Re: [CR] Brooks B18 plastic saddle

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing:Falck)

Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:21:42 +0000
From: <billydavid13@comcast.net>
To: <youngc@ptd.net>
In-Reply-To: <3b93d1b1e05087e743fa2187905ef4c2@ptd.net>
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR] Brooks B18 plastic saddle


Hi Charlie. Please spare the bag loops! They're the most useful things around. A plastic saddle could be around for generations and a saddlebag can be so handy for so many things. Trim the skirts by all means, drill out the seat, but spare the loops. Of course it's your saddle, do as you please. Billy [my Carradice longflaps are the best accessory i ever bought, bar none] Ketchum; Chicago, IL; USA.


----- Original Message -----
From: youngc@ptd.net
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Sent: Friday, October 16, 2009 10:12:01 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: [CR] Brooks B18 plastic saddle


It looks as though we will have weather reminiscent of Belgium for this weekend's Wissahickon cyclocross race. Not wishing to soak the swallow modified Ideale 90 fitted to my ALAN, I have retrieved a plastic B18 saddle from the 1970's from a box of saddles in waiting. This is not the B-18 Ladies saddle. I received my B18 some years ago from Martin Coopland after he painted such a vivid picture of the fun one could have with one:

"You missed out on the real purpose of a Brooks B18! Take a razor and cut off the saddle bag loops, trim off any other excess, drill the top until it is swiss cheese like and then fit it to your grass track bike! Light and indestructible! Comfort is not required as you are only going to sit on it for a few minutes a week at the most. Beauty is in the eye of the cyclist sitting on it. By the way, if you want a B18, I have a box full of NOS, name your price and I will pay you to take them!"
>From http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous.10110.0715.eml

Before I take a heated X-Acto razor to mine to lift the skirts a bit and excise the bag loops, are there any of these left in CR members caches? Yes, it is probably just an execrable piece of plastic junk but, for that very reason, there may be few left. Those that think that this would be an act of pure vandalism should express those sentiments to me off-list promptly.

Anyone else ever use these either out of the box or drilled/butchered for weight-weenie or rough stuff use?

Thanks,

Charlie Young
Honey Brook, PA