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I have a leather Brooks B17, that im a little scared to use.
I am concerned about it getting wet or completely saturated on a long ride, or indeed a multiday adventure. It seems like riding them soaking is very bad for them.
How do people care for them? I have treated with the wax that came with it on the upper and lower surface. Should i use a rear guard to stop it getting damp from below?
Im worried i may ruin it, so as a consequence its sat on my spare seatpost and i usually forget to fit it when its dry....
Ian
I use Scarpa HS12 Boot wax very sparingly on my leather saddles. Provides a 'beadable' coat without over softening. Hotel shower cap & rubber band is fine for saddle cover duties on camping trips.
I follow Brooks’ advice with regards to Proofide and tensioning. Mostly leave it alone and that seems to work. Also tie a placcy bag on/under it if locking up somewhere outside o a shop etc. On the tourer/light gravel I run full guards. On the 29er I only fit the Brooks if on full-day rides in summer and stow a thin plastic bag under it or in the Lobo, framebag wherever, just in case of major downpour miles from home.
Too much love.
My oldest is probably 20 years old. Gets ridden in all weathers (single-speed dog running bike now).
Just try and avoid getting them soaked - and if you do, just let them dry naturally.
Mine often gets damp - no worries. Proof it every few years and that's it.
What Stirling Crispin said.
Just use it. Stuff a plastic bag under it and put it on top when your not riding it.
I think the best advice is to take it off, treat it with Proofide, leave it in a warm place, in a paper bag, and put a decent modern saddle on instead.
Don't like them, never have, never will.
Sounds like the worst advice ever given to be fair.
I gave up and got a Cambium.
I’ve run my Imperial for years on my Swift, though it does have a rear mudhugger to keep my butt dry (fords on the New Forest). You’re worrying too much.
I apply Neatsfoot oil every once in a while, maybe annual/ every other year. Its a very comfortable perch. Zero butt ache after hours on a bike. These saddles are good for 50 years. The Imperial’s cut out allows more give I think and i run the lacing pretty slack.
My bars are level which is the posture these b17 and imperials are for.
Dad had a b17 titanium and the leather is softer and there is a bit more spring in the titanium rails as well as lighter. The titaniums are super comfy if you find you have a b17 butt...
I've a ti swift on my road bike and it's been as good as gold. I use proofide once in a while. It has got a few rough discoloured patches but is still very comfy.
My pal trashed his Swift (steel one) using it on his commuter, he couldn't face the expense for a new as the prices had gone significantly since he bought his original Swift.
I fancy a cambium but they're not cheap either.
Back when there was nothing but leather saddles and the bike was left outside leaning against the kitchen window in all weathers, there was none of this concern.
Saddles were more likely to get a wipe over with rag dampened with 3-in-1 oil* at the same time as the weekly drip of water into the bearings of the bike. The same rag would wipe down the frame.
Seeing as I have a few 70 to 90 year old bikes with their original saddles still in good nick, I don't think it's something worth worrying over.
What does wreck a leather saddle is not being used and being left to dry out. If it is then used without being "fed" it probably will be wrecked.
.
* I also used shoe polish for the saddle.
Gold Label Hide Food and a decent mudguard. Need the latter anyway whatever the saddle
I bet there loads of 90+ year old ones around working fine. They've not been ridden soaking wet tho.
Covering with a bag when it's wet or locked up is not for me, so I flogged mine and got a Cambium, it's the most comfy saddle I have (moreso than the B17).
Yeah OP I would definitely use a mudguard, just in case.
Thanks for the input. It appears im overthinking it. Ihave a couple of Cambiums, one of which is on the bike i was going to use the Brooks on. I will sort a seatpost and use it more.
My real concern was with a multiday ride of a fortnight in the UK. Im guessing it could properly rain for a few consecutive days. So unless i become inseparable from the B17, i will use the cambium.
My real concern was with a multiday ride of a fortnight in the UK
Im guessing it could properly rain for a few consecutive days
Mines (and the wife's)managed 5weeks cycling up and across western Canada with much rain.
My real concern was with a multiday ride of a fortnight in the UK.
I used a B17 on a 4-month, 6000-mile ride round Britain and Ireland in 1995.
Bike lived outside while I was in a tent. It rained a bit on that trip 🙂
As for the 90-year old saddles, I knew an old-timer (aged 80 at the time) who'd sent his saddle back to Brooks to be rebuilt.
The best way to treat them is to fully treat your cheeks and crack with proofride and then ride ‘commando’ for a day. The body heat and bum movement will encourage the movement of the nourishing substances directly into the saddle.
I use mine year round.
Have copter tape across the rails to stop some of the wheel wash.
Use this as a cover in rain
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m18b0s204p4636/GILLES-BERTHOUD-Saddle-Cover
When bike packing and it's torrential I cover saddle with a drybag. clipping the bag around the seat post , and then put the saddle cover over the dry bag.
Riding a 36 year old B17 narrow here , it's by far my comfiest and hardest wearing saddle. As Milfordvet says neatsfoot oil is the thing , it darkens the leather and you end up with a matt finish but no worries about rain or drying out issues. I've just bought a new one and given that a feed of neatsfoot to help the breaking in process, happy days.......
Just scaryily calculated that my brown b17 on my tourer/commuter/utility....... Is now nearly 20years old.... I'm not really so old that that would be expected. Reminants of a well spent youth huh.
cynic-al
...I bet there loads of 90+ year old ones around working fine. They’ve not been ridden soaking wet tho...
All of mine have, and I doubt a bit of rain would have bothered previous owners. Bikes were transport back then so weren't cosseted. They were maintained though.
Hah, Breninbeener, is that the one I sold you years ago?!
I just covered an old saddle with leather (from an old sofa) and just used the car leather conditioner... I'll see how it lasts up.
My B17 is around 15 years old, on a commuter bike used 5 days a week 48 weeks a year for the last 12 years, in all weathers. It gets some boot wax every few years (if I remember) but no other special treatment. Appart from a few scuffs it's in great condition.
It's cobblers really - just treat it like a pair of leather shoes. They get wet. Wipe off excess water, let it dry naturally, polish with som