Saw a tour of the brooks factory recently. Looks like all saddles are made in house but the frames for the saddles were coming from "somewhere else" On Nov 24, 2012 11:00 AM, "ted" <ted.ke...@comcast.net> wrote:
> I thought the models with brass rivets (eg select and special lines) > were made in the UK, and the others (with smaller steel rivets) were > made elsewhere. > > On Nov 24, 7:38 am, Matt Beebe <matthiasbe...@gmail.com> wrote: > > *"While I'm sure Brooks must have some UK-made lines, the majority of all > > their products are made in China, so there really isn't a labor cost > issue > > built into Brooks price."* > > > > Brooks saddles are made in England. Maybe some of their other offerings > > are made elsewhere, I don't know. The "made in England" stamp is a key > > element to their marketing AFAIK. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Saturday, November 24, 2012 8:58:38 AM UTC-5, Ron Mc wrote: > > > > > my buddy is very fond of his Bertoud, though he put Brooks Aged, B17 > and > > > B68S, on his tandem. > > > While I'm sure Brooks must have some UK-made lines, the majority of all > > > their products are made in China, so there really isn't a labor cost > issue > > > built into Brooks price. Most of what we're paying for is marketing > cost. > > > Hence the ability of Brooks to unload mass product that we see > selling at > > > $50 below retail. It takes a lot of money to keep up that Rapha-esque > > > image, but that may be what is required to get their name out to a > younger > > > market. > > > > > A very similar business model must be Hardy (Brothers), the fly reel > maker > > > By Appointment to HRH, who has survived more than a couple of reboots. > The > > > cost of UK labor was destroying their market. In the end, other than > woes > > > for the unemployed, what's the difference between Korea-CNC and UK-CNC? > > > But they have survived by keeping a select line of English-made > products, > > > while the bulk of their line is made offshore - they sell these as > > > "designed and engineered in England". I personally am very happy to > see > > > them keep these traditional models alive that would have otherwise > priced > > > themselves out of the market. > > > > > On Saturday, November 24, 2012 6:11:54 AM UTC-6, Fullylugged wrote: > > > > >> Like Matt, I find leather saddles more comfortable without padding in > my > > >> pants. Wool Boxers under riding shorts or pants- I like MUSA fine, as > well > > >> as ZOIC. Selle Anatomicas saddles are comfortable from the start, > while > > >> Brooks B17s take about 300 - 500 miles for me to feel that "ahh" > sensation. > > >> I ride with the nose uptilted, as many other riders do (with bars at > or > > >> higher than the saddle). I have never liked the Brooks Team Pro. I > have > > >> one but haven't liked it enough to sit on it long enough to break it > in. As > > >> Grant noted, Brooks lasts longer than Selle Anatomica. I've worn out > one > > >> Selle, and zero Brooks saddles in the past 10 years of riding. Since > you're > > >> more likely to ride if you're comfortable on your bike, a pleasant > saddle > > >> set up is worth the money. Saddles do go on sale (another post noted > > >> Selle's current one) if price is a sensitive issue or you can buy > from a > > >> vendor you want to support realizing that it's not a huge deal in the > long > > >> run. I've gotten one of each from RBW as it happens. > > > > >> I picked up a Taiwan saddle to try, a Gyes, and do not recommend it. > Not > > >> well shaped and not comfortable. Have not tried any of the Berthoud > > >> saddles. Talk about Rapha-esque prices... > > > > >> Was given an old Italian leather saddle by Saffati which I haven't > gotten > > >> around to yet. Letting some Obenauf's work its magic presently on > that one. > > > > >> On Sat, Nov 24, 2012 at 5:51 AM, Matt Beebe <matthi...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > >>> A brooks or similar metal-frame/leather saddle takes time to break > in, > > >>> but once it is, it becomes obviously worth the money. I've never > ridden > > >>> in special shorts or padding, just normal pants, and I can ride 135 > mile > > >>> days on this type of saddle. BUT not straight out of the box- it > needs > > >>> to break-in time, probably the first 1000 or so miles, plus a few > rain > > >>> showers. After that you'll never think about the saddle again. > > > > >>> Some folks try, but don't like, brooks saddles because they have > heard > > >>> the hype and expect them to be more comfortable right away- but > this is > > >>> not true in my experience- especially not with very thick hides > like on > > >>> the specials or professionals. People who ride regularly will find > any > > >>> saddle comfortable sooner, because their legs are a bit stronger so > the > > >>> saddle does not bear as much of their weight. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
