I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a little bit of a gear junkie.  When I find a new hobby or something that I really get into I want to buy the latest and greatest to outfit myself.  Sometimes I go a little overboard… which makes for some cramped storage space in our basement that my dear hubby can attest to.  My upcoming cycling tour in Italy has been no exception, except for the fact that if you’re not an avid cyclist from birth you really do have to acquire some stuff to make training easier (or endurable at all).

I’d like to tell you about some of my absolute favorite things so far.  This is Part 1 of a multipart series on my cycling gear.

Brooks B17 S – The Most Comfortable Saddle You’ll Ever Own

I’ve ridden my entire adult life on various gel saddles and I’ve absolutely never been comfortable.  Usually my rear goes numb after some period of time which will bring a welcomed relief to the pain I was experiencing.  In Ciclismo’s package that they sent out they said the best remedy for sore butt is to practice, practice, practice.  Basically, if you’re not in the saddle your butt’s just not going to build up a tolerance to the kind of abuse it’s going to take.  I believed them.

Until I got my Brooks saddle.

I had read on some of the cycling forums out there that Brooks made an exceptional saddle and that it was leaps and bounds beyond any gel saddle that you could buy.  Enough people were saying this that I got curious.  I had just bought a highly recommended gel saddle constructed specifically for women and I was kind of determined that I would love it (though we were quickly beginning to think that our relationship would end badly).

Perusing the Brooks site, I was skeptical.  Here was a whole line of bicycle saddles that were really nothing more than some leather stretched over a metal frame.  *sarcasm* Yeah, sure…. that sounds really comfortable *sarcasm*.  But the one thing that was getting to me was the fact that the design of these saddles hasn’t changed since 1898.  112 years is a pretty sufficient time to have a tried and tested product that is still on the market with literally no modifications.  So I figured what can it hurt?  These guys offer a return policy… what’s the worst that can happen?  I hate the bike saddle and return it?

Let’s just say that even though it doesn’t rhyme, once you go leather you’ll never go back!

I didn’t know that cycling could be this comfortable!  And I don’t need a seat the size of an overstuffed armchair to get that comfort!!  The best part is that this bike saddle is going to last forever.  There’s no gel to wear out, no neoprene to tear, nothing to get in the way of miles and miles and miles of cycling in total comfort and fashion.

I purchased the Aged version of the B17 S (“S” for short, which is what they recommend for their female cyclists) because I wanted total comfort up front.  Their site indicates that there is a nearly non-existant break-in period for the aged version vs. the normal leather B17 S.  If you’re really into coordinating your bike saddle with your bike’s paint scheme you might opt for the regular version that comes in a variety of colors.  The aged comes in only one color… beautiful untreated, undyed, leather.

Who this saddle isn’t for

I can only imagine a few situations where this saddle wouldn’t be for you.

• Mountain biking — I don’t know that I’d want to put this saddle on a bike that I knew would likely be getting splattered with mud and generally being wet and wild on each adventure I took it on.  I’m not exactly convinced that a leather saddle would be at all good for that, let alone the aged leather one.  Seems like that could cause some damage and stretching.
• Vegans — Sorry guys… Brooks doesn’t offer a vegan-friendly option here.  If you’re not into the use of animal products you’d better just skip this all together.  Brooks saddles are all made of genuine animal hide leather.
• Serious Speed Cycler — Just from browsing the “road cycling” saddles that Brooks offers, I’d say the B17 isn’t the best option for the next up and coming Lance Armstrong.  It’s nearly 100 grams heavier than the average road saddle offered in their catalog.  Weighing in at 530 grams it’s probably not going to break you, but they do have road saddles that are as light as 310 grams.  And from what I understand, every gram counts, right?

So, now that you’re ready to run out and buy one, I’d also recommend that you buy one of their rain covers as well.  After all, you’ve just dropped a significant amount of money on this new, awesome saddle.  The last thing you want to do is throw a plastic “Thank You” bag over it and pray that there’s not a hole.

Up next: My intro into clipless pedal cycling.

Note: I am not a representative to Brooks Saddlery or a marketing affiliate.  I do not receive compensation for anything that I have written about Brooks bicycle saddles or on any purchases that may be made from links posted on this site.

