So I bought a new leather saddle from ifitsfreeitsforme and now it is time to break it in. I have never owned a leather saddle before so this breaking in part is a new to me. How do you break in your leather saddle?
How do you break in a leather saddle?
- Thread starter dracothered
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Ride, ride, ride! 
That's really the only way I know. My dad broke in his hair pin saddle that way.
That's really the only way I know. My dad broke in his hair pin saddle that way.
You can try various treatment methods like Smoop said, but I've heard more people say what Nick said, ride ride ride. I personally wouldn't want to mess with the construction or finish of a new saddle with treatments. Seems risky. Later on down the road, perhaps treatments are necessary to maintain it.
I agree....plus I use Obenauf's Leather Preservative instead of Brook's Proofhide. I apply to the top and bottom of a new saddle. Then only a couple of times per year on the top.Ride, ride, ride!
For a Brooks, I put a smidge of Proofide on top and bottom, ride it a lot, and add a smidge of proofide up top whenever it seems to be drying out a bit (Probably roughly once a year, give or take a few months). For a Brooks, water will destroy it, as will excessive use of Proofide or similar products. Some ppl put neatsfoot or linseed oil on it; I've never tried this, but I've heard it can destroy the saddle. (I have seen water-damaged leather saddles firsthand, as well as saddles damages from excessive use of conditioners. And, I've seen Brooks destroyed by being overtensioned.)
As for the off-brand saddles being sold for the perplexing price of $52.50 on the FS forum: couldn't say what the care'n'feeding of those is, but I'd imagine you'll want to keep h2o off of it, and use some sort of conditioner to keep the leather from cracking. Maybe ask the seller what he recommends?
As for the off-brand saddles being sold for the perplexing price of $52.50 on the FS forum: couldn't say what the care'n'feeding of those is, but I'd imagine you'll want to keep h2o off of it, and use some sort of conditioner to keep the leather from cracking. Maybe ask the seller what he recommends?
Yep, read that one.... thanks
I gave it a couple coats of Dr Martens Wonder Balm which has coconut oil, lanolin and beeswax in it. Both front and back now I have to wait for the seat post shim so I can put it on the bike.
I just ride. I find they're pretty comfortable right from the start, so it's not that bad an experience.
For treatment I smear silicone grease over it top and bottom every couple of months. The grease on the top gets wiped off as soon as I go for a ride, but I've found that the grease on the bottom has turned into a waxy, soapy kind of coating and I'm pretty sure the bottom of my saddle is now impervious to water.
I really don't know whether silicone grease is particularly good or bad for leather saddles, but I have lots of it.
For treatment I smear silicone grease over it top and bottom every couple of months. The grease on the top gets wiped off as soon as I go for a ride, but I've found that the grease on the bottom has turned into a waxy, soapy kind of coating and I'm pretty sure the bottom of my saddle is now impervious to water.
I really don't know whether silicone grease is particularly good or bad for leather saddles, but I have lots of it.
Just ride. I have used oils, soaps, greases, and in the end, my sore seat broke it in!
yup, they will literally disintegrate under your rear whilst riding...
Will it disintegrate? Nope. Will it stretch out, forming an uncomfortable center ridge, with the skirts flaring up and out to the point it may need lacing, and to such a degree that the tension screw won't do anything but make the ridge bigger? Yep.
"Destruction" come in many forms; I, for one, won't drop a Bennie on an uncomfortable, amorphous blob of leather.
If you do get your Brooks wet, don't fret. Park the bike ASAP, let the saddle dry, then apply some Proofide or similar product. Do not apply anything while the saddle is still wet, and do not mess with the tension until the saddle is totally dry.
Hey just asking how you guys do it, not meant to cause bickering back n forth over it.
Back in the day when you had to break in a pair of hiking boots fast you would put them on and take a hot shower and wear them until they were dry. Then we would slap snow seal on them until it took no more into the leather. Yes we knew water is leathers enemy and you only soaked them once like this.
This seems to have crossed over to leather saddles also, but there seems to be heated opinions about this method of breaking them in. I know we can all agree repeated soakings of water on leather in not good for it.
