Brooks B17 - pre-aged vs standard



D

DaveB

Guest
I've got two Brooks B17 saddles. One is the pre-aged model and the other
is the standard B17. I got the pre-aged saddle about a year ago for my
roadbike and found it had shaped nicely to me within a couple of weeks
riding. About a month later I got the standard B17 for my commuter. 12
months later and it is still not to the shape the pre-aged saddle was in
a couple of weeks.

For both saddles I gave them a coat of the Brooks Proofide when I first
got them and again every couple of months. Is there anything else I can
do with the standard saddle?

DaveB
 
DaveB <[email protected]> writes:

> For both saddles I gave them a coat of the Brooks Proofide when I
> first got them and again every couple of months. Is there anything
> else I can do with the standard saddle?


Ah, old-school Brooks break-in tips. My preferred version is to turn
the saddle upside down (close the holes with tape if necessary), pour
plenty of linseed oil into it and let it soak in in a mildly warm
(75 °C/170 °F/gas mark whatever) oven for several hours. Let it cool down,
discard excess oil, apply a new coat of Proofide to the top surface, ride.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
DaveB <[email protected]> wrote:

> I've got two Brooks B17 saddles. One is the pre-aged model and the
> other is the standard B17. I got the pre-aged saddle about a year ago
> for my roadbike and found it had shaped nicely to me within a couple
> of weeks riding. About a month later I got the standard B17 for my
> commuter. 12 months later and it is still not to the shape the
> pre-aged saddle was in a couple of weeks.
>
> For both saddles I gave them a coat of the Brooks Proofide when I
> first got them and again every couple of months. Is there anything
> else I can do with the standard saddle?


http://www.sheldonbrown.com/leather.html
 
On Feb 16, 3:30 am, DaveB <[email protected]> wrote:
> I've got two Brooks B17 saddles. One is the pre-aged model and the other
> is the standard B17. I got the pre-aged saddle about a year ago for my
> roadbike and found it had shaped nicely to me within a couple of weeks
> riding. About a month later I got the standard B17 for my commuter. 12
> months later and it is still not to the shape the pre-aged saddle was in
> a couple of weeks.
>
> For both saddles I gave them a coat of the Brooks Proofide when I first
> got them and again every couple of months. Is there anything else I can
> do with the standard saddle?
>
> DaveB


Sell it and get a saddle that fits you. If a Brooks isn't comfy in
under a hundred miles, it's not the right saddle for you.
 
"A R:nen" wrote: (clip) pour plenty of linseed oil into it (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Why not neatsfoot oil?
 
On Feb 16, 11:10 am, "Leo Lichtman" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> "A R:nen" wrote: (clip) pour plenty of linseed oil into it (clip)
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Why not neatsfoot oil?


It's cheaper to ruin a saddle with linseed oil.
 
On Feb 16, 11:57 am, "* * Chas" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "landotter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > On Feb 16, 11:10 am, "Leo Lichtman" <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> > > "A R:nen" wrote: (clip) pour plenty of linseed oil into it (clip)

>
> > > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > > Why not neatsfoot oil?

>
> > It's cheaper to ruin a saddle with linseed oil.

>
> Used motor oil is even cheaper.....
>

But think of the awesome patina!
 
"landotter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Feb 16, 11:10 am, "Leo Lichtman" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
> > "A R:nen" wrote: (clip) pour plenty of linseed oil into it (clip)
> >
> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > Why not neatsfoot oil?

>
> It's cheaper to ruin a saddle with linseed oil.


Used motor oil is even cheaper.....

Chas.
 
"Leo Lichtman" <[email protected]> writes:

> "A R:nen" wrote: (clip) pour plenty of linseed oil into it (clip)
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Why not neatsfoot oil?


The nearest Hankkija (or Agrimarket or whatever they are called these
days) is too far away, if indeed that's even a product that's
available in this part of the world. Feel free to use even udder cream
for all I care.

In my experience, canola oil works comfort-wise just as well, but its
smell is quite persistent.
 
Per DaveB:
>I've got two Brooks B17 saddles. One is the pre-aged model and the other
>is the standard B17. I got the pre-aged saddle about a year ago for my
>roadbike and found it had shaped nicely to me within a couple of weeks
>riding. About a month later I got the standard B17 for my commuter. 12
>months later and it is still not to the shape the pre-aged saddle was in
>a couple of weeks.


