brooks seat care question???

[beatcad]

the seat on my newest bike is well worn brooks.
someone told me to get something-or-the-other brand conditioner to care for it. i dont rember what brand he said.
does it really matter?
i mean leather is leather, rite?
there is a tack shop a couple blocks from work. can i just buy any leather conditioner?
or a sports place and buy baseball glove conditioner?

 

[JoeyMac]

Sheldon Brown recommends Neatsfoot oil. But you could also use Brooks brand proofide.
I have used motor oil on a dry old saddle and it livened it up quite a bit. Others might suggest a natural oil.

 

[Wildcat]

I go an even cheaper route. I've used skin lotion for years on my Brooks saddle with good results. I figure if it's safe for human skin, it can't hurt cowhide.

 

[elvis51]

what kind of skin lotion do you prefer to use? cuz i got an old brooks thats worn in "well" and wanna revive it a little

Easy E

 

[beatcad]

just to clarify....i'm not tryin' to be cheap here.
i just dont wanna buy a product i can only order online. i have issues w/ giving out my info inline.
mostly i like to put cash in someones hand and have the item directly in my hand.

i guess i'm old fashioned that way.

 

[deorman]

Hit the tack shop for saddle soap and conditioner. There's a couple of shops left in your area.

Check your pm.

 

[Wildcat]

I use whatever is in the house, as long as it's not perfumed. There was a 5 year stretch where the saddle didn't see any care, so it was dried out at one point. I saturated both sides and repeated every few hours as it soaked up the lotion. It's been fine ever since.

 

[Herman]

The best leather conditioner I"ve found is Lexol,available at most hardware & tack shops,it is used by museum curators to preserve & soften leather

 

[user 135]

I am still on my first tin of Brooks Proofhide, but I have heard good things about Obenauf's Leather products.
http://www.obenaufs.com/story.php?osCsi ... 3644aaf93a
http://www.rivbike.com/products/list/sa ... uct=31-344 Rivendell's writeup about it

 

[sensor]

_.

 

[elvis51]

i used some neutrogena body emulsion intensive therapeutic lotion that my wife had and it worked awesome! totally changed the entire look of the seat and made the leather alot softer! great idea! thanks guys!

Easy E

 

[stretch]

right now im using aveeno lotion, and about to buy a can of shoe leather conditioner, the same stuff that comes in a brooks can for about 8 bucks cheaper.

 

[stephen]

The only thing you should use is Brooks Proofide or something with very similar ingredients, that's why 'Brooks Saddle Oil' doesn't exist, oil weakens the leather, remember other leather goods don't have to support the weight of a person hammock-style. You can use other stuff if you don't mind knocking years off the life of the saddle you love in the long term.