Let's just hear how you broke yours in and how well it worked for you.
Back in the day when you had to break in a pair of hiking boots fast you would put them on and take a hot shower and wear them until they were dry. Then we would slap snow seal on them until it took no more into the leather. Yes we knew water is leathers enemy and you only soaked them once like this.
This seems to have crossed over to leather saddles also, but there seems to be heated opinions about this method of breaking them in. I know we can all agree repeated soakings of water on leather in not good for it.
Let's just hear how you broke yours in and how well it worked for you.
For the record, I wasn't bickering. Smoop is trying to heckle, but I can't figure out why.
The key difference with leather suspended saddles is tension. This is why you don't want to treat a Brooks like you would boots, a baseball mitt, a leather couch, etc. Those can get wet and/or soft without any problems beyond the cosmetic. If you soften a tensioned leather saddle too much, the tension will just stretch the saddle and then it doesn't work as it was intended to; it loses its shape and doesn't support your rear properly. I have other leather saddles where tension isn't a factor; these didn't require a break-in period, but i also didn't worry about them getting wet (although it wasn't good for the finish.)
My one B17 got wet once; I managed to keep it pretty good, but the skirts do flare out a little bit. I might end up lacing it. But, most Brooks owners keep a plastic bag on hand during rides, in case of rain. (I usually do, but got caught without one time.)
I guess the question is, does the saddle you're using have a tensioner, and act as a suspended "hammock"? Or is it just a leather cover over a more basic frame? B/c that makes all the difference.
The key difference with leather suspended saddles is tension. This is why you don't want to treat a Brooks like you would boots, a baseball mitt, a leather couch, etc. Those can get wet and/or soft without any problems beyond the cosmetic. If you soften a tensioned leather saddle too much, the tension will just stretch the saddle and then it doesn't work as it was intended to; it loses its shape and doesn't support your rear properly. I have other leather saddles where tension isn't a factor; these didn't require a break-in period, but i also didn't worry about them getting wet (although it wasn't good for the finish.)
My one B17 got wet once; I managed to keep it pretty good, but the skirts do flare out a little bit. I might end up lacing it. But, most Brooks owners keep a plastic bag on hand during rides, in case of rain. (I usually do, but got caught without one time.)
I guess the question is, does the saddle you're using have a tensioner, and act as a suspended "hammock"? Or is it just a leather cover over a more basic frame? B/c that makes all the difference.
It is basically just like a Brook B66 or maybe B67 saddle.
This is what the bottom looks like.
Please note: The bickering statement was just a general statement and not directed at any one in particular.
This is what the bottom looks like.
Please note: The bickering statement was just a general statement and not directed at any one in particular.
Yeah, it's got a tension bolt like a Brooks, so too much moisture (whether water- or oil-based) will make the leather fibers very soft, and it will stretch rather than hold tension. Cool saddle, though. Is there any indication of a brand or manufacturer on it?
Nope, it is one of them that ifitsfreeitsforme is selling. He hasn't indicated who is making them.
I like reading all of the responses and different methods. I believe that the methods to soften up the saddle to break it in quicker may be detrimental to the leather's longevity. I found the B17 standard I bought almost 10 years ago to be quite comfortable out of the box, though I suspect my youth had something to do with that. My recommendation is to apply Proofide or other leather dressing to protect the leather and let it break in the old-fashioned way.
Brooks does sell pre-softened saddles if you should be more sensitive down there. As for weather-proofing, a cover helps a bit when the bike sits in the rain, but it is the water spraying up from the tires that hits the underside that does more damage since the leather is the raw, suede side. Some of the other leather saddles, like Gyes ,have a protective membrane underneath.
Brooks does sell pre-softened saddles if you should be more sensitive down there. As for weather-proofing, a cover helps a bit when the bike sits in the rain, but it is the water spraying up from the tires that hits the underside that does more damage since the leather is the raw, suede side. Some of the other leather saddles, like Gyes ,have a protective membrane underneath.
Yep I will be doing that when it gets warm enough to ride again in Michigan...
