Can I use ordinary clear dubbin on my old Brooks saddle?

[Cyclopathic]

I am very much a cyclist on a budget and I have some dubbin already and would rather use it if it will do any good and won't dammage it. It may seem a bit tight but I'm watching every penny at the moment.

 

[BigTone0777]

I'm in the same boat and that's exactly what I would use!

 

[Cyclopathic]

I'm in the same boat and that's exactly what I would use!

That's encouraging. What I've done in the past when using it on some old boots that needed a good feed was to gently heat it up so that it was virtually a liquid so that it would soak in more easily. If I use it on my Brooks I may well do the same thing as it looks like it hasn't ever had any attention at all. Needs bringing back to life.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Yes.
I did it and my brooks only lasted 25 years ....
It'll be fine, use sparingly, put a reasonable dose on the underside and then leave it alone. every 6 months is possible too frequent.

 

[yello]

Isn't the Brook's riders mantra (with regard to proofing) something like 'once a week for a month, once a month for a year and then every year'.... but then others say 'never! you'll ruin it!!' There are so many adages and old wives' tales that it's a bit confusing; all part of the mystic rituals of Brooks.

 

[Davidc]

Nothing mystic about Brooks Saddles, they're just leather.

I've always used the Brooks stuff, because it's come free with 2 of my 4 Brooks saddles, but if I hadn't I'd use dubbin.

Like any leather item loads to begin with and then when it looks as if it needs it. Apart from when new I do my saddles a couple of times in winter. Never had any problem with them.

 

[Cyclopathic]

I used the dubbin. All is well. Might give it a bit more once this lot has soaked in.

I'm glad I found this forum because it's little chats like this that can kill a relationship.

 

[Globalti]

Donate the Brooks to a museum of medieval technology and get yourself a modern, lightweight plastic saddle. It's one of the applications where modern materials actually out-perform traditional materials.

 

[asterix]

The guy is on a budget, he says. He probably can't afford to buy junk.

 

[Manonabike]

The guy is on a budget, he says. He probably can't afford to buy junk.

Brilliant reply

 

[Davidc]

Donate the Brooks to a museum of medieval technology and get yourself a modern, lightweight plastic saddle. It's one of the applications where modern materials actually out-perform traditional materials.

Trouble is the modern materials can't make a comfortable bike saddle.

The best I've tried is the Charge Spoon. Tolerable, but still nowhere near as comfortable as a Brooks B17.

Other trouble is that the modern materials don't last long enough. A saddle should last at least 20 years.

 

[gwhite]

Donate the Brooks to a museum of medieval technology and get yourself a modern, lightweight plastic saddle. It's one of the applications where modern materials actually out-perform traditional materials.

If this is true then you may experience difficulties in convincing the many tourists using Leather saddles. In the last survey I saw, around 90% of tourists preferred them.

 

[Cyclopathic]

If this is true then you may experience difficulties in convincing the many tourists using Leather saddles. In the last survey I saw, around 90% of tourists preferred them.

I still haven't really used it in any serious way. I had it on for a couple of miles when I decided that I should perhaps look after it to get the full benefit. As yet then I am uninitiated as to the way of the leather brooks saddle. I see earlier someone mentioned B17 being comfortable. Mine is a B66 which from the little I have read is a fairly common and popular model. I don't know how old it is but I would guess at fairly old. The metal work isn't quite wrought iron but it does look a bit industrial.

I don't know if it will fit with my existing seat stem though. The B66 has a double rail arangement with a specialy designed double railed housing that just fits over the top of the tube. I however have got a more modern seatpost with the alen key clamp sort of dodad. If I used it I would have to finagle it to just attatch to the lower rail or change the seatpost entirely. Nothing is ever simple.

 

[tyred]

The B66 and other twin (& triple) rail saddles need a different clamp from the more normal single rail type. They are wider between the rails anyway. The options are a traditional "plain pipe" seat post or there is an adaptor available to allow the twin rail to fit the more modern seatposts.

 

[Cyclopathic]

The B66 and other twin (& triple) rail saddles need a different clamp from the more normal single rail type. They are wider between the rails anyway. The options are a traditional "plain pipe" seat post or there is an adaptor available to allow the twin rail to fit the more modern seatposts.

An adaptor it is then. Probably.