If there was ever a cycling company boasting their “heritage” and “tradition”, Brooks England would be rightfully entitled. To this day, all Brooks products are either inspired by, or replicas of designs dating back to the 1880’s when they began manufacturing.

In their Birmingham, UK factory, every product is handmade, using mostly pre-World War II machinery, and old-fashioned craftsmanship. Through one side door enters all the leather hides, which get fashioned into saddle tops. Using only the highest quality hides possible, Brooks sources their leather from the same Norwegian cattle used in Hermes and Louis Vuitton product. Through the factory's other side door enters the raw metal that gets heated, twisted, and cut into saddle undercarriages. Literally in the middle of the factory floor the two halves of the saddle meet, becoming the finished product recognizable to generations of cyclists.

Of their bags, the ‘Legacy’ line (vegetable-tanned leather) is made in the UK; the ‘Transit’ line (water-resistant canvas, featuring leather details) is made in Tuscany. More recently, Brooks has rounded out their lineup with Boultbee clothing.

Brooks may not be for every cyclist, but those that like it, covet it. Give it a try to see what the fuss is all about. It's worth it.