Re: [RBW] Are Brooks saddles really that high maintenance?

[Peter Morgano]

Well not to get gross but there is some sweat and there is full on soaking wet butt sweat time which in my case is only on longer than 30+ miles rides in the summer. In the winter/fall/spring its really all good. I have had brooks sadddles for 10 years and never ruined one, just carry the old fashioned seat cover, a good old plastic bag.

On Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 10:14 PM, lungimsam <john1...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi everyone,

 

Since I am new to Riv, I am also new to Brooks.

In "Just Ride" Grant tells how to care fof a leather saddle.

He says to cover it with something to keep it dry - whether from sweat or rain. He says sweat from long rides.

 

But sweat, really? Every time I go on a long ride I need to ride with a cover or shower cap, or something on it to keep my sweat off it? Is it really that high maintenance?

 

What do you think? What is your experience?

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[Steve Palincsar]

On Thu, 2012-08-09 at 19:14 -0700, lungimsam wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> Since I am new to Riv, I am also new to Brooks.
> In "Just Ride" Grant tells how to care fof a leather saddle.
> He says to cover it with something to keep it dry - whether from sweat
> or rain. He says sweat from long rides.
>
> But sweat, really? Every time I go on a long ride I need to ride with
> a cover or shower cap, or something on it to keep my sweat off it? Is
> it really that high maintenance?

Not at all.

>
> What do you think? What is your experience?

I think it's a gross exaggeration. I do use a saddle cover in the rain.
For sweat? Never.

[Kenneth Stagg]

On Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 9:14 PM, lungimsam <john1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> Since I am new to Riv, I am also new to Brooks.
> In "Just Ride" Grant tells how to care fof a leather saddle.
> He says to cover it with something to keep it dry - whether from sweat or
> rain. He says sweat from long rides.
>
> But sweat, really? Every time I go on a long ride I need to ride with a
> cover or shower cap, or something on it to keep my sweat off it? Is it
> really that high maintenance?
>

> What do you think? What is your experience?

I've never worried about sweat damaging my Brooks saddles.
Discoloring some, sure, though I just call it patina. Damaging, no.
I have a plastic bag tucked under the saddle to use if it's likely to
be outside in the rain without me covering it and I have an Aardvark
cover for if I think I'm going to be out for more than four or five
hours in heavy rain. Otherwise it's uncovered.

-Ken

[Ray Shine]

I agree. I sweat a lot, and have never ruined a Brooks. I use Brooks on all my bikes. If I ride in rain, I try to remember to cover the saddle, but often forget. Generally the nose will get wet and darken, but after an air dry, it goes away.  I don't even use the goop on them. I just ride 'em.

---

From: Steve Palincsar <pali...@his.com>
To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Fri, August 10, 2012 7:13:50 AM
Subject: Re: [RBW] Are Brooks saddles really that high maintenance?

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[Cyclofiend Jim]

Yeah - Brooks are generally pretty hardy.  But, they are way different from what most people have experience with.  Since there is no plastic formed layer keeping everything in place, soaked leather will stretch.  But, just to be clear, I regard this as a good thing.  I think that Grant's warnings are to make folks mindful that a natural material is a bit different than injection molded plastic.

The other thing which folks tend to do is over-oil the fabric - using a can's worth of Proofride or Obenauf's on a saddle will greatly soften it.  Follow that up with aggressively tightening the tension bolt and you won't get many seasons out of your saddle.

They have very good reference about general care and feeding on the Rivbike site -

Also, there are a number of detailed care threads in the archives on this list - some good, salient tips and admonishments.

One thing I found to help is using NikWax Aqueous wax periodically.  This gives a good layer of protection if you are doing longer, seated rides, and gets butt-buffed to a slightly sealed and shiny surface without extra work.  I'll put a layer on in the spring, then maybe mid-year (when I notice that after a longer ride the saddle is pretty soaked) and then before the rainy season (winter) starts.  I generally get the cover in place if it starts raining fairly hard.  Though I find with fenders and a seated position, it's not overly necessary in lighter rains and misty conditions.

Hope that helps,

- Jim

cyclofiend.com / cyclo...@gmail.com

[Joe Bunik]

Ah! I just posted a tangentially similar question to iBOB, to wit:

"Recently found a saddle I'd been looking for (Brooks Conquest aka the
"sprung Pro") for a reasonable price and seemingly condition, but now
that I have it in my hands, the leather seems unusually rubbery, and
almost "moist" (no residue to the touch however). Supple would also be
an accurate word to describe it.

