garagegirl

I took my new brooks team pro s out for its first ride yesterday (35 mi), and yeah, it felt pretty damn hard on my sitbones (but not insufferable). Today I applied proofide for the first time (top and bottom), but I think I applied way too much. It was softer and gooier than I expected too.
What should I do? Do I need to let it sit for longer than overnight now? You can't ruin a saddle from just one application of too much proofide, right?

Bekologist

cook it in with a hairdryer.

nows about the time of year i start crayoning beeswax into my Brooks saddles along with proofhide or snoseal or obenauf's.

use a hair dryer and cook it in, no biggie. it will actually make the brooks more water repellant, the more glop you can force it to absorb.

wahoonc

I am in the process of working over my brides new Brooks Lady's Saddle I heated the leather with a blow drier then covered the bottom with a heavy layer of proofhide, and covered the top with proofhide. Allowed it to soak in, wiped the top off and installed it on her bike. It will probably get an extra coating of proofhide on the bottom in a month or two. Then the ocassional coating and wipe off on the top as it breaks in. She is a very low mileage rider.

Aaron

Bikepacker67

That's what I do, too.
Works great, just make sure you get the underside coated really well.

becnal

Just rub it in as much as you can, and then let it sit overnight. It'll be fine.

garagegirl

How much are you supposed to be able to wipe off in the morning? There didn't seem to be much residue.

And what kind of bike is that fancy lady's saddle going on? It's very impressive.

jcm

Proofide is mostly beeswax. It's the oils that they add that can over-condition the leather, but you won't hurt a Pro with one heavy application. Those things are thick. The others are right, heat the saddle (I use the oven on low) and let things absorb. Later, when it cools, you can buff off any residue on the top with a cloth. Go easy on the Proofide. You can use alot of SnoSeal, tho. It has no oils so it won't soften the hide. Heat the saddle and apply liberally to the bottom only. Your motion and body heat will draw the beeswax thru within a couple weeks.

jcm

One other thing:
Brooks Pro saddles are not designed to ever be soft and pliable. They are a true performance road-type and are meant to be very firm. They are probably comfortable as perches and have all the absorptive wicking characteristics of hide leather, but any rider that buys one should understand that they will never be like a thinner gage hide.

becnal

Hopefully none. That would mean your saddle absorbed the proofhide. You're now good to go. No stress, enjoy the ride.

wahoonc

I just wipe off whatever is left over. Usually not too much. The saddle is going on a 1970 17" Raleigh Colt ladies frame. My wife is 5'-1" and has a hard time finding a bike to fit. We got the Colt as a door prize at a recent British Cycling event. I had never seen one until that day. She had been riding a 21" ladies framed 3 speed but it was too large for her. The Colt is a perfect fit. With a wicker market basket on the front it has become her favorite bike to ride to the video rental store and the grocery store.

Aaron