Touring - Brooks Saddles - Rain cover

I'm posting in this touring forum because I think the crowd probably has better experience with Brooks saddles, though this isn't a touring-specific question.:)

I have two bikes. On bike #1 I have a Brooks B17, I ride this bike 80% of the time and most of the times the roads are dry. Bike #2 is a singlespeed that I ride in foul weather, or with lights early in the morning when it is dark. I'm thinking of getting a Brooks B17 for this bike. However, I'm concerned with the saddle getting wet, as 50% of the time I'm riding on wet roads (I don't have fenders yet, but will at some point). I've heard about covers, but wasn't sure if this is something people use when the bike is locked up outside and it is/may rain (I don't tour on this bike so not an issue), or do people ride with the cover on. I've also heard about the shower-cap idea. If anyone has any suggestions on covers I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Don't over think this .. .. use some plastic bags, since you are concerned with wheel spray,
make at least one of the layers of plastic bag big enough to tape around the seatpost.

rode a few wet multi-month tours, with plastic bags and raingear as part of the kit.

Ladies shower caps make good seat covers. The elastic holds them on.

I just use a plastic bag, one of the heavier ones you get at the smarter sort of shop. I lives balled up between the rails, and comes out if it rains hard or I'm parking up for a long time. Partly to keep the rain off, partly to protect it from the sort of scrote who might try to nick my favourite saddle. A polythene bag, even a really fancy one from a wine shop (I'm well posh me) just doesn't look as nickable as honey leather.

The bag is perfectly comfy to ride on, if I'm wearing rain pant I can't tell the difference.

As a side note, I think that leather saddles can take a lot more harsh treatment than a lot of us give them credit for. I have ridden plenty of miles on mine when they are really wet (I live in the UK) and they have been fine. I'm sure my Grandad didn't coddle his as we do.

Ladies shower caps make good seat covers. The elastic holds them on.

+1 Shower cap. I also use it at night when the bike is parked in camp, keeps the dew off of it too.

My bikes have fenders; a saddle bag or just a plastic bag stuffed under the saddle might be adequate to keep road spray off.

I've ridden a fair bit in rain with B-17s. If it's a light rain, and a short commute, I figure my waterproof butt is adequate to keep the saddle dry. If it gets heavier, I like the Aardvark saddle cover - <http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.php?PART_NUM_SUB='1005-00'>. It's not waterproof forever if ridden, but it takes hundreds to a thousand miles of riding on that cover before it develops a leak (IME, of course!). It's also good to hold a plastic grocery bag on if you're going to transport the bike on a car rack in the rain.

My bikes have fenders; a saddle bag or just a plastic bag stuffed under the saddle might be adequate to keep road spray off.

I've ridden a fair bit in rain with B-17s. If it's a light rain, and a short commute, I figure my waterproof butt is adequate to keep the saddle dry. If it gets heavier, I like the Aardvark saddle cover - <http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.php?PART_NUM_SUB='1005-00'>. It's not waterproof forever if ridden, but it takes hundreds to a thousand miles of riding on that cover before it develops a leak (IME, of course!). It's also good to hold a plastic grocery bag on if you're going to transport the bike on a car rack in the rain.

My Aardvark lasted about a year before it wore out, and it got another year of life holding a plastic bag in place. It's pretty much the fancy version of the shower cap.

I use fenders on ALL of my bikes but one, on that one the Brooks saddle gets an extra heavy coat of Proofide on the underside. When the bikes are parked they get plastic bags over the saddles, Target bags are best. I do have shower caps and saddle covers too. FWIW I currently have 8 bikes with Brooks saddles and a few more with other brands like Wrights or Ideale.

Aaron :)

Once you apply Proofhide to top and bottom, the leather is better protected. But, I still use a cover.

Some claim that waterproof covers are actually waterproof. That may be the case when they are new, but I prefer to not trust that they will stay waterproof. I use some cheap lycra covers that are not waterproof, I put those on top of disposable plastic shopping bags. I use the cover to protect the plastic bag and hold it in place.

When the bike is outside in the rain without me on it, I only use the shopping plastic bag without cover. Nobody will steal a disposable plastic bag but they might steal the saddle cover on a rainy day.