Breaking in a Brooks saddle

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andym

Über Member
I remembered that I had a tub of Renapur Leather Balsam which I've used on other saddles. So I put some on the saddle and left it overnight before polishing off the excess. Works a treat: I sprayed water on the saddle and the water drops simply sit on the surface instead of being absorbed.
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
I carry a plastic bag as it goes over the saddle pack as well, pretty sure it's not adding too much weight
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
rich p said:
Still, that's my problem and 2 weeks in Slovenia later this month will be the acid test.

Ooo, ooo, ooo. Where in Slow-venia are you going? Lovely holiday there 4 years ago
 

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
GrumpyGreg said:
Ooo, ooo, ooo. Where in Slow-venia are you going? Lovely holiday there 4 years ago

We enter from Venice and then hopefully do a clockwise tour of the whole country. From memory we head up Bohinj, Bled,Ptuj, Otocec,Postonje,Piran. I'll do a crazyguy when I return. Where did you go Greg?Any suggestions?
 

TopCat

New Member
Location
Scotland
My dad bought me my second two wheeler bike when I was about 12yrs old, Price £26.10s. A Sun racing bike with Brooks saddle.

The bike hasn't been used in donkeys years and is laying cobwebbed up in my back bedroom. The Brooks saddle is still the hardest know material to man :smile:

Regards
TC
 

ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
andym said:
How about the fact that it seems to be completely ineffective at keeping water out?

I was kind of hoping that there might be a better alternative. Having to carry a plastic bag to protect a saddle seems to be a fairly major minus to me. If Selle Anatomica can produce a waterproof leather saddle why can't Brooks?
TBH, andy, I reckon they do.

I have always ridden Brooks and never had a problem. If you mean water bouncing up off the road, I have found that occasional applications of Proofide on the underneath of the saddle stops any water soaking in - and I ride without mudguards. If you mean rain on the saddle when it's parked up, it just wipes off mine with a bare hand and doesn't soak in at all.

If I was commuting I would certainly do more wet riding, but then I would use mudguards so I don't think the saddle would get any wetter.
 

ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
TopCat said:
The Brooks saddle is still the hardest know material to man :biggrin:
Does that mean yours is gathering cobwebs as well? I could re-home it for you. :eek: I have a Team Pro which a neighbour gave me in <cough> 1960 and will certainly outlast me - but you can never have too many Brooks...
 

threefingerjoe

Über Member
Never used Proofide on mine. I do, however, use boot oil every few months. Ride with mudguards, so saddle never gets wet, other than from sweating. Use a plastic bag held on by a small velcro strap to cover it on the rare instances when it's in the rain without my bum covering it.

I guess you can use a wax on it to waterproof it, but, then, you're defeating one of the advantages of leather...it's ability to "breathe".
 

Randochap

Senior hunter
andym said:
How about the fact that it seems to be completely ineffective at keeping water out?

If Selle Anatomica can produce a waterproof leather saddle why can't Brooks?

Selle Anatomica ... Waterproof? My friends' disintegrated at the 2007 Paris-Brest-Paris, leaving him sitting on a piece of soggy material draped over the seatpost.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Books saddles seemed relatively unaffected by the continuous deluge.
 

Renard

Guest
The swift is definitely worth considering. I've got one on my winter bike and I love it. Its never been uncomfortable either. I've got a Fizik Arione on the good bike for looks as much as anything else and I have found that uncomfortable at times (usually at the start of the season), however when it goes I'll get another swift. They are not much heavier either.
 
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