I am not sure I'm understanding what Katia said on CR: but I believe she meant to say they use leather from deceased dairy cows, rather than beef cattle; the latter may have a spongy quality. But as I say, I may have misunderstood her on this matter.
The information is correct. The reason could be that the average age of the slaughtered cattle, beef cattle apx. 18 to 24 month, cows at least 3years, in some cases older than ten years.
Originally Posted by
scarlson
Even between 2002 and now, I see a difference. I have ridden a B17 Champion Special since 2002 on multiple multi-month tours and I distinctly remember it being very uncomfortable at first, but I've had the thing just a hair more than half my life and it's really held up. So I bought another one last year at an unbelievable price from SJS Cycles and put it on my Trek. After several hundred miles, it appears to be in the same condition as my 18 year old one. I'm really hoping I don't have to punch holes and lace it. Kind of kicking myself for selling an old Team Pro I found years ago, but that thing was absolutely rock hard and it seemed no amount of breaking in would change it. I was just a kid though.
The problem is older ...
(Rebours book from 1975, p. 113):
"Jadis, une seule selle était pratiquement utilisée par tous, c'était la BROOKS « B.17 » anglaise. En cuir de première qualité, sa forme était rationnelle et son confort, une fois bien « rodée », était parfait. Malheureusement, la qualité du
cuir d'après-guerre n'est plus la même, le principe même de fabrication de cette selle, ainsi que sa forme, ont été modifiés et actuellement, il n'y a pas un coureur sur cent qui l'utilise encore.
Disons aussi que la selle classique en cuir
présente un inconvénient sérieux.
Aujourd'hui, les coureurs courent presque toute l'année, et ils n'ont plus comme jadis cette longue période de creux, entre septembre et avril, où ils pouvaient « faire » une nouvelle selle, celle-ci, neuve, étant très dure et risquant de blesser le cycliste."
Translation:
"In the past, only one saddle was used by almost everyone, it was the English BROOKS "B.17". Made of top quality leather, its shape was rational and its comfort, once well "run in", was perfect. Unfortunately, the quality of the
post-war leather is no longer the same, the very principle of manufacturing this saddle, as well as its shape, have been modified and at present, not one rider in a hundred still uses it.
Let's also say that the classic leather saddle has a serious disadvantage.
Nowadays, riders race almost all year round, and they no longer have that long period of time between September and April when they could "make" a new saddle, as this new saddle is very hard and can injure the rider."