Pictured Below: Large copper rivets on the Team Pro

What Correspondants Have Said About The Professional

(Comments, reviews, and essays are welcome and appreciated - especially by other cyclists that are considering one of these saddles.)

"Just got it mounted, short ride, love it. (Team Pro) Rides great on my Trek 7500FX. I had a Pro on my c. 1973 Motobecane Grand Record (French, not Chinese:-) ) and always enjoyed riding it for almost 30 years. Finally, after serveral years of neglect, I decided to replace it on the new bike with the one you just sent me. The old one was getting a bit cracked - my fault. I'm shopping for a new road bike to replace the GR - found rust where it shouldn't be and decided the parts quest was just too time consuming for the old Campy components."
"I also ride on an ultralight 190g Serfas Terrazo Ti (weird having a saddle named after a paving mixture). Same idea - firm, very firm for real sit bone area support with no overly padded areas to press against you know where. It does requires shorts or tights with a pad, though, unless one carries a lot of weight on one's legs. Not the best comfort wise with thin street pants, for sure. The Brooks takes care of that. My 57 year old butt feels great on the new saddle."
"It's the same old story - the stock saddle on the Trek was overly padded with a soft material (could completely compress the padding with thumb and forefinger - fat lot of good that does with my 200+ lb body). Another problem was the rough material on the sides, made my trousers and even my baggy riding shorts bunch up. The Brooks and the Serfas (leather top) don't do that."

"For anyone who really likes the look of the Team Pro but fears that it's not going to have the "give" of the B.17 or have simply tried it out for a while and been unhappy with the results, I have a "Team Pro Success Story" to relate:"
" I loved the look of the Pro and was using it on my old Nishiki 12 speed with great results. That bike, however, was way too big for me, and it just so happened that, with the seat post all the way down (where I had to have it), the saddle was perfectly situated. Once I found out that I like the nose angled up a bit, the fit was just right."
" I then bought a beautiful Land Shark road bike (anyone looking in that direction: it's perfect). With that custom measured fit, I figured I'd be in saddle heaven. This, however, did not prove to be the case. I set the same saddle where I'd been told it was supposed to be (leg perfectly straight, etc), according to articles I had read, and set out for the promised land."
" Was I in for a surprise. About a week later I was going to trade it in for a B.17. It was extremely uncomfortable, causing me to shift constantly and, basically, not want to ride."
" Then a friend said: "Why not lower the seatpost a bit and see what happens? You're leg will still be pretty straight that way, too". I lowered it an inch and was completely sold. Even better than the Nishiki. I really look forward to riding on it as often and as long as I can. 2000 miles, so far, and it just keeps getting better. Can't tell you what a remarkable difference that adjustment made."
"So: fiddle around with the height, saddle angle, and how far back you set it. We have different needs depending on our body types. As long as you're not pedaling like some circus clown in the Big Top, play around with the height. An inch, give or take, isn't going to kill you. The 6 month trial period from Wallingford Bikes is a gift and will give you more than enough time to experiment and either find the right setting or trade in the saddle for a B.17 (another great saddle. I have one on my hybrid)."
" Good luck and good riding"

"Early this summer I bought the Brooks Team Professional saddle (honey and copper rails). When I took it out of the box, I was quite impressed with the workmanship and the beauty of the leather. As suggested by Brooks, I put on a coat of Proofide on top and bottom and let it soak in for 24 hrs. And for good measure I did it again. When I got it mounted on the bike (24-year old Raleigh road bike), I felt as if I were sitting on a wooden rail. However, once I got into proper bicycle riding posture, I felt fine on my first 20-mile ride. After a couple more rides (including a 60-mile one), the saddle began to show signs of adapting to my anatomy. I can certainly say it is the best saddle I ever had. I have ridden over rather rough road surfaces (including a the boardwalk and poorly paved New York City streets) -- there is plenty of shock-absorbency in the leather. Even with the exceptionally thick leather that is used to manufacture this saddle.  The smooth surface completely eliminates chaffing. I rarely use cycle shorts--Nylon gym shorts work fine."  
 "What convinced me to  purchase the Brooks Team Professional saddle was my restoration efforts on my father's 52-year old Rudge with its original Brooks B66 saddle.   This saddle is still quite functional and responded quite well to the Profide treatment.    Thus, I expect to be riding my new saddle until I am 104!!"  
"In considering a Brooks saddle, cost should not be a limiting factor. Many cyclists will think nothing of paying $60 for a pair of good tires or 80 bucks for a pair of shorts or a jersey. Over 100 dollars for a pair of shows and so on. Or 25 or 30 dollars for a pair of gloves. None of these things are hand-made and they certainly will not last as long as a Brooks saddle."
"I have read many reviews where people express their concerns about rain. That's what a good seat cover is for. Most of us wear leather shoes and many carry leather brief cases or handbags, These objects do not melt or disappear with a few rain drops. As long as you keep the saddle in reasonable shape with Profide and don't soak the saddle, a little water should not be too much of a concern. The only drawback is the weight, but that should only be a real concern for competitive racers where every gram is important. And besides my bike is too heavy anyway. The extra weight is hardly noticeable and the comfort afforded by the saddle allows me to ride farther and faster than I would otherwise."   
"In short, I recommend the saddle very highly. I suspect that those who were unhappy with a Brooks saddle, either, bought the wrong model for either his or her riding style and bicycle."  