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• December 10, 2009 -- Why seeing in HD isn’t just cool…

I’ve been doing an insane amount of staring at a computer screen lately. Between our digital imaging project at work, NaNoWriMo, and working for Beth at Web Strategies, my eyes have been doing over time on the computer. I’d be lying if I told you that I simply loved staring at a computer screen and I could do it for hours and hours at a time without so much as needing to blink.

I can’t exactly remember how it started, but I must have sent some kind of tweet about wanting to rip my eyeballs out of my head because of the serious eyestrain that I was experiencing. @TristanPT suggested that I get a pair of Gunnar Optiks. At first I didn’t understand what he was talking about, but then I remembered an ad at my eye doctor’s office talking about all the new technology that’s out there for coatings and lenses specifically designed to reduce eyestrain for computer users.

Right before NaNoWriMo I purchased a pair of Phenoms. They’re über comfortable, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I chose that style specifically because it came in green. In fact that was probably the selling factor. At any rate, they are lovely, look awesome on top of my head (which is a must for any piece of eyewear fashion regardless of whether or not it’s practical), and they’re light! When I ordered them I had them shipped 2nd-day Air because I was so anxious to get them. But 2 days came and went and no Gunnars. I tweeted them (@GUNNAROptiks) and eventually the customer service people got in touch with me. They apologized for the shipping snafu and agreed to take the shipping off! Score! I did get my glasses later that week, not within the 2-day window, but they were awesome about fixing what they could.

The Gunnar Optiks website is pretty impressive itself. On their page discussing the technology behind their lenses, they tell you about how their glasses create this special little microclimate for your eyes. In short, they’re developing a special little environment for eyeballs that have to stare at computer screens all day and don’t blink a lot. That little microclimate is supposed to help keep your eyeballs more lubricated; keep them from drying out too much. I’ve got incredibly dry eyes and I’m not lying when I say that when I wear my Gunnars my eyes are happily moist and my contacts aren’t nearly as uncomfortable as when I don’t wear them.

The lenses are designed to help you focus better on “digital typography” (which is actually built completely different than printed typography and that’s why you get more eyestrain). The coatings are also supposed to help reduce smudges (which honestly, I haven’t noticed all that much… mine still get fingerprints on them), reduce water spots (I haven’t really cleaned mine that much so I’m not sure if this is true or not), and be anti-reflective. The anti-reflective part I can vouch for. I’ve got one of those shiny Mac screens and when I wear the Gunnars it seems like I see less glare on the screen (same with my iPhone).

My only real complaint at this time is the yellow tinting. Apparently Gunnars is developing a clear tint that’s supposed to be able to do the same thing as the yellow tinted ones, but they aren’t available yet. I do some graphics work and even though the yellow tinting isn’t really heavy (it’s not like sunglasses or anything), it does distort the color just enough to make you wonder if it’s going to be the same thing that everyone else sees. So when I’m doing my graphics work I’m constantly pushing my Gunnars up on my head to see if the colors are right.

I enjoyed my Phenoms so much that I used my “Thank You” discount that came in my packaging to purchase a pair of Marley sunglasses. I was surprised at how delicate they are! It’s so hard for me to find nice, “girly” sunglasses without being too too girly. These fit the bill perfectly. A guy could certainly wear them without being emasculated, but they’re also feminine enough without having rhinestones all over them and looking like you just stepped out of the pages of some horrific fashion magazine. Unfortunately, we haven’t had enough sunny weather for me to really comment on how well the perform in super sunny skies. I’ll leave that for a future review.

All in all, I’m tremendously happy with my purchase. I held off doing this review for a little over a month to be sure that I really did like them. The first thing I noticed is that you have to get used to them. If you wear glasses, it’s a lot like when you get a prescription change and things are just slightly crisper. If you’ve never worn corrective lenses then don’t be surprised if you feel a little disoriented when you first start wearing them; you are seeing in HD for the first time, after all! Bottom line, seeing in HD isn’t just cool, it’s safer for your eyes!

Gunnar Optiks didn’t pay me to say anything nice about their product, and they didn’t send me any free samples. I am a participant in their affiliate program and could profit from any purchase that you might make from clicking on any of the links in this blog post.

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• June 18, 2010 -- [Cycling Gear] Part 1: Why I’m In Love With Brooks Saddlery