Found!
 

In my quest for parts for one of my bikes, as well as some parts for my daughter's bike; I constantly look over thrift shops for odds and ends.

Then, I run across a pretty clean 1977 Schwinn LeTour 12.2. Complete with Ideale leather seat. The thing is HEAVY. But, pumped up the tires and rode it 3 miles home. Not a bad bike.

I have a large amount of guilt that I'm going to disect it for bit's an pieces. Crank and front brake will go to my second fix/single speed. Bars, neck, brake handles to my daughters mixtie project. The seat, I'm tossed: they sell well on ebay, but, I'd like to try out a leather seat for sometime to see if they are as comfortable as people say they are.

Ideale leather seats are no longer made~that adds to collectability factor; but, I'm moving more and more to riding on Brooks leather seats these days~you should try it before you jettison it! The metal frame on my last Ideale seat broke about five years ago and that was that...

If you're not going to use the bike frame, I'll bet that there's someone in your town that would be interested in it for making a chopper / tall bike / etc. out of it. In Portland, there's even a group of guys and gals that ride nothing but old Schwinns, and I don't think that weight is really an issue for them...anyway, if you're not going to keep it whole, I'd encourage you to make full use of all the parts, in any way possible!

Hi Randya,

I've got plenty of plans for the parts.

And, I'll probably give the frame, fork and rear wheel to a LBS that sells olds stuff. The guy there often sells bikes to the homeless for pennies on the dollar.. so I'm gonna "donate" to the cause.

I'm gonna read Sheldon Brown's web site on leather seats and recondition it and give it a go.

uh oh be careful there william,
soon your gonna be lurking on e-buy (more so than now)
searching for old Brooks saddles to butcher and tie.
(find Fixer's post on this) and you'll never sit on a plastic
saddle again (weight be damned) :D

Marty

I think you will really like the leather saddle, William. I have a Brooks Competition on my Peugeot PKN-10 and a Brooks Pro on the Capo. I am looking for Brooks or Ideale saddles for the mountain bike and the UO-8, as well.

John,

I'll keep an eye on the thrift shops here if you want, I'm sure they'll pop up here and there.

Marty,

I'm not sure my marriage could take more bikes in the garage.
I've got a mid 70's Raliegh (made in england), late 70's early 80's Italian Bianchi, early 90's Bianchi, 77 Schwinn, early 90's MTB, my daughter's early 90's Univega Mixtie.. and my cannondale.

She's a little fed up.

Heck, I'm just talking about saddles! my wife can't understand I have about
a dozen different ones, most of em I won't ever ride. Only one is an absolute
keeper, thats the NOS White Concor that goes on my Trek (which it came with),
which incidently I won't ride (hey its white, ya know).
Check out fixers butcherd brooks here:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=2134&page=28
Marty

Check out Bike Works NYC 'Saddle Archive' - http://www.bikecult.com/works/saddle.html

So far, I don't like the ideale saddle. Not comfortable at all.

I want your bike.

I'm sorry, it's been pieced out for the most part.

Sorry.

Found!
 

Brooks leather saddles are still being made. The mail order company "Bike Nashbar" offers six different models. I have ridden on Brooks leather saddles since 1949. It is a saddle you love or you hate. There are a lot of myths built up about it. One is that is has to be broken in. That is untrue. With every saddle it is the same thing , it is your a$$ that has to be broken in. I have tried many expensive saddles over the years with each new bike and I always end back with the Brooks.

I have a "SDG" saddle, and a sella that I've had no problems with, and love really. The SDG is gold sparkle vinal, and gets plenty of looks on the trolley in the morning.

But I've been curious about the leather deal for some time. Maybee I'll break down and buy a cheapish brooks in a few months. You, and a ton of others swear by them, so there's got to be some benefit. The ideal just seemed to pinch/smash/push my reproductive organ area..

I buy my Brooks saddles direct. The selection is better than Bike Nashbar, and probably the prices are too, but unfortunately their recent $10 off all Brooks saddles sale has ended.

http://www.permaco.com/

I buy Brooks from http:\\www.wallbike.com as
they have 6 month money back guarantee. You don't
like it, send it back.
Permaco is probably a bit cheaper tho.
William, try adjust tilt of saddle, most leather saddles
tend to throw your weight forward onto well, as they say
in the UK "your soft bits". a slight adjustment to tilt
can work wonders (and don't be surprized if you need to
drop nose, strange but works for my Brooks pro). Thing
is you want the back of the saddle to be level, not the
nose.

Marty

Thanks Marty.

The saddle came with this BIZZARRE SR seat post that's impossible to adjust. Well, not impossible, but a major PITA. I'll put the Ideale on a different post and see how it works out. Maybee next week. Before I drop some coin, I'd like to try out what I have.