"Just received and rode my new Team Pro for the first time today. Once again, I am stunned at the workmanship and the ride of Brooks saddles. I own the B17, the Swift, and now the Team Pro. I am not a retro-grouch. I own two Litespeeds; a Tuscany and a Appalachian. I appreciate the beauty of lugged steel frames and canvas panniers, and even French touring bicycles. I even have fenders on my Appalachian, albeit plastic ones. However, I also recognize and appreciate the benefits of newer frame materials and designs. I have toured extensively on both bicycles, although only the Appalachian is used for loaded trips. I love Shimano components, and would rather crawl through poison ivy naked than use Campy again. All my cycling clothes are made from petroleum products. Most of my friends ride bikes that weigh less than 18lbs. ALL of my friends scoff at my Brooks saddles. They say I am crazy for mounting a 6lb saddle (gross exaggeration) on a 17lb bicycle. Yet, without exception, after the first 25 miles of riding, I am the only one who enjoys the pleasure and comfort of relaxing in the saddle. While my riding buddies are fanning off their privates, and guzzling cramp-reducing elixers, I am smiling and enjoying the view from my Brooks."

"I got more seriously into biking about 6 years ago when my heel spurs made running unenjoyable in the extreme. A good friend kept trying to convince me to get a Brooks saddle, but I was into the Specialized Body Comp design because it was "high tech" and, I suppose, I wanted to still have babies? Who knows. Anyway, I began checking out lots of articles that slammed that theory and finally tried out my neighbor's Team Pro on my 1980 Nishiki Olympic 12 (still looks and rides great). I was astonished. You see, I had never experienced moving from place to place on a saddle with such ease. And the ride was incredibly comfortable. Strange stuff, I thought. 25 miles on my first ride and not a single problem."
" Then my friend told me to check out the B.17. "Even more comfortable", he said. Hard to believe...but by now I was hooked. With the security of your 6 month return policy firmly in mind, I ordered the Team Pro for the Nishiki AND a B.17 Standard for my Bianchi Boardwalk (nice hybrid). Well, 2 months and hundreds of miles on both saddles later, I can safely say that I love both. I can't really say why. I suppose the Team Pro is for my more "aggressive" moments...but it also works just fine for just tooling around and long rides. And the B.17 is just plain wonderful. It really is amazingly comfortable. I should mention, though, that the Team Pro did take longer to break in (as you said it might). The B.17 was great right out of the box, while it took about 200 miles on the Team Pro to really get the right feel. For my build, I found that I needed to tilt the nose up a bit on both saddles to get the most comfortable ride. Other people do the opposite: nose down a bit. Some like it level. Different strokes..."
" Now, because I've been saving up for a really nice, new, LIGHT road bike, I decided to also check out the Swift saddle..They are very light and beautiful. I ordered it in honey (the other two I have are black). Try as I might,though, I just couldn't get it right. It feels like my "sit bones" are too widely spaced apart for that one. Like they're half on/half off the saddle. It just wasn't comfortable for my body, so I shipped it back to you. I'm now trying to decide, by riding my current saddles, whether to get the Team Pro or B.17 for the new bike. Tough choice. But I want it in honey...I know that much. Beautiful look. I also decided to scrap the "lightest saddle" thing, as I don't race and don't need that "competitive edge". None of these saddles is really not that much weight for my needs (touring and laps around the park). And, you know; you actually can still move pretty quick with a saddle that weighs more than a hummingbird."
" So: there you have it. Bottom line is that, for me, the Team Pro and B.17 are both fantastic riding saddles. The Team Pro took longer to break in, but I love it. It's very comfortable, but with a little bit more resistance than the B.17. I like both feels. The Swift was, I believe, too narrow for my body. For someone else, I'm sure it's perfect. All the saddles are beautiful to look at,too. I thank you very much for your generous return policy (although I'd never return anything that I'd banged up, personally). Looking forward to doing business with you in the future."

