Commuting - Brooks Saddles and Rain/Cold

I'm thinking about spending some of an annual bonus on a Brooks saddle for my commuter. My riding conditions include 0F temperatures, snow and rain. I keep my bike (Surly Cross-Check) inside at home and at work.

Will these conditions mess up the saddle? Are there any covers available, or should I just use a plastic grocery bag? Or do I really need to get a second seatpost so I can quickly put my old saddle back on in bad weather?

And yes, I know I would need to kit the conditioning kit to keep the leather in decent shape.

There are covers available, but I haven't used one. Since you store it out of the weather, and when you are riding it you are covering it, shouldn't have any problems. I apply Proofide whenever it looks like it needs it. I would make sure no snow or ice is under it when you bring it in.

I have one of the Velox stretch covers for mine. I think it's also a good idea to run fenders if you run a Brooks, to keep stuff from splashing up and hitting the underside of the saddle.

I have one of the Velox stretch covers for mine. I think it's also a good idea to run fenders if you run a Brooks, to keep stuff from splashing up and hitting the underside of the saddle.
Fortunately, I do have fenders.

When I got my Brooks saddle, it looked liked it had already been abandoned outside for the entirety of the previous decade. I spray it with furniture wax occasionally and otherwise don't worry about it. So far, so good (no additional stretching).

I agree with all the above posters. With caution, you won't have any trouble with a Brooks. I also have the Velox seat cover and it fits my Team Pro great, though it has rubbed thin in a few places after being squashed in my saddle bag. I used a grocery bag for a long time, but the covers are reasonably priced and give a much better fit. Put a thick rubber band on the seat post before you put it on the bike so that you'll have a secure attachment for a grocery bag if you need one quick.

The only thing I don't like about the Velox cover is that the rubberized surface has too much traction on my butt. I've gotten really used to the slippery surface of the Brooks, and appreciate the freedom of movement it gives me. With the Velox cover on, I have to lift my ass off the seat to move.

I put Proofide on my 2 Brooks saddles, and throw a grocery bag or small trash bag on if I'm going to ride in the rain. They've both done fine that way for 4-5 years. Cold and snow don't seem to bother them, the winter commuter bike stays outside in temps down to below 0 F.

Rivendell sells a saddle cover made for the Brooks, but it just doesn't seem worth the trouble when you can get grocery bags for free.

I have a Swift on my commute bike and have had no problems. I prefer the low-tech solution of tying a plastic grocery bag around it if it's really pouring. With full fenders rain is not an issue. I can't speak for how it might react to actual cold. Below 40 is considered "cold" here.

The leather appears to be similar to a good shoe. If you store it inside, use fenders and occasionally Proofride it then you shouldn't need a cover and you should get many years of service out of it.
I got a B-17 this summer. It has already been through several rain storms and snowy/slushy commutes and it still looks nearly new. The only changes so far are the slight moulding that happens as a Brooks breaks in.
Craig

There are covers available, but I haven't used one. Since you store it out of the weather, and when you are riding it you are covering it, shouldn't have any problems. I apply Proofide whenever it looks like it needs it. I would make sure no snow or ice is under it when you bring it in.
Correct, no need for a cover unless stored outside in the rain or to conceal the quality of the saddle from thiefs.

I have never found any need to use Proofhide or any other conditioner or wax on the Brooks or Wright leather saddles which I have used for the last 34 years. Saddle works fine without.

Pictures below are of the Brooks B66 on my bike after riding to work today at 3ºF. This saddle came on a Raleigh Superbe I bought new in 1976. Only maintenance so far is replacement of the coil springs. I have never covered this saddle except when left outside in the rain.

when you are riding it you are covering it, shouldn't have any problems.
I stand up fairly often (especially on fixed gear) and also don't sit on saddle when stopped at lights. My well Proofided Brooks got very deeply soaked from the top thru to the bottom (bottom was fully protected) during an 8mi commute during very heavy rainfall.

