BROOKS England is the legendary British bicycle saddle maker, founded in 1866 in Birmingham by John Boultbee Brooks — originally as a workshop for horse saddles and leather goods. The brand's origin story is one of the most charming in cycling history: in 1878 Brooks's beloved horse died, and he didn't have the money to buy a new one. He commuted to work on a bicycle borrowed from a friend, but the wooden saddle of the time was so uncomfortable that Brooks vowed to find a solution to the problem. The result came in 1882 — the first Brooks leather bicycle saddle patent. In 1888 the B17 model went on sale, and is still in production today as the brand's best-selling saddle — making it likely the longest continuously produced bicycle component in the world. Brooks saddles are still handmade in a brick factory in Smethwick on the outskirts of Birmingham, to which the company moved in the 1950s after the previous factory was bombed during World War II. A special detail: most of the machines in the factory also date from the 1950s — the production process was already so refined that there has been no need for new ones. When a machine breaks down, the parts are taken to a local metal workshop where new ones are made. Every classic Brooks saddle is made from a single piece of vegetable-tanned leather stretched over a metal frame, and through use it gradually takes on the shape of the rider's seat. The cherry on top: a well-maintained leather saddle lasts decades, and the factory has told the story of a 72-year-old man who returned a saddle he had been riding continuously since buying it as a 15-year-old. Today's Brooks is no museum: since 2013 the brand has also offered the Cambium collection — saddles made of organic cotton and vulcanised rubber that need no breaking in and no maintenance, while keeping the same classic silhouette. The range also includes high-quality leather bags, handlebar grips and bells — everything that turns a bike into a classic ride. Brooks was bought by Raleigh in 1962, regained its independence in 1999 after Raleigh collapsed, and since 2002 has belonged to Italy's Selle Royal group — but all production has remained in Birmingham. The Brooks philosophy is simple and entirely British: do things slowly, properly, from one good material — and they will last a lifetime.