"I received the Brooks Team Pro saddle, treated it, installed it and rode it two days later. I was expecting that it might feel as though I was sitting on a two by four judging by the stiffness of the leather when I received it. Not only had it become supple, it was like sitting on a cloud! My what a paradox. How can a saddle with no cushioning save the leather, feel more comfortable than one with cushioning and a "love channel"."
"The Brooks saddle rightfully deserves its status as a classic."

"I have to admit that I really agonized over whether or not to go with a traditional leather saddle. There's a natural inclination to believe that if leather saddles are so good, why do so few riders still use them? But my (300 mile) experience with my Brooks has already convinced me that it's the best saddle for me, and I would urge anyone else to give them a fair chance too."
"Why does it work for me? First there's the shape. My Team Pro is flatter along the back than the racing saddles I've been using for years (not to mention the fact that it's a centimeter wider there too). Everytime I get on my bike, I feel a sense of easy comfort that comes from being supported in an anatomically natural way. Furthermore, the nose (Is that the correct term?) of the Team Pro stays narrow for most of the length of the saddle, and then flares out quickly towards the rear. This eliminates the crotch chafing that wider nosed saddles cause."
"That narrow nose is one of the reasons that I chose a Team Pro over the B-17, which flares out more steadily over its length. There are some strongly expressed opinions at a few sites on the internet arguing that the B-17 is the narrowest saddle that anyone should consider, due to all others being too narrow. I personally resisted this because I have a slim build, and believed that the Team Pro would better suit my proportions. I can now say from experience that it does support me properly, and is perfectly wide enough. I confess that vanity played a part in my selection of the Team Pro too, as I think it's proportions compliment my sleek road bike better that a wider saddle. (I do believe that every individual needs to evaluate their own body and riding style to determine proper width for themselves. In a more upright and relaxed riding position, I'm thinking classic English three speed style bike or something similar, a broader saddle might be appropriate, even for me. I just wanted to make it clear that If a person thinks they might be comfortable on a saddle narrower than a B-17, they shouldn't be put off trying it because of those previously mentioned strongly expressed contrary opinions.)"
"The polished leather surface allows me to slide around freely, further reducing chafing and giving me a sense of floating in my position on the saddle. This isn't to suggest that I find myself slipping out of position, but rather that I'm free to easily micro-adjust my position in "real time," which works and feels great as I'm riding."
"The quality of my new Brooks that came as somewhat of a surprise is the way that the engineered structure of it, the "tensioned leather," is able to modulate and smooth out road bumps. This saddle is not only shaped right for me, but it flexes more than I had expected, and in a controlled way, so the ride quality is superb."
"I really appreciate Wallingford's promise to take back a saddle within six months if it doesn't work out for the purchaser. This promise gave me the courage to try a Brooks, given my anxiety about whether it was the right choice. But now that I've got it, there's no way I'm sending this one back. I'll be ordering another Brooks for my "city bike" soon, and I find myself wondering if I shouldn't order another to keep on the shelf, so that I'll have it if Brooks ever goes out of business again. (I really hope that doesn't happen!)Thanks for great service on a great product. I won't hesitate to recommend you to others."

This customer found the Team Pro "rubs me the wrong way" and he traded it for a B.17. He put a comprehensive review of the Team Pro on his website.

"I have had my Team Pro for 2 weeks, put 200 miles on it, and have loved the complete tranparency of the saddle in my riding. It soaks up the "chatter" that used to really hurt when riding my Fizik Pave'. I find it to get more comfortable with each ride, and more beautiful to look at. My wife likes my "seat" now too, so I have just placed an order for a Countess for her with you!"

"On Saturday, the first ride out of the box, I rode 55 hilly miles north of Abita Springs, LA. On Sunday, the second ride out of the box, I rode 75 flat miles round trip from West End Park to Ft. Pike. After two days of "hard riding" (for me) the only thing sore were my legs! My previous saddles (I have tried several) were angled nose down to reduce numbness. This saddle is horizontal (which my arms appreciate) and numbness is not a problem. Brooks has perfected the anatomy of a saddle and I couldn't be a more satisfied customer. Thank you."