Al

<snip> and when you are riding it you are covering it, shouldn't have any problems.<snip>Hmmm... don't risk it. in a good rain, it is irrelevant if you are sitting on it. Water runs down and will soak it, perhaps not as fast as just standing it in the rin, but it will definitely get wet through and through.

I'm a bagit and Proofide fan. I've found that my B5N gets really cruddy looking when it gets wet, even with lots of Proofide on it. I was a grocery bag fan, now have moved up to a large ziplock storage bag. (great for storing small bike parts too! a box of 20 is a coupla bucks)
I partial commute and for the driving part the bike rides in the back of my pickup at highway speeds. I've lost a few grocery bags this way, the ziplocks stay on forever. (so far..)

Thanks for the advice. I got the black "Team Professional" saddle today before the Nashbar 20% off ended. I should have it Thursday.

It stretches out something terrible if you let it get wet. I'm pretty disappointed with mine in fact because of that. And do NOT buy the official Brooks brand saddle cover, it is NOT waterproof. And Proofide does NOT waterproof or even "showerproof" as they advertise. A proofided saddle, no matter HOW much you proofide it, will get soaked if you leave it out in the rain.

I just use proofride and I keep a shower cap folded under the seat in case I have to get off in the rain.

I've got Brooks on all my bikes and used them in the Northwest for over a decade now, and I rarely worry about covering my saddles if I'm running errands around town. I've never ridden with a saddle cover on.

I cover them with a plastic bag if I'm done riding for the day while touring and it's raining or I have to park for the day out in the rain, but I really prefer to get my bike under a tarp so it dries out a bit, instead of bundling the seat up in a plastic bag.

I've been emulsifying beeswax into my saddle 'dope' for the wetter season, it seems to add great water repellancy. And using Obenauf's Montana boot grease, this is very similar to proofhide but more resiliant.

Lately I have started applying Nikwax Aqueous Wax to my B17 to give it some waterproofing. Proofide doesn't seem to provide any waterproofing at all.

Honestly I was a little disgruntled... The first time I posted a "what happens if my brooks gets wet" question I got responses like "No big deal, it can take it" or "I rode in the rain for 8 hours, it's more comfortable than ever"...

Then when I posted "Hey I rode mine wet and now it sucks" I got a bunch of "Don't do that don't you know you're supposed to cover it and keep it from getting wet?" responses.

I figure that using a cover and attempting to keep it from getting soaked doesn't have a downside, and I have heard enough stories of ruined wet saddles to make the little trouble worthwhile.

Honestly I was a little disgruntled... The first time I posted a "what happens if my brooks gets wet" question I got responses like "No big deal, it can take it" or "I rode in the rain for 8 hours, it's more comfortable than ever"...

Then when I posted "Hey I rode mine wet and now it sucks" I got a bunch of "Don't do that don't you know you're supposed to cover it and keep it from getting wet?" responses.

I figure that using a cover and attempting to keep it from getting soaked doesn't have a downside, and I have heard enough stories of ruined wet saddles to make the little trouble worthwhile.
Thanks. Yesterday, I ordered the Velox cover. It was $8 including shipping. That's a small price to pay to protect the investment in the saddle.

Wax should work for some water resistance. Filson's advocates wax to waterproof their tin cloth garments.

proofhide as well as many other traditional greas based leather waterproofers use beeswax or propolis in their dope mix, I just add a little more for the winter season.

you can cook it up on the stove, or apply your saddle dope traditionally, then emulsify the beeswax in by utilizing a hairdryer and a hunk of wax. melt dope and wax togther, let sit overnight, warm prefferably, then wipe down excess.

Thanks. Yesterday, I ordered the Velox cover. It was $8 including shipping. That's a small price to pay to protect the investment in the saddle.

DC, remeber to pull off the Velox cover if its inside. Down here in the humid south, I got in the habit of putting it during summer storms and leaving it on even if I parked it under a covered area. The Velox rubber doesn't breath and the saddle got some mildew spots on the top. It wipped right off without any problems, but just a consideration. (BTW, my friend calls it the seat condom)

hey guys.. i'm curious, what's the big deal about these "brooks" saddles? are they extremely comfortable or extremely durable or what? i've been hearing alot of them... i'm not hatin'... just asking a simple question.

