jan nikolajsen 

I recently solicited for advice on bringing back an old, near dead leather saddle. See here.

Today I completed the resurrection with an admittedly crude lacing job, in addition to all the oiling, greasing and 5-6 turns on the tensioning nut. I stuck it on the trainer bike and pedaled as hard as my recent knee surgery allowed for maybe 30 minutes. It worked. The saddle is comfy like all the other broken-in tensioned leather saddles I have. Maybe even more, actually, than some. Here I refer to a couple of rock hard French specimens...

Which brings me to another question. Are Brooks saddles really the most comfortable of the lot, or does any have equal luck with others, like Ideale etc? We hear mostly of Brooks, while many offerings on Ebay of lesser known brands finish at very reasonable prices. Are we concerned about pre-ridden saddles?


The treated and laced saddle ready to go


Lacing brings up the spine and makes it rideable


Before picture


Another sad looking picture


3 other classics: Tron and Berthet S.A. BIM 39, Ideale 45 and Brooks B-17


But the Brooks Professional is my all time favorite for long rides.

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rhenning

I feel Brooks are the most consistently the same. I have for example a few of the Belt (Japanese) knock offs and one or two are of Brooks caliber but most are not. Roger

Spinz

Jan what did you use to put the holes in the saddle? Lp

jan nikolajsen 

for punching the holes, one of these:

https://www.jackstoolshed.zoovy.com/p...&utm_campaign=

USAZorro

I've got an old Wright's on my MTB. It's almost as comfortable as my Imperial.

The Ideale on my old British bike needs a few more rides to make it conform. When I got it, it was molded to someone with a very unconventional nether geometry, and it was downright painful. It has gotten progressively less uncomfortable with use.

Oldpeddaller

I'd rate Wrights alongside Brooks with Lycetts not far behind. They are all of similar construction and it's how they are treated that makes the difference IMHO.

Pompiere

Beware of cheap imitations. I had one of these tools that broke apart in my hand while punching a hole. The handles were fine but the cast metal wheel that holds the punches cracked into multiple pieces. I can't remember where I bought it, but I only paid a few dollars for it.

banjo_mole 

Well, I've ridden a Wrights and it was COZY... I want to try an Ideale...

Jan, that saddle looks GREAT now, really great, it's good to see it's now actually rideable, I'm gonna show this to my friends. I hope it treats you well and you get many long years out of it!

(So it's really comfortable now? It was comfortable before, but now, I bet it's godly!)

unworthy1

It's personal taste, but a few notes based on hearsay and *some* personal experience:
Ideale saddles (and that T&B is made by the same company) tend to have slightly thinner leather than Brooks, and the shape tends to be shorter in the nose than Brooks...otherwise, if the shape fits your *ss you will probably love them...except for the alloy-rail versions which ride like rocks.
Wrights was bought out by Brooks and became a cheaper line, so again the leather tends to be thinner...except maybe for the "pre-buyout" units which are very rare.
I find that Fujita and Belt (Japanese copies) also tend to be along the lines of Wrights: thinner and cheaper but maybe you like them just for those reasons.
I haven't yet tried a Persons, a Leppers, or one of those Asian-made Swallow knockoffs...but I hear that Leppers are very good.
BTW that's a B-17 Champion Special you have there: chrome plated rails and cantle with bag loops, big copper rivets.

USAZorro

That reminds me. I have a Belt on my Fuji. Not bad, but it isn't an "all day" saddle.

Road Fan

I guess I really don't remember how stiff my first Pro was, but I have an Ideale 92 that in about 1500 miles has not softened, and it seems really thick. Bought new in 1984.

I have a Velo-Orange Swallow-style that is too new to comment on, save that it's starting out flat and comfy.

cyclotoine

I have an ideale 92 but I found it too short for my large geometry... It's only good for upright use I feel.. at this point in it's life anyway. I'm a tall guy and saddles are not long enough for me is that makes any sense. I find my 1980 pro to be only suitable for short rides, there is not enough give to the insanely thick leather and I have circulation issues on longer rides.

tcs

I like my Persons #77 Deluxe as well or better than either of my Brooks Professionals. YMMV.

tcs

Road Fan

I think there were two models of 92, one short and one long. Mine is as long as a Pro or a B-17.

There was a special model of Pro called a Select, and it was reputed to have really thick skin.

unworthy1

Corrected the majestic Persons name (and apologies to the Parson)
I had a Pro Select for a short spell (yes, the leather was "selected" to be thicker and "better" than standard Pro) but it never got comfortable for me.

steppinthefunk 

Here are three of my customized saddles.


The one in the back is a Troxel style saddle that is going to be used on a rat project. The original leather was literally crumbling in my hands so I recoverd it using a thin layer of foam underneath a shellaced and painted coton cloth.

top506

I have three Ideale #42 and a #80. One of the 42s and the 80 were quite hard when acquired, but treated with Pecard's and a little heat softened up nicely. Parking them in a sunny window or behind the coal stove while coated with the Pecards worked wonders.
Top

jgedwa

I have a Fujita Professional that has excellent and thick leather. The rivets are not done by hand, but otherwise it is as good as my Brooks Professional. I have a beaten up old Belt that is every bit as nice as a B-17 in every way.

jim