Originally Posted by
Carbonfiberboy
You don't break in a leather saddle. You break in your butt. Yes, hurts like the devil. The trick is to ride almost every day but not too long to start with. That works best. If riding every day hurts, you're riding too long. Eventually you find your sit bone area goes numb and then you're good for all day.
I'm pretty sure the sit bone area is not supposed to go numb... In any case, my butt is very much broken in. I can ride 200 miles in a day on a plastic saddle without pain or significant discomfort. I heard leather saddles are supposed to be better, but maybe not for me.
I hate to encourage you to throw good money after bad, but the tops of Berthouds are replaceable...
I've considered this, but it seems likely I'll ride another thousand miles of misery just to find out I now have $430 invested in a saddle that I hate. Ok, I can recoup some of that by selling it, but how much?