Daily, what do you think of your new saddle? is it that much better than your other saddles in the past?

PS. i'm asking b/c i'm in the market for a new saddle again.

thanks.

Agreed. I find the ergonomic (Bontrager) saddles work well.
The Brooks look nice enough. But the ergo ones seem more easy on the areas that need it.

Is this Velox cover comfortable to ride with?

Al

Brooks are leather saddles, which means they start out hard and slowly adapt to your body (the leather stretches in the right places). Eventually they wind up being super duper comfy supposedly. In my case, I rode it wet and the leather over-stretched. Personally I liked it hard, actually. I was really happy with it until it got over-stretched.

I'm a bagit and Proofide fan. I've found that my B5N gets really cruddy looking when it gets wet, even with lots of Proofide on it. I was a grocery bag fan, now have moved up to a large ziplock storage bag. (great for storing small bike parts too! a box of 20 is a coupla bucks)
I partial commute and for the driving part the bike rides in the back of my pickup at highway speeds. I've lost a few grocery bags this way, the ziplocks stay on forever. (so far..)

Using a Ziploc bag is a GREAT idea! I've heard the grocery bag thing before, but never a Ziploc. You should start your own thread, so lots of Brooks users will see your wonderful idea! :)

Is this Velox cover comfortable to ride with?

It's tight against the saddle and not even noticable. Like someone posted earlier, it is grippier than the smooth Brooks leather so in that regard it can feel a bit strange. I don't usually ride on it unless I'm going to be on and off the bike several times in the rain.

Personally I liked it hard

If I had a buck for all the times I've heard that! :D

You'd have a buck? ;)

. . . Daily, what do you think of your new saddle? is it that much better than your other saddles in the past?

PS. i'm asking b/c i'm in the market for a new saddle again. . . .
I should have had it today, but I'm still waiting for it. Without telling me Nashbar decided to ignore my two-day shipping order and sent it parcel post instead because my order included Halt!. It will arrive at my office when I'm on vacation.

Fortunately, Nashbar has made it right. They're overnighting the order minus the Halt! at their expense They're also mailing me a postage-paid label to return the original order at their expense. (In hindsight, I should have asked for a gift certificate in the amount they're spending on extra shipping.)

Everyone makes mistakes, but Nashbar has dealt with this fairly and honestly.

Lesson one: Always do orders over the phone.
Lesson two: Nashbar is honest, but their web site is bad on tracking, so if you want something fast, follow up by phone.

I do the same. that is leather dressing and a shower cap. Oh, about riding in cold. I commuted in Denver in the 80's all weather and was forced to park outside. My Brooks would would get warm and wet in my 6 mile ride to work. After freezing outside it would thaw again riding home. Outside in the rain then I used a shower cap while parked.

I got it last Thursday. I've been fiddling with the adjustments (up/down, front/back, tilt down/tilt up) and today I finally got it right. I had to tilt it just a little up, which would be a problem if I were on the drops for hours at a time. But since this is a commute, not a race, it works just fine.

The Velox cover should arrive any day now.

Someone I work with suggested a shower cap. I take them out of hotel rooms whenever I travel and have about 4 now. I've yet to try one, but it seems to fit ok (as shower caps go).

For bad weather commuting I "shelve" my Brooks and use a cheap plastic saddle. Don't really need another seatpost unless you have one lying around somewhere.

Unless you are multi-day touring, why mess and crud up a perfectly good (and expensive) Brooks if you don't have to?

For bad weather commuting I "shelve" my Brooks and use a cheap plastic saddle. Don't really need another seatpost unless you have one lying around somewhere.

Unless you are multi-day touring, why mess and crud up a perfectly good (and expensive) Brooks if you don't have to?
I thought the second post would be helpful because it would make be easier to switch-off seats. You'd only need to get the heighth right. Plus, it looks like you can get a second post cheap.