Hi Alfie!
I went through the Saddle Wars early on before finding happiness for many years with the Avocet Touring II line of saddles. They had a thin leather cover over two bumps of foam and a thinned plastic shell beneath. Like many things, they're no longer made.
I remember eyeing Brooks saddles and being very skeptical. Most of those available locally had sat in sun-drenched display cases for decades and were hard as fiberglass. I don't think any amount of Proofide would have helped. I tried a lovely Fujita Pro that came with a used bike. The thing was beautifully made of 1/4in thick water buffalo hide and was unfortunately too narrow for me; I ended up sitting on the steel cantle plate at the rear. I sold it to a neighbor who rode with much lower handlebars and he loved it.
For me, the wider B.17 suits my more upright stance with 45° back and drop handlebars at saddle-top height. I've found my B17s to be visually attractive, yes, but also comfortable even/especially on 300-400km day rides. My only present complaint is Brooks seems to be making the B.17 Standard out of more compliant leather, and I prefer mine harder to be longer-lasting. I've several here sitting in the boxes for resale 'cos they're too soft for my preference. I will probably buy B.17 Champion Specials in future to get the thicker leather I prefer.
Alfie, A couple things to watch. Be sure the Brooks you choose is wide enough to accommodate your sit-bones (ischial tuberosities) on the leather, so you're not sitting on the metal flange at the back. The saddle you choose in this way will very much reflect your position on the bike. Most people's sit-bones are set in such a way as to be effectively narrower when seated bent-over, and become effectively wider when sitting more upright. Match the saddle to position/need!
Second, heed Andre's advice about setup. Though I prefer my Brooks to eventually sit level, they start out
slightly nose-high till broken-in a bit. That can be a key factor in avoiding numbness. If you are numb, it is worthwhile determining "where". The pudendal nerve can be compressed, leading to numbness in the ehm, nether regions. Placement and positioning are key factors here, but Brooks also make the Imperial with a cutout top intended to relieve pressure:
http://www.brooksengland.com/catalogue-and-shop/saddles/touring+&+trekking/B17+Imperial/ If the numbness in at the sit-bones, then I suspect a problem with positioning/placement where you're carrying too much weight on your bottom for the width of the saddle.
Third, placement on the rails. As I recall, the B.17 was designed about 1897, and is still manufactured on essentially the same machinery. In those days, bicycles has much more relaxed geometry than at present, so it can be had to get a Brooks (especially the more sporting models) in the right position unless they sit far back on the rails. However, if you do this, take care. That cantilevers a lot of weight on the rails, and they've been known to snap (I've broken several) -- especially if they have the older, chromed rails that sometimes suffered hydrogen embrittlement due to improper chroming technique by subcontractors. My approach has been to use a seatpost with a long-layback clamp to get the clamp more nearly in the center of the rails to avoid undue stress when used for years on rough roads. The effect is to get the saddle back as Andre endorses, but to do so with minimal stress on the rails.
Finally, remember we're all individuals and saddles just aren't "fits all" solutions. I think it is more important to find a saddle that fits *you* than to follow the herd, and certainly one should not do so for fashion's sake at the expense of comfort, fit, or enjoyment. If a Brooks doesn't fit, then move on to something that works better for you. Remember: No one will see it clearly with you atop it!
I hope something in the above will help. Brooks are nice saddles that work for many, but don't meet the needs of everyone.
Best,
Dan.
