General Cycling Discussion - Brooks saddle newbie questions.

Hi y'all.

Gettin' me first Brooks B17.

1. Will parking the bike outdoors with the saddle subjected to blazing summer sunlight hurt the saddle in any way?
2. Anything to do to treat it after it gets wet from rain/sweat?

Or just leave it alone?

Thanks.

Mine is about a year old, and some think its 10. It has been soaked, scratched when the bike was flipped upside down to change a tire, and left to dry out in the hot sun. It has been scuffed from road sand between my butt and it for miles at a time.

Yet once a little of the proofide is applied, and buffed in, its back to great looking. Now if you want it to remain like it was when new in the box, then of course you can never use it outside. But it is a bicycle saddle that's meant to show all the signs of wear and age. And still perform.

Thanks for the info. Those are encouraging words.
As long as it still keeps its shape and comfort, I am happy.

1. "Parking the bike outdoors." Is this going to be on a college campus? If so, sun and rain are the least of your problems. THEFT is what you should be worrying about. If it was my bike I'd pick up an OEM take-off saddle from any LBS for $5.00 or $10.00 to use on campus.

2. A Brooks saddle is an outdoor product. It'll handle a little sun and rain. Occasional Profide treatments are good. RIDING on a soaking wet Brooks saddle is real bad. It'll stretch it out and make it unuseable. I stuff a plastic grocery bag under my Brooks saddles to cover them when it rains.

A grocery bag/bungee cord combo will work. So will a large shower cap.

Once the saddle gets wet, you need to let it dry before you ride on it (much).

The Aardvark saddle cover (see http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.php?PART_NUM_SUB=%271005-00%27) is great for keeping the saddle dry. (It'll also cover the saddle so passersby won't see what a nice saddle you have on the bike!) Recommended for long rides in the rain, or when you're dripping sweat.

Depends on what blazing sun means to you. Routine 90-100 F weather will dry the saddle out, which seems to make it more permeable to sweat or rain. Of course, those temps also make it easy to rub Proofide on and it will be absorbed by the saddle in no time flat.

80's-100's for the blazing heat category.
Shower cap under the seat sounds like a great tip! Thanks!

Usually I commute and park it in the garage at work. Only about 9 of us there. I think theft chance would be low.
I do rec rides and keep the bike with me.
Only time leaving it out would be short. But if theft is really that big of a problem, I guess I would take my other bike for unattended locking up.

Yep ... shower cap or plastic grocery bag.


And when you get the saddle, you'll discover that it is very hard and very slippery. It should remain hard for the rest of its life, but the slippery feeling should go away after a week or so.

If you really aren't comfortable after your first few rides, try tilting the nose of the saddle up. I know that might not sound right, but most Brooks riders have the nose of their saddles tilted up. It's more comfortable that way because it forces you back onto your sitbones.

And don't fall into the trap of doing all sorts of weird things to your saddle to break it in. It may take some time to break the saddle in but if you are struggling a bit to break yours in, there is something you can do to speed the process a bit ... without baking, or hitting, or doing any of the strange stuff people do to their Brooks saddles.

Like what?

Like what?
Ride it!

Yes.

#1 Ride it.

A Brooks saddle is a commitment. You've actually got to get out there and ride it lots.

Will do.