jcm

I'm an omnivore, like the great bears - but deadlier. I eat a bit of everything, so I can't help you with the saddle idea - I love leather saddles. But, there are many good pieces of advice here.

On the bar wrap, I've found that an old MTB tube makes about the best wrap I have ever used. Dries quickly after a rain, feels great for hours, and it's recycled material from your old mountain bike bag.

Shimagnolo

Now here is a crazy idea: If you could wrap a tube on your bars w/o damaging it, this would be a clever idea for carrying spare tubes. Two spare tubes on hand, but they wouldn't occupy any space or weight in the saddle bag!

jcm

That wrap job is actually the better part(s) of three tubes. You can do it with two, but I prefer the added cush. Very nice on long rides, and you don't concern yourself with leaning the bike against something and marring your tape.

I once saw a vintage photo of a couple of cyclists racing on a dirt road somewhere in Europe with this type of wrap. Can't say that they were extra tubes, though. They had the typical extra tire around their shoulders. I think it was an early pic of the L'Eroica Race.

bartonfink

What you might try is a Brooks CR3. It is, in fact, a vinyl Brooks. Obsolete now, I expect. Can't vouch for the ride quality, but the look is pretty accurate. Saw one on a thread up in Classic and Vintage. There's a blurry photo midpage:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...=489147&page=3

I also found one for sale on eBay:

https://cgi.ebay.com/Brooks-CR-3-Seat...25142002r18478


Good luck.

PlatyPius

If you haven't already, check out Organic Athlete: https://www.organicathlete.org/

I have 2 Brooks saddles (my philosophy is; the cow was already dead, why support the waste of its sacrifice?) and I also have a Fizik Aliante (as mentioned by someone else above). The Aliante is a wonderfully comfy saddle and definitely worth a look.

todd92371

Why don't we just ride the cow. That way it lives and we get to see the countryside. Hel#, maybe they will even start to use our skin for their bicycle seats. We had better be careful. They may even be reading copies of Animal Farm as they ride on our backs to the grain store. But, I digress. I have to keep remembering that the world revolves around me and my pursuits. Silly boy.

Cyclosaurus

Brooks C-17 or C-15 Cambium. A Brooks saddle but made of natural rubber and cotton. Waterproof and vegan.

randallr

Want a Brooks w/o leather? No hay problema - Brooks Cambium. Natural rubber. My wife has one, loved it from the first mile.

Buckeye Bob

+1
Love this saddle

fietsbob

have always had black come off the Inner tube bar wrap onto my hands , but you can always wash your hands a lot.

unterhausen

zombie thread revival, killing with fire