since6

I am about to begin the process of breaking in a Brooks saddle "Flyer" w/ springs. I have read Sheldon Browns article on this and a couple other articles online. It seems there are two trains of thought, one which is faster (soaking the leather in various products to soften it), but may risk the saddle over the long term and one which is slower (using the Brooks products), but may risk your butt for a longish time too. Any suggestions, experience as to either method?

This will be an off again/on again bike, probably getting ridden once a week for two hours and/or with Grandson, whereas the Single and Tandem road bikes will soak up the much longer hours and miles rides (with Selle Italia Gel Flow Max cut out seats). Which also raises a question of will two hours a week doing break in on the Brooks saddle unhinge the 4/5 days a week, 3-5 hour rides on the Selle Italia saddle?

Thanks for your thoughts and advice.

Cyclist0108

In my (limited) experience, do nothing for the first six months, and then apply a bit of proofhide. I have one B17 saddle with about 200 miles on it and one B17 with about 6 or 8K on it. They don't really feel that different.

linberl

All I can tell you is that it took nearly 8 months for my Brooks to finally get totally comfortable, and the first month was literally agonizing. I rode home standing up a few times. I used the proofhide and Brooks recommended method. Mine was the B17 (no springs). I love this saddle now but if it was stolen, I would get the cambium or already aged models. For context, that was 8 months of 70 miles per week, but I only weigh 130 pounds and I don't think I put much pressure on it. I did attempt the "step on it" method but it did not seem to make a difference. I'm still not sure if the saddle broke in or my butt did. Good luck!

trailangel

^^I don't know what this means.
I never soak leather saddle in anything. Use the Brooks product once or twice and ride the saddle to break it in.... what it does is break your ass in.
Don't over do the softening of the saddle. Clean it after a long ride with damp rag to get the salt from sweat off the leather. You can put Kiwi clear shoe polish on the saddle and it will not soften it.
Never put Snow Seal on saddle... you don't want to make it waterproof, just water resistant. If you make it waterproof it will get wet regardless from sweat or humidity and it will not be able to dry.... and it will start to rot.

since6

Thanks both, for context I am a heavy rider 270, who is working the miles and hours and food on the way down. But for now, heavy.

Now for the good news, I will be riding on 26 inch wheels with nearly 2 inch road tires at very comfortable pressures 50-60 lbs. I am re-creating the vintage upright riding position of my first single speed and three speed bikes, so the spring seat.

Don't know if this information changes anything.

lostarchitect 

I think soaking the leather is nuts. They "break in" on their own to some degree, but IMO it's desirable to keep them hard and firm. If it's not comfortable when new, you probably need to adjust your setup, or sometimes the saddle just doesn't suit the rider.

since6

trailangel, didn't know if going between two different types of saddles, one which will be breaking in, while the other two saddles, see above post I am at home with for 3-5 hour rides, if the soreness/pain of break in will impair the riding...now that I think about it why wouldn't it???

But then the riding position is totally different between the three bikes, the break in saddle will be on a upright, modern recreation of the early 60s balloon tired bike, while the other two will be traditional road bike geometry.

Guess I should just drop this question as the only way to tell will be riding.

So it sounds like the best way to proceed is with the traditional Brooks products following there instructions and letting time heal what it can?

since6

lostarchitect I agree while oil will soften the leather soaked leather does stretch and that's not a good idea for a bike seat. Though I could always tell it was true winter growing up as a child when the house filled with the odor of Mink Oil after my dad had finished greasing his logging boots and set them before our oil heater in the home. I think it probably kept us safe from congestion for at least a couple weeks, think Vics Vapor rub on steroids.

trailangel

What a luxury ....... a sprung saddle.....what could hurt?

fleslider 

Im also a 270 lb Rider, and i would just ride it keep it maintained with the proofhide but dont over do it. Really like has been said its your butt that needs to be broken in. I have a couple B17's and the older one is marginally softer than the new one, and they both feel great... now but it took some time to break in the butt to be comfortable.

use a good pair of riding shorts and take it as you go. dont let the shorts get to sweaty and if you get some saddle sores get them medicated and gone.

since6

Well in the case of my second sprung saddle, again in the early 60s, the calf of my right leg after the nut fell off the bolt for the angle iron piece at the nose whose jagged edge dropped free and gouged my calf when I laid the bike down. Bike weighed as much as me and too tired to feel it until my mother noticed me tracking blood across the kitchen vinyl.

Thanks fleslider very good advice. I do plan to go slow and enjoy as much as I can. While for a young guy pain may be weakness leaving the body, pain for an old guy is just...pain.

gugie 

I put new saddles on my commute bike. It's only 8 miles in either direction, so no matter how hard they are to start I can handle it. Once I don't notice the saddle anymore, I transfer it to whatever bike it's meant for.

Cyclist0108

If you are getting actual pain, you need to reposition the saddle, or get a different one.

arex

Rub your butt on it.

70sSanO

I can't remember how long it took me to break in my Brooks, but I did turn it upside down in the hot sun and used glove oil on it till it would soak in. Used to repeat every summer or two... three if I got lazy. Did that for 20+ years and never had a crack in the leather. I've moved to a different saddle, but leather is still soft.

