Break-in for Berthoud saddles?

[Christian]

Hi everyone,

I have a Berthoud saddle with about 3,500 miles on it--maybe a little
more or less. I've ridden three 200ks on it and numerous other
rides. It shows no discernible signs of breaking in and my sit bones
were poking into (for lack of a better description) by the end of the
most recent 200. I switched back to a B17 for last weekend's 300K.

I'm wondering what kinds of experiences others have had with their
Berthoud saddles? Of course, it simply might not be the saddle for
me; I understand that. I'm still curious about others' experience
with breaking in theirs. It's a really well made saddle and is quite
comfortable to a point.

Thanks a lot

Christian

[rswa...@me.com]

Not quite as many miles as you, but a good 2000 at least and NO sign of break-in! To me that's a good thing since it suggests that it will last forever. My Brooks saddles have very noticeable sit-bone indents in less than 1000 miles.

Ryan

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[Jacobsen, Wayne]

My Berthoud is a little softer than new after maybe 1,000 miles, but I agree it's a slow break in. Still, its comfortable enough for me on long rides.

Wayne

[Steve Williamson]

I too had thought mine hadn't broken in (4000ishk on it) until I bought
another for a different bike and compared them. I indeed have broken my
original one in. It's much more flexible and seasoned, though still firm.
I'm liking it.

Check out my Blog: The Curious Randonneur.
www.curiousrandonneur.blogspot.com

It's about long distance bicycling and whatever else I veer off into.

[Clayton Scott]

Mine is showing two dimples after about 1,500 miles. 

[Christian]

Thanks everyone so far. Sounds like others are experiencing the same
thing, with some minor variation. Are you all experiencing discomfort
or simply slow break in? That is, it sounds like they're breaking in
slowly but you're comfortable. I am too until about 100 miles, it
seems. Like Ryan, my Brooks saddles (the two I've owned) tended to
show dimples very quickly.

Thanks again,

Christian

On May 11, 3:12 pm, Clayton Scott <clayton...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Mine is showing two dimples after about 1,500 miles.
>

> On Wed, May 11, 2011 at 11:35 AM, Steve Williamson <dirtycamp...@comcast.net

> > On May 11, 2011, at 11:34, Christian <christian.w.mcmil...@gmail.com>

[Steve Rice]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Steve Rice <sri...@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, May 11, 2011 at 2:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Randon] Break-in for Berthoud saddles?

To: Steve Williamson <dirtyc...@comcast.net>


Mine is definitely broken in - or maybe just broken.

It had shown no obvious signs of break-in after 7 or 8 centuries, a 400K, and the first 400K of a 600K.  I added a Brooks saddle cover prior to the final 200K of that 600K in response to the thunderstorm I was heading out into.  Sometime during that wet 200K, I lost one of the little screws on the back and the saddle's leather ended up with creases and definite B-17ish indentions.

Steve Rice

[Distance Biker]

When comparing the Gilles Berthoud "pre-softened" saddles to a Brooks B-17, there doesn't seem to be a big difference (I sell both + others like Selle An-Atomica). On the GB site they suggest that oils not be used to treat their saddles. Brooks has a similar recommendation. The substances sold by them is mostly wax based (I believe), kinda like the classic Sno Seal shoe treatment of the 70s and 80s (and still sold today). Despite the manuf. recommendations, if I were to use a GB saddle, I would try to use the recommendation of Lon Haldeman, where he suggests the use of copious amounts of Mink oil in preparing leather saddles: http://pactour.blogspot.com/2011/01/breaking-in-leather-saddle.html

Cheers,

Richard Stum
Regional Brevet Administrator

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