mander

So I got a tensioning spanner for my four month old Brooks Team Pro after I started to get perieum pressure. I tightened it a quarter turn like you're supposed to, liked what I was feeling and tightened it another quarter turn. It feels very nice now, since my weight is right on my ass bones; but I've effectively doubled Brooks' recommended dose of tension. Internet sources (Sheldon) indicate that this is a Bad Thing. Yet it feels so Good. Will this degree of tension annihilate my Brooks? How can you tell if you've got too much tension?

Bekologist

don't worry about it, its just a saddle. if that's the way you like it, there you go. you might 'prematurely' stretch the leather, but the screw lets you give it a lot of turns before you max it out.

try tilting the nose up to get seated on the rear of the saddle. I'm suprised you could even make a dent in a team pro after just four months, much less need to retension. my brooks never get broken in that quickly, even with daily commuting in the wet NW. they usually are just starting to feel good about 4 months in.

mander

My nose is already tilted up--- hammocking was definitely the problem. I was surprised too. I think the culprit was too much proofide, I really laid it on thick. On my next brooks I will keep the conditioning to a minimum.

lrzipris

If it feels good, it is good, no?

But I wonder about why a Team Pro would need tension adjustment after only four months. Just curious.

Mariner Fan

Much has been written about treating a Brooks saddle. I only put proofhide on mine once when it was new. Folks try to get their saddles soft quick with treatments but they end up defeating the purpose of the saddle. It should be hard and your sit bones will dent the leather making it a perfect fit. I have never needed to adjust the tension on mine.

Did you hurt the saddle? I doubt it, but you probably have reduced to overall life of it.

mud

I found that as my B17 began to break in, the nose needed to be tilted down. This reduced the pressure and the ride became comfortable once again.
Mud

Retro Grouch 

Is your purpose in life to make your saddle happy or is your saddle supposed to make you comfortable? If it feels good I wouldn't worry about it.

noisebeam

I've had bad luck with tension on by B17.
Out of the box it was perfect tension. Gave a first treatment with Proofide.
Over years got caught in a few PM showers, some soaked saddle pretty good, but I still rode 2-10mi to finish ride. That sank saddle. Let it dry deeply with no added warmth, remained sunk. Recovered with tensioning. Did a proofide treatment 6mo. again. After a few rain showers tension bolt is 50% used up.
Also noted that some of the sinking was due to holes in front leather nose connection were elongating. Middle rivet pulled out, I replaced with button head screw and nut.

Al

lrzipris

Al, you gotta be a little kinder to your Brooks. Stuff a cheap plastic baggie (as in "paper or plastic?") under the saddle next time you ride in threatening weather conditions, and cover the saddle if it begins to rain.

mander

I laced up my Pro today. I made the holes with a drill, 12mm centre to centre and 12mm away from the saddle skirt's edge (my new vernier calipers made measuring and marking a snap). 14-15mm c2c might have been better but this will be OK. The lace is two shoelaces from dress shoes, tied together with a reef knot. I think this laceup will make further ****ing about with the tensioning nut unnecessary. Plus it looks pretty nice.

Also, my Aardvark waterproof seat cover from Velo Orange arrived today! It will replace my utterly useless Brooks non-waterproof seat cover.

Mariner Fan

This is why Brooks rocks!

jcm

Hard and fast rules are few, despite all the discussion about Brooks saddles. They're hard to ruin. Leather saddles are so very much like a good pair of boots - very personal. Go with what feels good. If it tears at the rivets, get another one and don't push it so hard.