"I purchased a Brooks "Pro" model saddle last year and broke it in according to instructions. I then attempted to ride a Century charity ride and was gravely disappointed. I did take the saddle with me on my summer tour. I rode up the East Coast of the US, managing about 400 miles before acute agony won out over tradionalism. I put a gel pad on it and finished the ride. Never really comfortable but better than standing up all day."

"After 1199 miserable, "I'm goinna quit riding forever", "this saddle is terrible", "DEATH to Wallingford!" miles, I have decided that this is the only saddle that I will ever ride... Thanks."

"When I purchased my Raleigh Professional in 1973, it represented the best value obtainable in a top quality racing bike. All the componants were the best obtainable at the time, including the saddle, a Brooks Professional. Today, after completing my twenty-fifth season riding my Raleigh, I am still using that same saddle, and far from looking its age, it is more beautiful than ever! The leather, cared for by frequent applications of Proofide, has lightened and mellowed in colour, and the copper rivits have been polished to mirror brightness. I will still probably be using it well into the next century. The only sign of wear is the relatively small amount of stretching the saddle has undergone over the years.
When one looks at the sort of service I have enjoyed from my saddle, the purchase price seems relatively modest, no other saddle I have seen could have lasted nearly as long as mine has and of course, I have enjoyed the comfort of teh Brooks saddle on many a long ride."

"On my way home from work today my Brooks Profesional saddle tensioning bolt broke! Can you supply me a new one? I've had this saddle for over twenty years and it still has alot of life left, when repaired."

"After more than 350 miles on the Team Professional I bought from you, I've decided I'm going to have to return it. Perversely, the saddle got more uncomfortable with each ride, after starting out pretty comfortable. Today I did the longest ride yet, 65 miles, and was incredibly saddle sore and actually have some swelling over my sit bones, something I've never experienced before, even on a century. Its possible that the Team Pro is just too narrow for me, but for the time being I'm going to experiment with adjustments to my previous saddle or other non-leather saddles."

"Went for a 23 mile ride tonite and the Brooks Pro was really comfortable. Believe it or not, it feels "almost broken in" right out of the box. A good swap for sure." (customer had initially purchased a B17)

"Bill, the Team Pro came today. Beautiful!! I never thought they would make it the same as 20 years ago, when I purchased my new Raliegh Pro.. . . I find it hard to understand why most riders choose plastic over these saddles."

"The Team Pro I bought from you has about 1,000 miles on it now, and is just beginning to be broken in. I could see it being "overly soft" around 100,000 miles or so!"

"Just a note to let you know that me and my Brooks saddle successfully completed the Solvang Double Century this weekend. While the saddle is not fully broken in yet, I still had a pleasant ride none the less. Some soreness still, but ha, it's 200 miles, 13+ hours in the saddle, what do you expect?!"

"I was on a ride with a bike club and saw another cyclist had an unusual looking saddle with large copper rivets in it. I was curious to ask about it and was told it was a Brooks leather saddle. No pain, said the cyclist.
Well, I got one. Popped it on my bike and took a ride. Wow! Nothing like it. And believe me, I have tried them all. It got to a point for me where I was beginning to think my physiology just wasn't right to be a cyclist. Every saddle I had ever ridden caused me pain, not matter how I adjusted it.
I just assumed I'd have to lift up and flex every mile or so.
Until I got my Brooks. And now I sit and pedal. No flexing because there's no pain. Even on the first ride. This saddle doesn't even need to be broken in for comfort.
I liked it so much I got one for my mountain bike. And it rides just as good. So good, in fact, that I no longer need the suspension seatpost I had on it. The saddle itself absorbs enough of the road or trail shock by itself.
So thanks. I am now one happy cyclist. "

Comments are excerpted from e-mail correspondence with customers and Brooks owners. I have tried to fairly represent the range of comments that I have received about these particular models and I have also tried to avoid taking comments out of context. Parenthetical italicized elements are editorial insertions. -Bill

See the Team Pro in these Brooks Archives Catalogs:
1980's Brooks Brochure
1986 Brooks Poster

John Knoepfle runs an antique brown Team Pro on his Surley

This bike is also equipped with a Berthoud saddlebag and King bottle cages .