[DVBC] Breaking in Brooks Saddles

[Chaga, Debra]

Drew,
Thanks for the article.  I'm not sure what snow-seal is though--never
heard of it.
Deb


________________________________

	From: dvbc-list-bounces at list.dvbc.org
[mailto:dvbc-list-bounces at list.dvbc.org] On Behalf Of Drew Knox
	Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 6:32 PM
	To: dvbc-list at dvbc.org
	Cc: Jeffrey "Wide Stance" Tirebiter; Ed Pavelka
	Subject: [DVBC] Breaking in Brooks Saddles
	
	
	All,
	 
	On Sunday I noticed Deb's new Brooks saddle, hard as a rock, and
recalled promising to forward this article on breaking in leather
saddles and thought I would share it with all. Not sure when Bill and I
penned this, likely sometime in the late 70s or early 80s when I was
editor of the  TCA newsletter. Long after I had forgotten about this
article, I was surprised to learn it lived on and was distributed at
Wheelsmith, and eventually returned to me intact 5 years ago. I
understand Brooks was considering distributing these tips with their
saddles but they never approached us about permissions. 
	 
	In any case, what goes around comes around and leather saddles
seem to be back in vogue. BTW, I followed this procedure several times
and dyed my saddles a deep wine color which looked really cool on red
bikes. Personal disclosure though: there's not enough money to get me
back on cupped leather saddles. With flat modern saddles, I no longer
have the soreness and numbness that plagued me for years using Brooks
and Ideale. But, if you are bound to sport the leather, here's how to
reduce the break-in period and preserve the fit. 
	 

	Put Saddle Sores Behind You

	By Bill Boston and Drew Knox

	 

	The first thing to do is go out and buy a brand new Brooks Pro
saddle! And when the salesman asks if you want Proofhide, tell him wear
to rub it. I recommend Brooks Pro because you want a leather saddle that
is not extensively pre-treated. My personal preference runs towards the
looks and leather of the Team Pro with the large rivets. 

	 

	Put the saddle on the bike in the proper position. The nose
should be about flat or parallel to the ground. After it is set up, put
a damp washcloth on the rear part of the saddle about an hour before you
go for a ride. Make sure that it is about 2 to 3 inches in front of the
rear-most part of the saddle in the area where most of your weight will
rest. The cloth should be damp but not so soaking wet that it drenches
your bike. Then, just before you ride, take your thumbs and knead the
area where your ischial will hit in order to start softening the
leather. Ride an hour or two with the washcloth OFF. (Don't laugh, I saw
a guy riding down the road leaving a dripping trail, thinking, "Damn,
this thing's comfortable already!") 

	 

	Repeat this procedure of dampening and riding for five or six
rides until the saddle has noticeable indentations and has taken on a
curve that looks like a three- or four-year old, well-ridden saddle. All
you are trying to do is mold the leather, which is something you can't
do with a plastic saddle unless you have a mighty hot set of buns. 

	 

	When your seat fits your anatomy, stop! Now that your saddle
fits, you don't want it to absorb any more water because it will
continue to change shape. Here's how you seal it: First, expose the
pores on the top of the saddle by rubbing the leather with triple-ought
steel wool until the top turns white. If you want a custom-colored
saddle, now is the time. Select any leather dye - not shoe polish -
which comes in a variety of colors. The idea is to fill up the pores
with the new dye, which will last longer than the original and keep the
water out. Lightly scrub with the steel wool between coats, and then
allow the last coat to dry before buffing with a shoe brush and a cloth.
Let the saddle dry overnight, then rub in paste saddle soap and brush
off the excess. Remember to not wear light colored clothes as the excess
dye will wear off for a while. It will stop wearing off faster than the
dye that came on the saddle. 

	 

	Let me take a moment to make an urgent appeal: do not oil your
saddle. Oil will allow the saddle to continue to change its shape.
Eventually the horn of the saddle, which should be very hard, will
soften and spread and chafe. The leather is formed by wetting and
shaping it over a form. The tanning agents, which stiffen the leather,
are broken down and softened by the oil. Wetting the rear of the saddle
with water allows that area to be remolded while the front part of the
saddle remains stiff. You can't do that with oil because you can't stop
the migration of oil through the porous leather. 

	 

	Now, to finish sealing your saddle coat the underside with a
non-softening snow-seal. Paste it on underneath the saddle and use a
hair dryer to warm and spread it. Also bee's wax or paraffin will work. 

	 

	Finally, take precautions to keep rain off your saddle by using
a shower cap, baggie, or cheap plastic cover when not riding. Your fanny
will do fine as a rain protector while you are riding. You will find
that your riding shorts will act as a very efficient buffer, polishing
your seat to a smooth, high luster. You will also have an extremely
comfortable saddle that will give years of service. 

	 

	NOTE: This article first appeared in DOUBLETALK, the newsletter
of the Tandem Club of America. These ideas are not those of Wheelsmith,
its employees or the Brooks saddle company. We cannot guarantee any
results you may have following Bill Boston's instructions. Proceed at
your own risk. However, many of us have successfully used these
procedures, including John Howard who referred the article to us in the
mid '70's. To some extent these procedures further convince many of us
to stick to modern, low maintenance saddles! 

	 

	 

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