I was rebuilding my ancient Schwinn road bike into something new and faster. 1980 World Sport changed into a 30 speed with full Ultegra components. Everything had been changed but the frame, fork and seatpost. I had it on my trainer in the basement this winter and all I could think of is the #$^%# uncomfortable seat. Along came an article about the Brooks seats that long distance touring people use. I successfully petitioned my wife to get one. My Honey colored Flyer is fantastic. The day I installed it, I could tell the difference. I was able to ride on the trainer without hating it (as much) Last month I got a new frame, fork and seat post. The saddle weighs 1/3 as much as the frame and fork and I am happy with that. 2 weeks ago my wife and I rode 50 miles (she on her racing saddle - specialized ) the next morning, I rode another 45. My wife didn't want to sit on her bike. I didn't notice the seat (except the squeaking) It is breaking in very nicely. Last weekend I sprayed some lube on the underside of the seat (on the riveted area) and the squeaking stopped. I proceeded to ride 63 miles that morning. Later that afternoon, I was back on the bike chasing my kids on theirs. I cannot believe nothing hurt! Thank you for a great product and helping me to reach my fitness goals. Mike Syracuse NY
I've been cycling since I was about 8 years old. When I was a kid it was how I explored the area around my house, it gave me real freedom to roam and discover new things on my own terms. That never changed and that's still what I love about cycling now. Nothing beats getting on my bike with no real idea of where I'm going to end up, just that I am going to have a great time finding out. it's still just as exciting as it always was, just that now older, wiser and with bigger calf muscles I can get a lot further and see a lot more. I first came across Brooks when my wife and I decided to do a grand tour of South America by bike. We knew that we'd be going along some pretty rough roads, heavily loaded and miles away from the closest LBS so we put out own bikes together. We spent a lot of time planning an trying to get the most appropriate components, stuff that was reliable, easy to work on and that we had some chance of fixing or replacing in the smallest Bolivian pueblo. When it came to the saddles, it seemed that Brooks were the only real option: tough, comfortable and the only saddle I'd want to be sitting on for that length of time. While other cyclists we met had problems with their gel or padded saddles, we rode from Ushuia to Cusco without a chaff or blister. In London, daily cycling is more restricted to the commute to work but Brooks stuff works just as well: comfortable, practical, hard wearing and (more importantly in London) good looking as well! The Millbrook bar bag and Barbican courier bag have both received a lot of attention... especially the bar bag: people stop me just so that they can touch it and see if it is real (seriously, this has happened 3 or 4 times now).
I have ridden on your B17 Special saddle for a month and now I cannot bear to ride on any other saddle. I have no choice but to replace the remaining four non-Brooks saddles, which is going to cost me a pretty penny! Curse you, sir, for your infernally comfortable products!
I have just purchased my first Brooks saddle; a Classic Flyer. I am extremely satisfied at the level of comfort, and the classic appreance, it gives my bike. My appreciation for for its workmanship now goes far beyond the asthetics and is realized each time I mount this most comfortable and supportive new addition to my bicycle. I will be adding another Brooks to my backup bike very shortly.
i use a flyer for a 1 year trip around africa and i realy enjoy it. the springs work like a suspension and the leather make me feel good, same in very hot weather. now, i have more than 10 000km ride on my flyer and it s always so comfortable to use. the best sadle ! simon
When I first received your Brooks Imperial saddle I was impressed with the way it looked and was hoping that it would be as comfortable as my current seat a Titanico LD which required no break in at all. After installing it on my touring bike and making a few adjustments for proper fit I was off. The first hundred or so miles I was expecting it to be more forgiving especially in the sit bone area I was constantly moving back and forth to relieve the soreness in that area, maybe mot soreness but pressure that I felt. Then after about two hundred miles it got less and less noticeable. Having a touring trip planned in the middle of June I couldn't wait to give it a good test with six days of riding between 60 and seventy miles per day. It has passed with flying colors in fact my Titanico LD seat was being used by a good friend of mine on the same tour and he asked to purchase it from me, I sold it to him and have since purchased another Brooks (BROOKS FLYER ) which until I had this opportunity to test the Imperial I thought I would never do. There are some issues that I do have with it, mainly it has developed a squeak that I can not seem to get rid of, and I wish it was somewhat water proof so I don't have to worry about getting caught in a rain storm without something to cover it up with while riding. Overall the more I ride it the more I like it, I would not have purchased the Flyer for my other bike if I had not had the opportunity to test your product which I am very grateful for. My score for this seat is a TEN/10.
