A Brooks Seat Without the Break-In Period

Loyalists of Brooks’ costly leather saddles have to embrace a healthy streak of masochism—some report claim that it can take more than 500 miles before the leather conforms to your sit bones. For those with less patience (or little interest in enduring the pain throughout the break-in period), the new Cambium seats offers a way to adorn your bike with the hipster-trendy Brooks brand without getting a sore backside. The saddles in the line are made of vulcanized natural rubber and organic cotton canvas, enhanced by a thin layer of structural textile for added resilience. The seat’s architecture is designed to work like a hammock, absorbing shock and vibration with out-of-the-box comfort. To protect the seat from the elements, they treat the cotton top with Brooks Numac. The limited-edition saddle comes in men’s and women’s models (C17 and C17s, respectively), with another, narrower model slated for release some time in 2014. And at around $235 a pop, you also get that famous Brooks price tag. —Nathan Borchelt