Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - tips on brooks saddle break in?

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danimal4lovin
07-16-08, 08:44 PM
Anyone have any tips or tricks for breaking in a brooks saddle. I know they have the proofhide, but is there any other tips or methods anyone has used to help the process? Thanks

peabodypride
07-16-08, 08:45 PM
ride it
deathhare
07-16-08, 08:46 PM
dishwasher

Gyeswho
07-16-08, 08:50 PM
just ride a lot. don't mess with those quick break-in methods, but if you want to make it fast get one of the pre-softened ones they sell (unless you already bought it in which case you should refer to the 1st part)
the pope
07-16-08, 09:05 PM
dishwasher

+1
Flimflam
07-16-08, 09:15 PM
lol @ dishwasher (Please do not do that...)

Ride it. Proofide it as per directions, and/or follow Sheldon Browns' sage advice (http://www.sheldonbrown.com). Ride it.

Then ride it some more.
str8flexed
07-16-08, 09:27 PM
Go on long rides with them. I'm only now starting to break mine in after about a year. Granted, I only now started riding it any long distances (several times a week for an hour or so for training) instead of just cruising around town.
Ken Cox
07-16-08, 09:44 PM
I over-greased both of my Brooks saddles (Ti-Swift and B17) and it neither accelerated the break-in nor softened the leather.

I found that tilting the nose of the saddle up just a little more than normal, and experimenting with the fore and aft positioning made the saddle more comfortable.
Live2Die
07-16-08, 09:59 PM
RIDE RIDE RIDE. Mine took about a month of daily commuting to get real nice. I profided with 2 heavy coats upon purchase and once again after the first 2 weeks. I also broke mine in during winter and the rain sped things along. But at the sime time I've already had to re-tension both the bolt and my stitching but it's dialed in now. As said above I was surprised at how high I had to get the nose to get proper fit, and I would definitely suggest a seat post with micro adjustment like a thomson, I wouldn't ride a brooks without one! finally I found that I was focusing on how it was breaking in as I was riding and then noticed it way more (though I was testing for brooks and kinda had to) I wouldn't suggest this because you will notice it a ton for the first month or so. Bottom line, ride it a ton and play with your positioning.
rduenas
07-17-08, 04:04 AM
Also make sure you're not sitting too far back. Don't be sitting on the rivets.