I tried a Conquest once, but found it too narrow and rounded. A friend of mine was very happy of his B17, but I wanted a sprung saddle. I finally decided to go for the Flyer, which I've been told is sllightly wider and flater than a Conquest, and must say that this is the best choice for my long distance touring bicycle. It took only a couple of weeks to shape to my bum. I've now ridden over 3000 km on it and look forward to the my 1500 km trip in Brazil next summer. Bernt, Munich - Germany
Short and sweet, I never think about my saddle when I'm ridding, it's that comfortable. I have a B-17 on my Peugeot, a Flyer on my 3 speed Club bike and a Swift on my Raleigh Clubman. Excellent workmanship and design!
My regular course is 145 kilometers around Lake Biwa (near Kyoto). The road conditions are various, and the jolts towards the end of the 7-hour ride, on top of the saddle fatigue, were considerable. This was with my Terry Liberator Y, one of the softest saddles on the market. I considered getting a suspension seatpost, but was turned off my their poor longevity and maintenance issues. After reading the glowing reviews of the Flyer, I reconsidered Brooks saddles and took the plunge. My initial impression was that it looked much better on my bike than I'd expected -- not clunky at all. A 145-kilometer maiden voyage was not a good idea -- I wrote in my journal "New Brooks saddle – painful." Actually, excruciating. But the springs immediately helped subdue the jolts. On my subsequent ride, I brought a gel seat pad, which I deployed after about 75 kilometers. Eventually, though, the Flyer broke in. In my journal, I note "Brooks breaking in" after 300 kilometers. My next mention of the Flyer is after 900 kilometers when I wrote "Saddle finally broken in." Now, I love my Flyer. Thank you to the talented UK craftsmen.
Q > Dear Sir or Madam, I wish to inform you that the linkage of my BROOKS saddle Flyer has broken in the area of the seat post. Purchase date: May, 2007. What I can do to fix it or can you help me in some other way? Sincerely yours, Joachim Rohde
A > Please do not post your warranty claims here! In the GETTING IN TOUCH section there is a specific form for sorting your issues. We have a repair service and replace products with defects in manufacture or materials... Anyway we wish to inform you that before fitting your saddle on any seat post you should check that the seat post is well manufactured. Some cheap seat posts can cut the rails.
Hi, I was always very content with my Brooks which I bought from a friend about ten Years ago until this morning on my way to work through a snowstorm the Metal under the leather cover broke. Can you repair it?
answer - All Brooks saddles may be repaired, please visit the Getting in Touch section of this website!
I broke my flyer in quickly by applying the brooks saddle cream to the underside with an old toooth brush getting in to all those tight places and then applying a warm hairdryer to the under side ,this allows the cream to soak in to the leather ,after 3 applications 3 days apart the saddle had softened dramatically,the saddle now after 60 miles of cycling is now the best saddle i have ever ridden on.P.S dont be mean with the cream.
A> We do not recommend using this method. Though you will speed up the break in process, you risk oversaturating the leather and causing the saddle to sag prematurely.
I am having a problem with my B17 ladies saddle in so much as it stains my clothing. I have used the proofhide on it from time to time, but I think the black colour must come out of it as the seat of my trousers, after riding the bike for a while, turns grey. I have had the saddle for 3 years now and do not want to change it as I have broken it in nicely, but do need a solution. Do you have one? (apart from wearing black trousers all the time!!!)
A> All leather saddles (including the ones made by our competitors) stain light clothing over time. The best solution is to use a saddle cover when wearing light trousers. This is also the reason that cycling shorts traditionally are black, btw.
Hi, I do commuter cycling on my Trek 7.5Fx commuter hybrid bike about 3 times a week(the bike has the standard flat handlebar so am in a slightly leaning position and sometimes just sit straight when cruising). I do about 24kms a day (12kms each way) to work and back. Realised i get very sore after 2-3 rides on the Bontrager H2 Flex Form saddle that's standard on the bike. My friend suggested I try a Brookes, which saddle would be suitable for me, the B17 or the Flyer? Thanks, Sanjay
A> Please post questions in the Getting in Touch section of our website, they will be answered much more quickly.
Either saddle will do. The Flyer is naturally more comfortable, it has springs.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION REQUIRING AN IMMEDIATE ANSWER, please visit the GETTING IN TOUCH section of this website! The COMMENTS section is for general comments, and is only maintained periodically.
Thank you, The Brooks Team