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review
£95.00
VERDICT:
Adds a fair bit of weight to your bike for performance riding but it's so comfortable
Weight:
426g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
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The Cambium C15 Carved All Weather is an extension of Brooks' well-received saddle range that don't come with a leather upper. Vulcanised rubber is what you find here, with no breaking-in period needed. I found it a very comfortable saddle, but it is a little on the weighty side.
- Pros: Rubber upper is like having suspension, very comfortable shape
- Cons: Noticeably heavy
A few years back Brooks took a step away from its famous leather saddles with the launch of the Cambium. It was an instant hit, Jez tried one of the lightweight performance models, the C13 with carbon fibre rails, and was very impressed.
> Find your nearest dealer here
The range has evolved, with the All Weather models having the cotton top layer replaced with a nylon one which makes it completely waterproof, ideal if your bike has to spend a lot of time outside in the elements.
Its main construction is still made from vulcanised rubber, and the saddle is very comfortable. The upper works almost like an elastomer to take any vibration out of the ride, and it'll even take out the small bumps from a gravel track too.
The Carved part of the name is in relation to the cutout in the middle of the saddle, as you can also get a non-cutout version. Without trying both models side by side it's difficult to say whether one one would suit me more than the other, but I certainly didn't find this one an issue. If you are looking to splash this much money on a saddle, I'm guessing you already know which way you're inclined, cutout or no cutout.
> Buyer's Guide: 10 of the best high-performance saddles
The All Weather comes in a range of widths, the C19 is widest and aimed at riders who prefer a more upright position, while this C15 is for those with a more forward, performance bias. The C17 sits somewhere in between. (The size for the C15 is listed as Lx283mm, Wx140mm, Hx52mm).
I found the narrow nose of the C15 perfect for the type of riding it's intended for. I could get really low and pedal hard without my thighs rubbing against the sides or feeling like anything was getting crushed.
Its one downside is its weight: 426g is pretty massive for a performance saddle and it is noticeable, although it's a good compromise with the comfort.
> Buyer's Guide: 19 of the best saddles
The C15 is really in its element on a quick audax machine or long range tourer/bikepacking expedition where you want the racier position but with some forgiveness.
Brooks saddles have never been cheap but this Cambium is towards the lower end at £95. It's difficult to compare on value, as we really don't see a lot of saddles aimed at performance riding with this level of comfort.
BBB's Echelon saddle has a good go with its cutout design being suited to both on road and off-road excursions. It's a bit cheaper than the Brooks at £69.95 and lighter too, 276g.
The Cambium All Weather is handmade in Italy and comes with a two-year warranty which, if you register it after purchase, increases to 10 years. That's pretty good and shows that Brooks is confident in its reliability.
Verdict
Adds a fair bit of weight to your bike for performance riding but it's so comfortable
road.cc test report
Make and model: Brooks Cambium C15 Carved All Weather
Size tested: C15
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Brooks says, "The Cambium All Weather C15 Carved is made for years of hard riding in a forward riding position, and features hole for pressure relief and additional flex, eliminating contact points which cause discomfort for some riders. With the same contemporary design of the Brooks Cambium range, the All Weather is a durable and comfortable saddle that is 'ready to ride', thanks to a vulcanised natural rubber top for flexible performance requiring no breaking in period. From freezing rain to blazing sunshine, the waterproof, weatherproof nylon cover is made to perform flawlessly in all conditions. Additionally the updated fibreglass reinforced back plate has loops for a saddle bag or other accessory."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Brooks:
UV & abrasion resistant
Waterproof nylon top
Vulcanised natural rubber upper
'Carved' cut out for pressure relief
Various width options - C15, C17 & C19
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
9/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
6/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
9/10
Rate the product for value:
6/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It delivers the comfort that Brooks saddles are famed for without the need for a breaking in period like that needed for the leather models.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Shock absorbing upper.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The weight of it.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? I'd be quite tempted as I found it ideal on the gravel bike.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
The Cambium C15 All Weather is a very good saddle for the type of rider who wants a performance shape but whose priority is comfort over weight. It's very well made for the money too.
About the tester
Age: 40
I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed
As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!
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7 comments
very comfortable, but the materal is eating away my bib shorts
I've just bought C15 - regular version. It's amazing and I love it. It has the flat profile, similar to Fizik Arione and the likes, but it's so nice and comfortable (not in the bad squidgy way). Mine hasn't started squeeking yet, but it seems like that can be solved pretty quickly - received lots of advices already.
Best 400g added to the bike ever. Saving weight is not all - especially if you don't ride some super light sub 6kg machine and you're Peter Sagan and racing.
'If you are looking to splash this much money on a saddle, I'm guessing you already know which way you're inclined, cutout or no cutout.'
And if I don't know? Which would be better for heavier rider?
I have a c15 (not the all weather version) and it started creaking after a few months use.
I thought it was coming from the nose of the saddle, so I undid the torx holding the front clamp in place and applied a thin coating of grease to the rails at this point (and on the inside of the clamps), reassambled and the noise was (and still has) gone.
It's a really comfy saddle, but yes it is heavy (I think the all weather version is even heavier than the standard). Not too much of an issue on a commuter though.
Interesting, I've greased the rear mounts but not the front, will do that next.
Did you get any squeaking or creaking under power? I've got a C17 which is super-comfy but noisy. There's a lot of play in the rails where they slot into the metal bracket at the rear and I think that's what it is. Either that or I'm bottoming out against the top of the seatpost. Most noticeable when climbing.