This saddle has been creating quite the stir and rightfully so. I’ve been riding the C17 on and off for several months and it’s great, but I usually ride a narrower saddle, so it was never ideal. When Brooks England gave me two C15 Cambiums to try out on my bikes, I was eager to see how it felt on my touring bike and a road bike. First up, is my Geekhouse Woodville touring bike.

I’ve been pedaling around today on the C15 and I’m already in love with it… See more below

It’s damn hot in Austin right now and a black leather Swift gets hot pretty easily. I’m not sure if it’s a placebo effect, but the C15 feels considerably cooler – even though it will show a great deal of sweat when you’re done riding. It’s also way more comfortable out of the packaging than my Swift was, which should be of no surprise.

Granted, part of the allure of a traditional Brooks is that magical moment when it finally breaks in. With the C15, there’s no break in period. If anything, the fabric top gets a little less tacky and begins to show age. You don’t need to worry about it getting wet and you’ll never need to adjust it, or care for it.

The hardware for the Cambium saddles is a point of departure from the copper, hand-hammer rivets, but I like the look. Each of the 200 “pre-launch” saddles have a number laser etched on them. One day, Brooks promised me that they’ll do an all black version. Fingers crossed!

Back to the main difference between the C15 and the C17, the width. Granted, the C15’s 140 mm width, when compared to the C17’s width of 162mm might not seem like that big of a deal, but for my sit bones, it’s a huge improvement.

Width and looks are two important qualities in my saddles and with the C15 you get both, along with superb construction, long rails for ideal placement (especially on a PAUL Tall & Handsome seatpost) and Brooks’ legacy of saddle making.

I’ll put in more around town miles and some dirt thrashing before updating you on this unique saddle. Until then, you can sign up at Brooks to try one out yourself!