The Special is a "deluxe" B-17 Standard.
It's all pretty much spelled out (at least for the current models) at:
http://www.bicycleclassics.com on the saddles page.
Greg Parker
Ann Arbor, Michigan
> OK- I need to understand this in the old school context.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Lets start with the B-17. Way back when that was the top Brooks saddle.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Goings from narrowest to widest.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> B17 Sprinter? (this one is inhumane)
\r?\n> B17 Racer? Maybe longer also.
\r?\n> B17 Narrow
\r?\n> B17 (that's a pretty wide saddle)
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Then the Pro was slotted in between the Narrow and the regular B17. And
\r?\n> presumably better but that all varies hide by hide , doubler by doubler etc.
\r?\n> For example a good B-15 is better than a bad B-17 especially since saddles with
\r?\n> uneven thickness side to side are sort of doomed (unless the result matches your
\r?\n> particular anatomy).
\r?\n>
\r?\n> So where does the current Special sit in now?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> I guess the Swallow is like a Narrow. I say that because I like the Narrow and I
\r?\n> like the Swallow.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Ideale saddles are all just sort of puny. So an 80 or 90 really fits like a B17
\r?\n> Narrow.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Discuss.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Joe Bender-Zanoni
\r?\n> Great Notch, NJ
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> ----- Original Message -----
\r?\n> From: gpvb1@comcast.net
\r?\n> Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 11:49 pm
\r?\n> Subject: Re: [CR] B-17 Champion Special saddles...Shape changed on recent
\r?\n> ones?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> > Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 15:18:16 -0500
\r?\n> > From: "Tom Sanders"
\r?\n> > To:
\r?\n> > Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
\r?\n> > Subject: [CR] B-17 Champion Special saddles...Shape changed on
\r?\n> > recent ones?
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > Vlad,
\r?\n> > I have two of them and I think they are shaped a bit more like the Pro
\r?\n> > models. I also notice that the steel railed one I have is more
\r?\n> > comfortablethan the Ti railed model. this puzzled me a good deal
\r?\n> > until I finally
\r?\n> > realized that the tension is set greater on the Ti one. Whether
\r?\n> > all of them
\r?\n> > are like that or not, I don't know but I am going to back off the
\r?\n> > tension on
\r?\n> > the Ti one a quarter turn and see if I like it better. I think
\r?\n> > these are
\r?\n> > about the most comfortable saddles I've found...especially the
\r?\n> > steel railed
\r?\n> > one.
\r?\n> > Tom Sanders
\r?\n> > Sitting in Lansing, Mi wishing I were going to the Tour De New York
\r?\n> > withthose guys! What fun!
\r?\n> > ----------------------------
\r?\n> > The B-17 Special, in three colors, is the most popular Brooks
\r?\n> > saddle that I sell, so it seems that many folks would agree, Tom.
\r?\n> > The "basic" B-17 Standards (two colors, women's model as well) are
\r?\n> > right behind the Specials in popularity, then probably the Team Pro
\r?\n> > (four colors, women's models too, now a Ti men's one also). After
\r?\n> > that it's a bit of a toss-up - maybe the Flyer is next in
\r?\n> > popularity? I stock several Ti-railed Brooks saddles now, but only
\r?\n> > sell a few of each type per year. The cost premium is significant,
\r?\n> > but they are significantly lighter as well. (Some are available
\r?\n> > only with a Ti frame, of course, such as the Swallow Classic and
\r?\n> > Swift...).Greg Parker
\r?\n> > Ann Arbor, Michigan
\r?\n> > http://www.bicycleclassics.com