How Many Miles?
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 878
Likes: 139
How Many Miles?
I have a Brooks B-17 saddle. At mile 20, my butt hurts and I can't ride much more. How Many miles does it take to break this thing in before it break me? LOL Is there something I can use to speed up the break in process?
#2
Are your sit bones hurting, or some other part? If it is your sit bones, just give it time, the seat will get better. I wouldn't try to speed up the process. I simply used Proofide as recommended, and let time and sweat take care of the rest. Anything used to soften the leather will only screw it up, and shorten the life of the seat.
#3
Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 107
From: Delaware
Bikes: Yes, I have bikes.
You didn't say what kind of bike or what your riding position is. I have B-17s on two bikes and they were comfortable for me immediately. Both of these bikes have upright positions so I'm sitting on them rather than leaning as if in more of a racing/road bike position. I do have a B-17 narrow on another bike that I'm replacing because it just doesn't fit my amply derrière.
#5
Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 9,684
Likes: 2,602
From: northern Deep South
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
How many miles? Depends on you and the saddle. My first B-17 took about 500 miles (a little over a month) to get really comfortable. The Team Pro took over 1,000 miles. Another B-17 took about 75 miles. Proofide may help some, but I think that's more a leather treatment and preservative than something to soften the saddle.
#6
Senior Member

Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 525
Likes: 189
From: Broomfield, Colorado
Bikes: 2017 Gunnar CrossHairs Rohloff, 2022 Detroit Bikes Cortello
Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP (Leather Preservative). Doesn't have liquid oil so won't soften excessively over the years, but helps a LOT at the beginning.
#7
Happy banana slug

Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,545
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From: Arcata, California, U.S., North America, Earth, Saggitarius Arm, Milky Way
Bikes: 1984 Araya MB 261, 1992 Specialized Rockhopper Sport, 1993 Hard Rock Ultra, 1994 Trek Multitrack 750, 1995 Trek Singletrack 930
My new aged B17 came with a particularly tall hump at the nose, causing some small amount of crotchular agony. I emailed Brooks about it, jokingly saying I was tempted to hit it with a baseball bat. The reply suggested that if I had to, a rubber mallet would be better. Fortunately for me, a slight tilt down took care of it, and now it's quite comfortable.





