Breaking in a Brooks...

[Andy in Germany]

My own B17 is nearing 2 years old and was fairly comfy from out of the box.
The Brooks manual said to put the little proofide they supplied on straight away and so I did. No idea if it did anything noticeable.
It's had numerous coatings since as I've heard it can speed up the breaking in process but I've yet to tighten the tension bolt.
It's also been out in the rain several times. It hasn't died from that. I think some people are drama queens when it comes to leather saddles vulnerabilities in the wet.

Gosh, I could read the instructions: there's a thought.

After 10 years I still haven''t touched the bolt on my other brooks This may just mean I don't ride enough.

In my experience, one does not break in a Brooks, a Brooks breaks in one‘s arse.

I should be okay then, as my other Brooks had been breaking me in for a decade

 

[Globalti]

Just soak it in a bucket of warm water before setting off. It will sag and feel like a hammock.

 

[rogerzilla]

What colour is it? Black ones seem to be harder and stay hard even when they've adapted themselves to you. Honey ones may Just Work with no real breaking in; they don't really shape themselves to you permanently, as they are soft.

 

[Andy in Germany]

What colour is it? Black ones seem to be harder and stay hard even when they've adapted themselves to you. Honey ones may Just Work with no real breaking in; they don't really shape themselves to you permanently, as they are soft.

It's a honey coloured one; my last 19 yr old one is honey too but it took a while to break in. I'm beginning to think that was because I didn't ride enough and only used it for short trips for the first few months.

 

[Illaveago]

It's a honey coloured one; my last 19 yr old one is honey too but it took a while to break in. I'm beginning to think that was because I didn't ride enough and only used it for short trips for the first few months.

Could you put your old one on for your long ride as you are used to it ?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Could you put your old one on for your long ride as you are used to it ?

I thought about that, but it is on my Xtracycle which has a different riding position, so I think it would be uncomfortable. I have a gel saddle which I can use.

THe question then is whan I should mount the new Brooks in a bike that generally travels at least 40-60k per ride...

 

[welsh dragon]

Mine is honey coloured. I think most people will agree that you either have a Brooks bum or you don't. If you do then riding on one will be bliss and a joy.

 

[Soltydog]

My B17 std was comfy from day 1, never had an issue at all with it & have done 25 miles without padded shorts & no issue, however my B17 imperial took years to get as comfy Get a Cambium they don't break in, but have 2 C17s which have been nearly as comfy as the B17 from day 1. I've just ordered a C17 carved for my latest bike, so I'll see how I get on with that soon 🤔

 

[Pale Rider]

One of my Brooks is an aged honey one which I think was marketed as not needing breaking in.

 

[robjh]

My latest B17 took a long time to break in, and I found in the early days that wearing two pairs of padded shorts made it bearable.
It's taken over 2000 miles, but now it's one of the best saddles I've had.

 

[12boy]

I have a old Brooks B17s that came off a 75 Carleton I picked up at a garage sale for 25 bucks. A little cracked but still works. Have acouple of B17 narrows as well. All of them are comfortable but still a little too wide. Also have 5 Velo Orange model 6s, 148mm wide. These are more comfortable for me as the wider saddles tend to chafe a bit. I would not go on any long ride with a new saddle, especially a leather one. Besides the breaking in issue there is also getting the fore and aft and saddle tilt considerations which are best worked out before the long ride.

 

[Globalti]

Why do people write "breaking in" when they simply mean "stretching"? It somehow gives an air of sophistication to an object that's beaten together with the same technology as a medieval chastity belt.

 

[confusedcyclist]

My brooks was comfy from the get go, and only got more so. If it's starts out uncomfy, it will likely always be that way. Just avoid too much tension in the saddle and you shouldn't have any discomfort if it's a good fit on you.

 

[Andy in Germany]

My brooks was comfy from the get go, and only got more so. If it's starts out uncomfy, it will likely always be that way. Just avoid too much tension in the saddle and you shouldn't have any discomfort if it's a good fit on you.

Mine broke in after a while: it was a pain at first but now I wouldn't swap it for a Gel saddle again. I do notice that it stretched* more last year when I upped my cycling considerably though.

* @Globalti

Why do people write "breaking in" when they simply mean "stretching"? It somehow gives an air of sophistication to an object that's beaten together with the same technology as a medieval chastity belt.

I bow to your superior knowledge about the construction methods for medieval chastity belts.

However, I'll be using a Gel saddle tomorrow...

 

[Vantage]

I think it's a little simplistic to call it stretching.
The leather over time distorts and conforms to the users backside in many cases. The leather also becomes more supple as it ages.
New shoes aren't stretched. They are broken in.