Cambium C15 Carved, Carbon Racing Waterproof Saddle

I bought this saddle on a lark, knowing I could return it to Amazon if I didn't like it. I had my reservations since it didn't look comfortable (e.g., no real padding). What drove me to try it was a review about how this saddle made it possible for the reviewer's friends to ride a bike again. Other reviewers trashed it as the most uncomfortable saddle they ever used. In the past, I've owned probably 25-30 saddles including Selle SMP, Brooks (leather), Fizik Aliante, Selle Anatomica, Fabric, Cannondale, Bi-Saddle, and a bunch more that I've forgotten. My latest was SqLab 610 which was about 70% comfortable after getting used to riding on a perch. So I was skeptical about this Brooks C13. After some minor adjustments, the saddle was incredibly comfortable the first time I rode it. After 4+ hours on the bike, it was still comfortable, which isn't something I can say about any of my other saddles. In short, this is the most comfortable saddle I have ever ridden on.

Got this one to replace a Fizik Argo R5 150mm, as I found that one rather uncomfortable on longer rides. I am so happy that I did, as this is maybe a little less comfortable overall (hard rubber versus the Fizik's kind of spongier rubber/stiff foam material) but the shape is what makes this one come out on top. While the jagged lines on the Fizik would really dig into me after an hour or so of hard riding, this one is just perfect with the rounded shape and the perineum cutout works fine, as long as it's adjusted correctly. Couldn't recommend it more for any serious road rider, this is a great saddle and I can't see replacing it for any good reason.

I wanted to like this saddle as it was initially very comfortable. Over time though I started to develop some pressure sores and despite numerous adjustments I could not eliminate the pressure points - all I could do was shift where they developed. I ride daily for a little over an hour and for the first 45 minutes or so no issues, it was that last 15 minutes where I started to feel the issues. Ultimately I don't think it's a design issue, I think that for whatever reason it just wasn't compatible with my anatomy which is why I'm still giving it four stars.

Nice saddle in design, construction, esthetics. Made in Italy by Selle Royal (Brooks owner). Fit is another matter. Lots of talk out there about sit bone width, but there is also flesh, muscle, meat to consider. You just have to try them all, unless you’re a pro rider and have tried them all already. I found the carved zone uncomfortable. The ridge/edge of the carve puts pressure in a place where it should be relieved. I will probably go with the C17 standard (and I have narrow sit bones (105mm) but meat on those bones). I tried C15 carved and C17 carved. This saddle has no padding but is very flexible, gives laterally and longitudinally hammock-like. The carved style does not improve this design in my estimation.

Pros: I can use this without padded shorts. The flexible top helps absorb vibrations and small bumps on my hardtail MTB, improving comfort. It's weatherproof. Cons: started squeaking terribly after a few weeks. Really obnoxious. There's a lot of play where the rails insert in the rear. I took it apart and put some teflon tape around the rails to secure them and that helped but it still squeaks a bit. Poor quality control on the fitment. The nose is convex, firm, and slightly raised. This is worse when you sit on the saddle because you sink in a bit. That means it puts unnecessary pressure on my soft tissues. I adjusted the tilt to reduce this but it's a very fine balance between tilted too far, tipping me forward, and putting excessive pressure. If the rails didn't squeak and the nose was flatter instead of convex and not raised it would be perfect. Unfortunately this limits how much time I can spend in the saddle for long touring days. Swing and a miss for Brooks.

As most have stated, the actual weight is a bit on the girthy side even for the Cambium C15 variant. But its not heavier than more budget friendly saddled! That being said, once you dial it in, the comfort factor is high. My older cut out gel saddle started having issues with comfort after about a year of average riding. Seeing as this saddle really has no actual wear points since the surface itself is the actual cushion/suspension point, I can't see it wearing out in a speedy fashion. +1 would buy again. added bonus: When you crash...because we all do, there is no seat fabric to shred on the 20 grit pavement or 1 grit gravel.

There are hundreds of reviews out there for this saddle and all Brooks Cambiums so I won't ramble on forever. Brooks Cambium are some of the best, most comfortable saddles out there. I have them on all of my gravel and MTB bikes. Some are carved and some are not The carved does provide a little more "give" and maybe more forgiving on long gravel rides, but my old standard (non-carved) model has never disappointed me either. They require ZERO break-in. Bolt it on and ride until your legs give out. Obviously saddles are very personal items by nature, but if you ride a lot, you probably owe it to yourself to try one of these and make your own judgement. 5 STARS. If you can find one under $100 new on Amazon like I did, 6 STARS!

This is a very very nice saddle. The cut out was a uncomfortable for myself, so I'm returning that one and buying the solid one. The rubber material has a natural give which accommodates very well. The surface is grippy, so you can't adjust your position without lifting off a tiny bit. Really like the modern clean aesthetic.

The C15 saddles from Brooks is awesome Very sleek and comfy, no regrets

薄くて軽いですがしっかりしています。上手にしなるのでお尻の痛みもありません。ロングライドには使っておらず、通勤用のフラットバーロードにつけて使っていますが、特に不満はありません。見た目がスタイリッシュでカッコいいことと合わせて評価すると値段相応です。良い商品です。

Beautiful and comfortable on the road bike. No more sore butt

Es un buen sillín. Cuando montas se siente duro, pero te acostumbras. A mi me va muy bien.

Dopo aver cambiato tante selle ritengo che la BROOKS C15 Carved sia la migliore in assoluto mai provata. Raccomando una acccurata regolazione nel montaggio per apprezzarne a pieno la qualita'.