Seattle Forrest

I realize that people are vegetarians for different reasons. If it was for sympathy with animals, I expect they wouldn't want anything to do with dead cows. Someone doing it for diet reasons probably doesn't care. Still, it would be a little ironic to say "I won't put animal flesh in my mouth, but I'll put my ass on it."

Since this is the Brooks forum, I thought I'd start a poll / survey. There must be a few veggies in here willing to share their thoughts. I'm asking for no reason other than curiosity.

imi

Hi SF, I've been a vegan for 30 years and only ride synthetic saddles. Your reasoning is correct in my case, though I don't make a big deal about it, not a political, religious or moral issue... just my choice... fine with me if others choose differently

If someone is interested in my way of thinking I'll explain it. At the same time I can give good arguments for the omnivorous (and Brooks riding) nature of man...

jmio

People Eating Tasty Animals!!!!!!!

sm1960

You have vegetarians mixed up with peta advocates. Although some vegetarians choose not to eat meat because they view it as cruelty to animals, most do it because of the health aspects of not eating meat. If you are a vegan, just try to avoid chewing on your saddle.

CliftonGK1

Vegetarians might. Vegans would not. (Difference being that vegan is a stricter decision to utilize no animal products at all, not just to not eat meat.) Leather saddle that uses a beeswax and lanolin conditioner creme? Heck no.
Wool shorts and a well conditioned Brooks saddle are to strict vegans what a bacon cheeseburger is to keeping kosher.

eja_ bottecchia

I don't get the wool shorts issue though. Sheep are not harmed while being shaved.

I have a daughter who has been a strict vegan for manyyears. She will use wool products. YMMV

Seattle Forrest

Unless the farm does "Mulesing" to the sheep. In any case, most vegans are against animal products, period. Vegans just don't make good commuting retrogrouches.

imi

One way of of looking at it is to equate animals with humans. Most of us do not kill/eat/imprison/utilise bodily products of other humans. Vegans simply treat animals in the same way.

Once again, not saying "right or wrong", just trying to give a (my) perspective

Seattle Forrest

No, not really. Different strokes for different folks; people decide to be vegetarians (or not to be) for lots of reasons. I've known "I won't eat anything with a face" people, and I've known people who give up meat for environmental reasons, with great indifference to the animals themselves. Animals that are raised for food eat an awful lot themselves, meaning lots of farmland needs to be cleared to support them, and lots of gasoline gets burned into the air to raise the grain to feed the animals. Then you've got all the water that's used to raise the plants, and the fertilizer, some (a lot?) of which ultimately gets washed into the ocean, leading to algae blooms and eutrophication in general. I know a lady whose job requires her to go to a lot of conferences, as far as Europe; since she can't avoid flying, she gave up meat to compensate.

Other people just don't like the growth hormones and antibiotics. These folks, and the lady above, won't have much qualm (if any) with leather saddles. Actually, my friend wouldn't use one because of the weight, but that's another matter.

daveF

Some vegetarions would. Both my daughter & my wife's daughter are vegetarians. My daughter would not because cattle are slaughtered to produce the saddle. My wife & I bought her daughter a Long Haul Trucker & I offered her one of my used Brooks B17 saddles which she gladly accepted. When I asked her what pedals she wanted her answer was platforms with toe clips & leather straps.

sggoodri

Is the number of animals killed driven by food consumption, with the leather industry using excess, leftover product that is not eaten? If so, I wouldn't personally feel very guilty about using a small volume of leather goods; I'd see it more like the native americans viewed avoidance of waste.

If leather consumption were a significant factor in the rate of animal consumption, I would be more careful to avoid leather goods. Also, if I developed an emotional aversion to seeing animal products, I would be careful to avoid them. Personally, I'm on the edge of going vegetarian, having cut down my meat consumption to a couple of meals a week. My main motivation is health, but environmental responsibility and ethics play a role as well.

DataJunkie

I am a vegetarian and I am wearing a leather belt. Vegans on the other hand...

Scheherezade 

I am a vegetarian. My butt loves my Brooks, =D

2wheelcommute

This one does. I'm sympathetic to the moral argument for vegetarianism, and it truly is one of my reasons for not eating meat. It's pretty hard to totally divest yourself of leather, though (dress shoes, belts, etc.). I try to keep it to a minimum, but I'm no absolutist, so I'll make exceptions. My Brooks saddle is one of those exceptions.

supafast213

One of my best friends (the guy who got me into cycling) scoffed at my Brooks when I bought it, he said it looked nice "wish it wasn't leather". I cant wait to show him my full leather motorcycle racing suit.

MyBikeGotStolen

Im vegetarian, and I will be riding a Brooks as soon as I get un-cheap enough to buy one! I do wear leather belts as well.

Ira B

"Vegetarian"

Old English word for lousy hunter.

ItsJustMe

Not using leather when it's a great choice for material seems kind of silly. We don't kill cows just to get leather; the cows are going to die anyway. The only question is whether the hide will be used or wasted.

Rapidoyfurioso

I'm in the same case
actually I haven't thought about purchasing a brook,

octophasic

I'm a vegetarian and I use a leather saddle. I got mine off of someone else though who was replacing their seat, so the justification for me was not directly buying it new, thus increasing the demand but buying "used". It makes sense in my mind..

AlmostTrick

I've been a vegetarian for more than 20 years and avoid using leather products as much as possible. I do have a pair of leather shoes with steel toes that were required for work. I was unable to find a non-leather pair that fit me good in the short time frame I had to get them.

I wouldn't be opposed to trying a Brooks saddle, but have little reason to. I'm comfortable on the saddles I ride, they require less care than leather, and are less expensive and lighter too.

DataJunkie

I'm all for making fun of everyone who is even remotely different but that joke is old and lame. You can do better.

SurlyLaika

You have vegetarian and vegan confused.

imi

The labels "vegetarian" and "vegan" usually refer to a persons diet.
Some vegetarians and possibly more vegans extend their choice to include other animal products (leather, wool, bone etc...). The labels are in no way strict. It all comes down to an individuals choice and the way they describe themselves.

Back to OP's question, some vegetarians and vegans are good with riding leather saddles, some not, some if the saddle is second hand...

It's even possible to be a "living-off-the-land" omnivore, who only eats meat and fish caught or raised and killed by themselves - or milk, wool, honey etc from their own animals - who would not buy a Brooks saddle... but may try to make one themselves from a cow they slaughtered with their own hands!..

I'm all for making fun of everyone who isn't even remotely different!

(meant as good natured joke y'all!)

robberry

I don't eat animals or buy goods made from animals. I eat dairy because I'm too weak to be a vegan (tried and failed) and love pizza way too much.