John

sunburst

Have you mounted it or coated it with some product? In other words, can you still return it?
Because the B67 is a much better choice, imho, than a Flyer for an upright position.

I've got two B17s (same width as Flyer), four B67s and two B68s.

Salamandrine 

That's what I would recommend. Read the instructions. A bit of proofide. Ride the bike. The first ride is the hardest. 2nd time will be twice as comfortable. After a few rides it should be pretty good. Mostly just time and sweat is what does it.

If you soak it in neatsfoot oil or whatever you're likely to ruin it. I did neatsfoot oil once in the bad old days when that's what you were supposed to do. Even though I didn't soak it and in fact was rather careful, I felt the results were a net loss.

crank_addict

I might sound way off base here but I'd rather not want nor expect a spring base saddle to 'break in'. The coil spring saddles do the majority of absorbing load and shock.

Its likely been Proofide applied from the factory so don't immediately do another rub in coat.

Use that stuff with discretion but not liberal, maybe perhaps every few years... depending. You want that leather to breath and keep it balanced, yet avoid all cost to not over soften. The leather is just a portion of the comfort and with idea in conforming to the sit bones. Its all they had way back in the early years and so its a traditional idea that happens to work very well today. Thats all, so respect it for its limitations, treat and take care of it properly.

Now for the non coil saddles, it follows the idea as above -mildly conform to the sit bones, but not overly soften the leather to where it loses longevity or permanently ruin it. Consider as well the support of the leather has to work even more than coil spring versions.

Much as I enjoy the site and respect the late Sheldon Brown, I think he once mentioned of saturating saddles with old motor oil! LOL

Brooks offers a nice range of sized frames and the trick is finding what works best for one. Perhaps none. Its all subjective. There's no right or wrong saddle but I've seen plenty of Brooks saddles less than a year old, completely ruined by neglect to understanding the use and care of it. Then they get a bad rap.

Also, these can take a mild short rain but not saturate. Keep it covered, including the underside while riding in rain. Suggest to tuck a disposable plastic grocery bag underneath. Should the surprise shower come, its readily available.

Lastly, and as someone mentioned riding shorts / pants. Without question I think is just important as saddle selection.

Happy trails-

JohnDThompson 

The Brooks saddles I use here (three "Professional" saddles, and two sprung B-66 saddles) have been perfectly comfortable right from the start; no "break-in" needed. Of course, YMMV.

since6

Thanks all for excellent advice. Probably won't start on the saddle until Sunday and then mount it on Monday and wait for a drier day to take it out for a spin. The bike has fenders so that will help a lot to keep the wet away.

Springer seat LoL. I put the seat on a bench and pushed and it gave a little, be interesting to see what this all feels like, but then that's why I built up an upright riding bike, just to see what is was like long ago when I first started out. Hope for pleasant memories, but plan for a sore tukuss. Thanks again.

since6

Last thought a little humor, often sing in my head to enjoy the ride and pass the time, already got the tune down for breaking in the Brooks:

Hoo, like a Brooks Seat virgin
Springing down the trail for the very first time
Like a Brooks Seat virgin
When your leather seat beats
Up on mine!

Nite all.

UKFan4Sure

I have a B17 Imperial, the one with the long slit in the middle and the supporting laces on the sides. I used Proof Hide when I first purchased it, rubbing it all over the bottom of the seat. I mounted it, set it level and have been riding it every since. To me, it was comfortable from day 1, but got even better as it became broken in over the summer last year.

I think everyone's sit bones are a little different, an some people could possibly be blaming the seat when actually it's the individual set up. This won't apply to everyone.

Saddles aren't one size fits all. Some that love one, may hate another and I'm sure the other way around.

Chuck Naill

My one and only experience with the Brooks B17 came from my current bike which came with the saddle. I had experienced saddle discomfort on every bike I had ridden until my dealer suggested raising the nose. I was sliding forward on the level saddle and it hurt. He said you need to be sitting on the flat surface of the saddle for it to be comfortable. Raising the nose will all you to sit on the flat surface. At this point you sits bones will begin to indent the saddle for a custom fit.

gearbasher

I've been using Pros for 35+ years and I prefer them straight out of the box and not "soft". I tension my saddles often, just to keep them more rigid. I average about 12k miles a year on them. Maybe I'm just a masochist.

SJX426 

You become accustomed to the saddle you ride the most. I ride one of two bikes when I commute. One has a Flite TI saddle and the other a Brooks Pro. It takes a couple of days to get comfortable when swapping bikes. The support on the sit bones is completely different and it is not so much the position on the bike, because they are not that different. It is the width of the support from the saddle.

After riding the Flite for a week or two and getting on the Brooks, it feels wider and different muscles in the groin area feel like they are now being exercised. Kinda weird (I did spend over 30 years in the Portland, Or area), but the transition isn't that bad. My conclusion is that it might be a good idea to stick with one saddle for all you rides, as long as you are able to fit to the saddle and the saddle will fit you.