It's not unusually sagged or even sit-boned, so I am wondering if this
is the result of (overly?) applying of Proofhide or Goop or whatever.
Personally, I never have treated any of my Brooks, and prefer them
knock-on-wood hard."

Any suggestions for how to undo an overdose of the softener? I am most
concerned that tensioning it up would likely stretch/tear the soft
leather. But it splays too readily for my taste. Hmm, maybe Vince@rbw
has a block of foam...

=- Joe Bunik
Walnut Creek, CA

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[Peter Morgano]

My dad still rocks his Brooks on his Schwinn Typhoon from the 70s. I asked if he did anything to it to preserve its life and he just looked at me like I was crazy. He said he didnt get it wet since it was leather and hes "not a moron" (his words not mine) but that is it.  I gave it a whirl and it feels dreamy. Too many products out there for the leaher saddle market are overwrought. They need tiny bit of treatment every few years if at all.

[Marc Irwin]

I try to cover the saddles when left out in the rain, never when riding. I use Riv Splats to cover the saddle when it's parked on a rainy day. I just try to keep it reasonably dry and rub them with mink oil paste once in a while. It's worked for 40 years.

Marc

[IPATOM]

I have 7000 miles on my Brooks B17 and about every 4 months I treat it with Obenaufs which RBW sells . I have a cover but never use it unless it rains. My saddle is in great shape and riding on the leather feels better than using the cover which can cause some chafing. I feel this saddle is low maintenance unless you live in an area with a lot of rain.

[Larry Powers]

The B17 standard on my commuter is 6 years old and I only treated once when I bought it and maybe a couple of years after that.   I put a rain cover on it when it is raining hard and that has been it.  For me, no they are not high maintenance especially considering how comfortable they are for me.

Larry Powers
 
Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain

> Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:59:29 -0700
> From: tomd...@hotmail.com
> To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: [RBW] Are Brooks saddles really that high maintenance?

>
> I have 7000 miles on my Brooks B17 and about every 4 months I treat it with Obenaufs which RBW sells . I have a cover but never use it unless it rains. My saddle is in great shape and riding on the leather feels better than using the cover which can cause some chafing. I feel this saddle is low maintenance unless you live in an area with a lot of rain.
>

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[C.J. Filip]

My B17 is the third I've owned used. The previous owner of the saddle
thought it was too saggy and drilled and propped it up with copious
rawhide string. This left me feeling an extreme pressure in the
perineum. Eventually I removed the cord and to my surprise, the fit
was perfect and not saggy at all.

I apply a thin coat of Obenaufs about once a year, and that's probably
overdoing it. Don't protect from butt sweat but covered with a
plastic grocery bag if rain's a'threatenin'.

On Aug 10, 4:01 pm, Larry Powers <lapower...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> The B17 standard on my commuter is 6 years old and I only treated once when I bought it and maybe a couple of years after that.   I put a rain cover on it when it is raining hard and that has been it.  For me, no they are not high maintenance especially considering how comfortable they are for me.
>
> Larry Powers
>
> Get a bicycle.  You will not regret it if you live. - Mark Twain
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:59:29 -0700

> > From: tomdu...@hotmail.com

> > To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
> > Subject: [RBW] Are Brooks saddles really that high maintenance?
>
> > I have 7000 miles on my Brooks B17 and about every 4 months I treat it with Obenaufs which RBW sells . I have a cover but never use it unless it rains. My saddle is in great shape and riding on the leather feels better than using the cover which can cause some chafing.  I feel this saddle is low maintenance unless you live in an area with a lot of rain.
>
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.

> > To view this discussion on the web visithttps://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/M7cI1iH1zjoJ.

[Tim McNamara]

On Aug 10, 2012, at 1:53 PM, Cyclofiend Jim <cyclo...@earthlink.net> wrote:

> Yeah - Brooks are generally pretty hardy.

Good comments from Jim.

I went out for a ride on my All-rounder tonight as it was a beautiful evening. I bought my Brooks Pro on that bike in 1977 or 1978 and it is now on its fourth bike. I put some Proofide or Obenauf's on it once a year and have done no other maintenance on it. I can't even remember adjusting the nose bolt, although I might have given it a total of a turn- looking at the threads- in the 34 years I have been riding it. I only rode it to break it in, no oiling or anything like that, and it has been a faithful prop into my old age these many years.

I have tried some latter day Brooks saddles and find that they have changed the shape in ways that are disadvantageous for me. Other people's experience may vary.