Bike Forums - Maintaining that leather saddle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayduke865 (Post 12466695)

Sheldon Brown also recommended oil soaking. My suspicion is that some of the saddles he's talking about were already toast before the wrench touched them.

The (motor) oil soaking is technique borrowed from ultradistance legend Lon Haldeman, who would break-in his saddle before RAAM with a 10W30 bath. Can't say that I recommend it, unless your commute is 3000 miles in the course of a week and you need that sort of pliability.
For year-round riding on a Brooks B17 in the PNW, I've done nothing more than Proofide the top and underside when it's new, use a fitted rain cover when it rains, and re-treat with Proofide once a year.