Originally Posted by
jethin
I use Lexol leather conditioner on my saddles. It seems to work pretty well — conditions and improves appearance without too much oiliness.
I don’t use oil because I’m concerned it might weaken the leather by saturating it. IMO this could result in the leather stretching.
I’d be curious to hear people’s experience with old leather saddles. How long do yours last? What works/doesn’t work?
I've only had a couple saddles that I rode from when they were new until when they were used up. One was a Brooks Pro that I used from about 1980 until maybe ten years ago, when it started to tear at the rivets. I don't remember what I did to it, but it never seemed to soften. I definitely applied Proofide several times --the old orange colored stuff-- but I can't say it did anything. I may have fooled with the tension bolt, I don't know why. I strongly suspect the saddle failed because of some mistreatment done by me, but what that may have been, I don't remember clearly enough.
I also have a Fujita Professional saddle that I got in 1982. More or less like the other one, it never seemed to soften despite application of Proofide. About seven or eight years ago, on the last day of a short tour, I rode in light rain every day for three days, until on the last day I got caught in absolutely drenching rain maybe 75 miles from home. The saddle got soaked and didn't get a chance to dry out until I was home. It got badly stretched and deformed. I pushed it into the right shape before it dried, and it is usable now, but I have basically retired it.
I realize both of those anecdotes are pretty useless, but they are my only experience with new saddles that old.
I also bought a couple new Brooks saddles about ten years ago, a B17 Standard and a Flyer. I applied Proofide, sparingly, as suggested, and both saddles got much too soft much too fast (a couple thousand miles). I sold one of them, and put the other on my wife's bike, where it doesn't get used.
Where I've owned saddles from new, I haven't taken sufficiently meticulous notes to be able to say what has worked, and what hasn't worked. Even with new saddles, there are too many variables.
When we're dealing with old saddles, there are many more variables. I have a NOS Ideale 42, for example... probably from the 60's or 70's. I haven't used it, and haven't done anything to it. The leather looks pretty new, but it may be badly dried out. I'm curious about how long it would last, if used, but I'm doubtful whether anything can be learned.