^snark, I gave it an "enter at your own risk" thread title, so you really should have known better! Aside, any suggestions on a rear rack for my wife's Sports? Wald 535 is currently the front-runner, do you have any better ideas? Asking since you have researched racks and baskets extensively IIRC. (See my comments #1520 and 1523 in the 3-speed thread)

End of self-hijack. Re the comments above, many thanks all. I am not going to go with a saddle cover, the whole point of the leather saddle is its appearance. The vintage look. So if I can't ride it without a cover, I'm going to swap it out. The dark pants approach is more practical.

On a later ride in my work clothes, the saddle did not do as bad - possibly because the pants were darker, synthetic slacks, not light cotton chinos like the first pair. Also now that I've got the fit dialed in, I am moving around on the saddle less.