My (very limited) experience is that Brooks' leather quality is
inconsistent.

I bought one Brooks saddle that was like a rock - it was so hard
I sent it back.

I've been through three others that were pretty much comfortable
from day 1 and got totally comfortable within a few hundred
miles.

And I have one that's kind of hard (but nothing like "the rock")
despite being ridden several hundred miles.

AFIK they were all "standard" and not "pre-aged".
--
PeteCresswell
 
(PeteCresswell) wrote:
> Per DaveB:
>> I've got two Brooks B17 saddles. One is the pre-aged model and the other
>> is the standard B17. I got the pre-aged saddle about a year ago for my
>> roadbike and found it had shaped nicely to me within a couple of weeks
>> riding. About a month later I got the standard B17 for my commuter. 12
>> months later and it is still not to the shape the pre-aged saddle was in
>> a couple of weeks.

>
> My (very limited) experience is that Brooks' leather quality is
> inconsistent.
>
> I bought one Brooks saddle that was like a rock - it was so hard
> I sent it back.
>
> I've been through three others that were pretty much comfortable
> from day 1 and got totally comfortable within a few hundred
> miles.
>
> And I have one that's kind of hard (but nothing like "the rock")
> despite being ridden several hundred miles.
>
> AFIK they were all "standard" and not "pre-aged".


Instead of a piece of dead cow, why is a synthetic product, such as the
"Lorica" used by SiDi for shoes, not used for saddles? The "Lorica"
material does not appear to suffer from wet/dry cycles and is very durable.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful
 
In article <[email protected]>,
DaveB <[email protected]> wrote:

> I've got two Brooks B17 saddles. One is the pre-aged model and the other
> is the standard B17. I got the pre-aged saddle about a year ago for my
> roadbike and found it had shaped nicely to me within a couple of weeks
> riding. About a month later I got the standard B17 for my commuter. 12
> months later and it is still not to the shape the pre-aged saddle was in
> a couple of weeks.
>
> For both saddles I gave them a coat of the Brooks Proofide when I first
> got them and again every couple of months. Is there anything else I can
> do with the standard saddle?


Put the saddle upside down under a 100 watt incandescent
light bulb. Slather the underside with Proofide. Leave
overnight. I use a 2 cm stiff artist's paint brush for
the slathering. Proofide will migrate to the riding
surface side of the leather. A second treatment in a
fortnight maybe called for.

--
Michael Press
 
In article <[email protected]>,
DaveB <[email protected]> wrote:

> I've got two Brooks B17 saddles. One is the pre-aged model and the other
> is the standard B17. I got the pre-aged saddle about a year ago for my
> roadbike and found it had shaped nicely to me within a couple of weeks
> riding. About a month later I got the standard B17 for my commuter. 12
> months later and it is still not to the shape the pre-aged saddle was in
> a couple of weeks.
>
> For both saddles I gave them a coat of the Brooks Proofide when I first
> got them and again every couple of months. Is there anything else I can
> do with the standard saddle?


Do _not_ use oil as has been suggested.

--
Michael Press
 
On Feb 16, 3:01 pm, Michael Press <[email protected]> wrote:

> Do _not_ use oil as has been suggested.


Clear shoe polish is all that's needed with a thin leather like the
B17.
 
"Michael Press" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> DaveB <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I've got two Brooks B17 saddles. One is the pre-aged model and the

other
> > is the standard B17. I got the pre-aged saddle about a year ago for my
> > roadbike and found it had shaped nicely to me within a couple of weeks
> > riding. About a month later I got the standard B17 for my commuter. 12
> > months later and it is still not to the shape the pre-aged saddle was

in
> > a couple of weeks.
> >
> > For both saddles I gave them a coat of the Brooks Proofide when I

first
> > got them and again every couple of months. Is there anything else I

can
> > do with the standard saddle?

