[MENTION=20232]I-Like-To-Bike[/MENTION], I like your bikes.

No problem. As I said before though, most people overthink it and exaggerate the amount of care it needs. Short of sitting in poring rain for hours on end, it really isn't an issue. And even then, the seat will dry out. Mine has been soaked numerous times with no ill effect. Yes, it's best to not ride them soaking wet, but I have ridden mine home after being rained on for a couple of hours straight, and I just didn't sit hard on the seat, I took some of the weight off using my legs. As I said before, my brother's has not been cared for at all, and it is still in use, and it is well over 40 years old.

For me though, covering it while inside at work is a safe bet, and takes no real time to do. If you do decide to use it, carry a shower cap, it is light, can be stuffed under the seat, or in a bag. Mine is always in one of my bags. They even fit in pockets.

If you are going to use it, and want to do absolutely nothing with it. Use that as an experiment and let us know how it works out. Could be interesting.

If very dry it can tear, like cardboard...

Thank you, I like them too.

Yes, I'll do that, although as some people alluded to here, it could be a long time before any ill-effects kick in. As I mentioned before, I might get some kind of cover and just leave it on semi-permanently.

It would be interesting to see, as I feel a lot of people who talk about Brooks take good care of their saddles, and they consequentially last forever. My dad had one growing up, and I always made fun of him when we had to stop riding to find a connivence store to get a plastic bag when it started raining on one of our rides. His saddle is still going strong over a decade later, but I just wonder what would have happened if he didn't do what he did.

Despite several recommendations for the Brooks fabric-covered neoprene saddles (e.g. C17) as being very weather-resistant, the discussion turns back to Brooks leather saddles (e.g. B17), which are only somewhat weather-resistant.

My experience is that the most weather-resistant (and for my ass the most comfortable) leather saddle is made by Selle Anatomica in their "watershed" leather. I stopped using my SA on my commuting bike only because my heft eventually bends the rails, but I still love it on my road bike.

With any leather saddle, the important thing is: don't ride it when it's soaking wet.

Important to understand that not every leather saddle is the same. That's especially true of an older saddle. It is entirely true that a Brooks saddle can tolerate a lot of exposure to the elements without visible damage. It's kinda like a cat with its proverbial nine lives; in OP's case we don't know what this saddle has already been through. It may be on its last life.

Applying Proofide to the top and bottom is the correct treatment for some, but not all saddles. If the saddle has dried out (as a result of having gotten soaked and dried repeatedly, which leeches a lot of soluble material out of the leather) then Proofide will do some good. If the leather is still supple, Proofide may soften it to the point that it will stretch permanently.

SO my advice for the OP: you're going to have to make up your own mind about what your saddle needs. None of us has seen it, and none of us can offer specific advice. What you decide will be either the right thing or the wrong thing, and you won't know right away. Sorry, it's a learning experience.

My 1st Brooks, a Team Pro, bought in '74, got a 1 time treatment of Proofide while hot, 100f , and upside down in the Oven..

a table spoon worth of it was absorbed, like a sponge, and the underside still has a waxy surface from the melted waxes re solidifying ..

I now own 2, It got the same treatment..





....

Getting wet is not too bad for leather IME, but letting it dry under a scorching sun can cause cracking.

Now that someone has resurrected this thread, what did you end up doing? I see that you angered the Brooks cult a little bit, which always gets a chuckle out of me, but now I'm starting to feel tempted to take a sip of the kool-aid myself! Sooo...

I'm in NYC as well, and I've been messing around with quite a few saddles to try and find something that I really like. So if you have decided against using the Brooks, but still have it, i'd be willing to setup a swap (even temporary) for one of my "test" saddles. I'm currently messing around with a Selle Italia Turbo, a Vetta, a Fizik Antares, a Fizik Antares VS, a Fizik Arione and a Selle Royal Seta, if any of those strike your fancy.

My Brooks B67 is the most durable saddle I have owned, The other ones were typically broken after a few years. I don't do any funny stuff with Proofhide or covers -- just ride it every workday .

I have given up tending a brooks saddle other than putting a bag over it when I park it outside when rain is possible. But the top needs no treatment, it is protected by my butt or plastic bag, the bottom needs no treatment, it is protected by the fender and the toolbag plus plastic bag stuffed under it when moving.

This might be different in an arid environment, but I actually live in a pretty arid environment 3 months out of the year anyway and the leather does not degrade across 10s of thousands of miles.

I've been using them for years for every type of riding. All my saddles have been soaking wet at one time or another and have survived just fine. I use KIWI Mink Oil Paste on them once or twice a year. I do have a helmet cover I use in the rain and put on my saddle when I park, that's about it. All the fretting over getting them wet is just paranoia.

Marc

Most Brooks saddles I see are on commuters that are just left outside and they weather just fine.

I used to live overlooking Gråbrødretorv and most bikes lying on the ground had Brooks or related and they worked just fine.

https://www.google.com/search?q=gr%C...w=1280&bih=618

I'm lazy, I use Nikwax Water Based Wax. Can apply it when the leather is wet (it actually works better that way, penetrates more and slows drying to reduce cracking). It's easy to apply. And it doesn't soften leather at all, so you can keep applying it. I just keep slathering it on, it only soaks in where the leather is not water proof, leave it for a bit and wipe off the excess. Eventually you reach the stage where the leather is impregnated pretty well and your seat won't get wet in anything other than a flood or a monsoon. Really good for leather boots too, not animal based, so won't cause mould or rot. https://www.nikwax.com/en-gb/product...d=74&activity=