Brooks B17 Saddle Ordered! :)
12-28-20, 03:48 PM
#76
Senior Member
Originally Posted by fishboat
Hope it works out. One of the surest ways to kill a Brooks saddle is too much conditioner or the wrong kind. You have the right kind..but..
Do some research on BF about such things..
Do some research on BF about such things..
if you poke around on their website you can find where they talk about “care” and download a print of a bit of the webpage.
Last edited by Road Fan; 12-28-20 at 03:51 PM.
12-28-20, 10:20 PM
#77
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Mmassey338
It does not say to soak it.
“The cloth should be damp but not so soaking wet that it drenches your bike. Then, just before you ride, take your thumbs and knead the area where your ischial bones will hit in order to start softening the leather. Ride an hour or two, with the washcloth OFF. ”
The saddle will get oils from your body, and like a nice pair of shoes, you just polish it
“The cloth should be damp but not so soaking wet that it drenches your bike. Then, just before you ride, take your thumbs and knead the area where your ischial bones will hit in order to start softening the leather. Ride an hour or two, with the washcloth OFF. ”
The saddle will get oils from your body, and like a nice pair of shoes, you just polish it
01-06-21, 02:48 PM
#78
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Jinkster
and I couldn't help but chuckle when I unboxed it as I thought of all the comments regarding how hard a Brooks Saddle is and dang if I'm absolutely convinced they are cause mine was hard as a rock...for about the first 30 minutes...and now I'll explain.
First let me say I have a modest amount of experience and knowledge about leather and I don't know if it's how Brooks pressure molds their leather or maybe the dying process but the leather was like a camel 10 days out from the last oasis and drier than dry which?...is why it was so dang hard...almost like petrified leather! LOL!
First let me say I have a modest amount of experience and knowledge about leather and I don't know if it's how Brooks pressure molds their leather or maybe the dying process but the leather was like a camel 10 days out from the last oasis and drier than dry which?...is why it was so dang hard...almost like petrified leather! LOL!
Brooks use a thick vegetable-tanned leather. It is stiff (think boot sole leather). Chrome tanned leather is soft and flexible (clothing, upholstery)
This ability to hold its shape is property they want to use in the saddle design. They soak it in water, wet form it over a mould, then let it dry. It holds its shape.
This
Chrome tanned leather does not do that.
In 'breaking-in" a new saddle, you need to mould it to suit your sit bones. This will happen with time and humidity from close contact when you sit on the saddle. The leather will reshape at the pressure points, until the weight is distributed evenly.
There are so many threads on this forum dealing with the use of various leather dressings and personal favourite treatments which are, in my opinion, not suitable for the type of leather used in this application.
You can get it to readily mould to your shape by oversoftening the leather with treatments designed for other applications, but that will irrevocably weaken the leather and it will no longer handle the tension required by the saddle design.
Brooks advise:
Proofide also acts to soften the leather and, if applied too frequently, there might be risk of over-softening the leather to the point that it will no longer to support the weight of the rider. Because of this, apply Proofide only every 6 months.
Using a dampened cloth and then going for a short ride makes use of the wet forming capacity of vegetable-tanned leather. I have also suggested it.
But you need to use a saddle that has a chance of being comfortable. For this, you need to measure your sit bones and get a saddle that fits and is designed for your riding style. This is a useful guide. Then select the saddle from the Brooks range. And then treat it in accordance with the manufacturers advice, and not follow advice found on an online forum.
Seriously, what would an Australian know about riding a British saddle in North America?
Last edited by Big Block; 01-06-21 at 02:54 PM.
01-06-21, 03:02 PM
#79
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Mmassey338
It does not say to soak it.
“The cloth should be damp but not so soaking wet that it drenches your bike. Then, just before you ride, take your thumbs and knead the area where your ischial bones will hit in order to start softening the leather. Ride an hour or two, with the washcloth OFF. ”
The saddle will get oils from your body, and like a nice pair of shoes, you just polish it
“The cloth should be damp but not so soaking wet that it drenches your bike. Then, just before you ride, take your thumbs and knead the area where your ischial bones will hit in order to start softening the leather. Ride an hour or two, with the washcloth OFF. ”
The saddle will get oils from your body, and like a nice pair of shoes, you just polish it
I have posted some notes to show the steps
Brooks style leather saddle reshaping