>
> Put the saddle upside down under a 100 watt incandescent
> light bulb. Slather the underside with Proofide. Leave
> overnight. I use a 2 cm stiff artist's paint brush for
> the slathering. Proofide will migrate to the riding
> surface side of the leather. A second treatment in a
> fortnight maybe called for.
>
> --
> Michael Press


I put Proofide on with an old tooth brush and use a hair dryer to get it
to soak in, 15-20 minutes total and I'm done.

I have one early 80s Pro that has leather that's about 1/2 as thick as on
my others. It's still pretty hard after all these years.

My experience with about 3 Ideale pre-softened saddles is that they tended
to be too soft and started to sag after very little use. I stretched 1 out
over an inch with the adjuster trying to get some form back.

I've seen some leather saddles on eBay that had almost 2" of stretch;
caveat emptor....

Chas.
 
landotter wrote:
> On Feb 16, 3:01 pm, Michael Press <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Do _not_ use oil as has been suggested.

>
> Clear shoe polish is all that's needed with a thin leather like the
> B17.


Does the B-17 have thin leather? My 196xish B-66 has 15 oz leather.
 
Don't be shy about abandoning the B17 if it isn't fitting you. Life is
too short to become fixated on something just because of its obscure
(and unwarranted) cachet. Unload it on eBay, maybe somebody will fall
in love with it, a total win-win, right? Maybe try some of the other
Brooks saddles, the pro is great for me, the B17 not so good.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
Tom Sherman <[email protected]> wrote:

> (PeteCresswell) wrote:
> > Per DaveB:
> >> I've got two Brooks B17 saddles. One is the pre-aged model and the other
> >> is the standard B17. I got the pre-aged saddle about a year ago for my
> >> roadbike and found it had shaped nicely to me within a couple of weeks
> >> riding. About a month later I got the standard B17 for my commuter. 12
> >> months later and it is still not to the shape the pre-aged saddle was in
> >> a couple of weeks.

> >
> > My (very limited) experience is that Brooks' leather quality is
> > inconsistent.
> >
> > I bought one Brooks saddle that was like a rock - it was so hard
> > I sent it back.
> >
> > I've been through three others that were pretty much comfortable
> > from day 1 and got totally comfortable within a few hundred
> > miles.
> >
> > And I have one that's kind of hard (but nothing like "the rock")
> > despite being ridden several hundred miles.
> >
> > AFIK they were all "standard" and not "pre-aged".

>
> Instead of a piece of dead cow, why is a synthetic product, such as the
> "Lorica" used by SiDi for shoes, not used for saddles? The "Lorica"
> material does not appear to suffer from wet/dry cycles and is very durable.


Impedance matching.
Our connective tissue is made out of the same stuff as leather.

--
Michael Press
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"* * Chas" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Michael Press" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > DaveB <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > I've got two Brooks B17 saddles. One is the pre-aged model and the

> other
> > > is the standard B17. I got the pre-aged saddle about a year ago for my
> > > roadbike and found it had shaped nicely to me within a couple of weeks
> > > riding. About a month later I got the standard B17 for my commuter. 12
> > > months later and it is still not to the shape the pre-aged saddle was

> in
> > > a couple of weeks.
> > >
> > > For both saddles I gave them a coat of the Brooks Proofide when I

> first
> > > got them and again every couple of months. Is there anything else I

> can
> > > do with the standard saddle?

> >
> > Put the saddle upside down under a 100 watt incandescent
> > light bulb. Slather the underside with Proofide. Leave
> > overnight. I use a 2 cm stiff artist's paint brush for
> > the slathering. Proofide will migrate to the riding
> > surface side of the leather. A second treatment in a
> > fortnight maybe called for.
> >
> > --
> > Michael Press

>
> I put Proofide on with an old tooth brush and use a hair dryer to get it
> to soak in, 15-20 minutes total and I'm done.
>
> I have one early 80s Pro that has leather that's about 1/2 as thick as on
> my others. It's still pretty hard after all these years.
>
> My experience with about 3 Ideale pre-softened saddles is that they tended
> to be too soft and started to sag after very little use. I stretched 1 out
> over an inch with the adjuster trying to get some form back.
>
> I've seen some leather saddles on eBay that had almost 2" of stretch;
> caveat emptor....


I used a hair drier but prefer the light bulb.
The hair drier is too labor intensive for me.

--
Michael Press