Brooks saddle

[jul]

I'm curious to know if a used Brooks saddle have to be replaced by a new one..

If yes, how can we know ?






Thanks in advance

[mickeg]

I would replace that one, that one is pretty stretched out.

But I have Brooks saddles that I have been riding for a couple decades that do not show anywhere near as much stretch as yours.

I have been careful to make sure that I wore my saddle into the shape I wanted before I put Brooks Proofide on it.  And I did not ride those saddles in the rain.  And once they were most of the way to the shape I wanted them, I applied Proofide to the top and bottom on a regular basis, initially more frequent than later. 

And I use a rain cover when the bike might be in the rain.  I am pretty obsessive about making sure I do not ride on a wet saddle.

One of mine in attached photo, my records say that this one was bought two decades ago, most of my bike tours were on this one.  It was honey color when new.  Photo was from last month.

But I have several bikes, I do not put a lot of wear on any individual bike.

[UKTony]

I just follow the Brooks leather saddle care instructions. Yours certainly looks like it needs replacing.

https://www.brooksengland.com/en-gb/pages/how-to-maintain-leather-saddles

[jul]

Ok, but i am comfortable on my B17..

However, i don’t want to take care as Mickeg ,  maybe is it possible to find a similar saddle as the B17 but without leather ?

If somebody know the B17 and who can suggest to me another saddle as comfortable as the B17 ?

[mickeg]

Ok, but i am comfortable on my B17..
...

Then keep it, but I really think you should put some effort into maintenence.

[jul]

Ok, but i am comfortable on my B17..
...

Then keep it, but I really think you should put some effort into maintenence.

Yet i use proofide... but i can do small holes and add laces

[mickeg]

Ok, but i am comfortable on my B17..
...

Then keep it, but I really think you should put some effort into maintenence.

Yet i use proofide... but i can do small holes and add laces

If you really like it, then occasional Proofide should suffice.  If you lack fenders (mudguards) on the bike, putting some on teh bottom side is not a bad idea.

If it was mine, I would increase the tension on the leather, but maybe the current shape is what you like?  If so, maybe not change the tension.

[Andre Jute]

I applied Proofide to the top and bottom on a regular basis, initially more frequent than later.

IIRC, Brooks instruction for applying Proofide are to apply the proprietary wax to the top and the bottom when first applied, but for subsequent applications only to the top.

I presume that is to avoid building up wax on both sides so that the leather can breathe out any moisture through one flat side with only a light, single application of Proofide.

Trivia, I bought my Brooks saddle and leather grips in the Honey colour, not because it matched my bike well (it was actually a very good match but a bit flashy for me) but so that I could create a custom dark brown by soaking the saddle in neat foot oil (buy it from a saddlery or tack store which supplies the horse racing crowd).

[PH]

maybe is it possible to find a similar saddle as the B17 but without leather ?

I went from the leather B17 to the rubber C17 and prefer the C17, it isn't identical, a bit like a half broken in B17, not everyone likes that, I bought a second C17 from someone returning to leather.

[mickeg]

maybe is it possible to find a similar saddle as the B17 but without leather ?

I went from the leather B17 to the rubber C17 and prefer the C17, it isn't identical, a bit like a half broken in B17, not everyone likes that, I bought a second C17 from someone returning to leather.

I have two C17 saddles that I really do not like, they are currently unused.  I am sticking with leather.

[JohnR]

I've got a barely-used C17 but know people who are happy with them. Those people weigh somewhat more than my 64kg / 142lb and I think that's a factor. Few saddles have versions to cater for different rider wights.

[Moronic]

I'm curious to know if a used Brooks saddle have to be replaced by a new one..

If yes, how can we know ?






Thanks in advance

You'll know when the one you have gets uncomfortable.

Except it's likely a boiled-frog thing. It might be hard to remember how much more comfortable the saddle was when in better repair.

When I bought my Mercury, I fitted an ancient Brooks Professional that I had acquired from a bike purchased used 40 years earlier. I'd revived it with a soak in neatsfoot oil and had used it happily enough on several multi-day tours. I had preferred it to various plastic saddles I'd tried.

With the Mercury purchase I was in the saddle much more frequently and for longer periods. I started to wonder whether a new B17 might be better. Took me a while to male the jump because I'd heard the horror stories about the discomfort of a new Brooks and the need to accommodate that for a thousand miles or more while it broke in. If it broke in.

Bit the bullet and on went a standard B17. First ride it proved exactly as comfortable as the ancient Professional it replaced, and hurt in just the same places.

It's now been under me for a couple of thousand miles (guesswork as I don't use a cyclometer) and it's fabulous. Way better than the old one, which is the point of this anecdote.

It's a real pleasure setting off on a ride and feeling the comfort of the broken-in Brooks underneath me. For the next couple of hours I don't even think about it. At that point if I've not been off the bike or much out of the saddle I may want to stand on the pedals for a bit of relief. I'll only need a few seconds.

[jul]

Good th know all this information ..

If the C17 fit me, the big advantage it is not afraid of humidity..

But if i have to buy a new B17, it will be with brass rivet ! Mine are rusty it is not  pretty

[Andre Jute]

I'm curious to know if a used Brooks saddle have to be replaced by a new one..

If yes, how can we know ?

There's a tensioning bolt under the nose of the Brooks saddle. You take a one-eighth turn on it when the saddle starts looking hollow (the proper English is swaybacked -- don't ask me why: English isn't my first language, by half a dozen or so, so I would have said that if we have to have a horsey metaphor it should be lordosis, an equine spine symptom). In your case maybe a quarter-turn. When you've used up all the thread on adjustment bolt, you take the bolt to a welder and ask him to weld on a longer piece of threaded rod, same diameter and thread count per inch. If you're worried about the appearance of your clearly neglected saddle, buy some neat foot oil from your local saddlery (more £$%^&* horses), pour the contents of the can into a baking dish or a bowl large enough to take the saddle and soak first the top and then bottom in the neat foot oil, 10-20 minutes per side. You do that only once, then a thin layer of Proofide once a year only on top. After the short soak in neat foot oil lay the saddle aside for a few days to dry out a bit, then polish only the top with a soft cloth. Tension with your longer bolt and you're good to go for several more years.

A Brooks saddle is like a Catholic wife, you marry it for life, no divorce.