Breaking in a Brooks saddle the unofficial way

[confusedcyclist]

Of course, you could just buy a saddle from this millennia that isn't a collectors item/status symbol/badge of honour* and just does the job without any of these strange and unusual requirements regardless of the current weather, phase of the moon or application of your preferred tipple.......

(* delete as appropriate)

Just sayin!

Brooks are built from 100% recyclable (metal) and compostable (leather) materials. Ideal for the eco-friendly folk. No plastic or fake rubber compounds etc (unless you go for the vulcanised range)

 

[jay clock]

Of course, you could just buy a saddle from this millennia that isn't a collectors item/status symbol/badge of honour* and just does the job without any of these strange and unusual requirements regardless of the current weather, phase of the moon or application of your preferred tipple.......

(* delete as appropriate)

Just sayin!

Don't worry, I also have several Charge Spoons!

 

[CopperBrompton]

The more straightforward method is to ride your bike. 200 miles later, it will be comfy.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

The more straightforward method is to ride your bike. 200 miles later, it will be comfy.

I gave one 500 miles and my posterior still hadn't moulded itself around the Brooks - it wasn't happening the other way round either. My conclusion was that I don't have a Brooks arse.

 

[raleighnut]

[QUOTE 5141535, member: 9609"]2434 mile and as good as new, I think my last seat started to disintegrate after 2000 mile. I rubbed some G-Wax into it when I first got it last semptember and havnt bothered with it since.

It seems to have more flex in the middle then when I first bought it, so should I thighten it up a touch or just leave well alone?
View attachment 394711 [/QUOTE]
You could give it half a turn just don't go winding the bolt up a bunch.

 

[I like Skol]

[QUOTE 5141535, member: 9609"]2434 mile and as good as new, I think my last seat started to disintegrate after 2000 mile. I rubbed some G-Wax into it when I first got it last semptember and havnt bothered with it since.
View attachment 394711 [/QUOTE]
WOW! That's not lasting well, it looks about 70yrs old.....

My £18 Spoon has done about 16k and 7yrs and is still going strong.

 

[Drago]

With my backside a real spoon would be more comfortable than a Charge Spoon.

 

[kingrollo]

Of course, you could just buy a saddle from this millennia that isn't a collectors item/status symbol/badge of honour* and just does the job without any of these strange and unusual requirements regardless of the current weather, phase of the moon or application of your preferred tipple.......

(* delete as appropriate)

Just sayin!

Believe my great big brooks b17 on a CF road with deep section wheels isn't a status symbol. Its purely functional - I can't get comfy on anything else*

(*no I haven't tried them all - before anyone asks)

 

[Amanda P]

One approach that worked for me was to take the Brooks-equipped bike to Kenya for a fortnight on a cheap last-minute ticket.

We only did about 250 miles, but the combination of hot hot weather, my hot bottom riding it and a tropical rainstorm almost every night with the bike outside left it a bit odd-looking (I must have an asymmetric backside) but very comfy.

 

[byegad]

I had a B17 and found that after 1000 miles it was still an instrument of torture. However I did come up with a way to sort it. This is it.
1. Bury it in the garden.
2. Leave it for ten years.
3. Buy a Specialised Body Geometry saddle to use in the interim.
4. Forget where you buried the Brooks.

It worked so well I bought a Specialised for each of my bikes, but didn't bother with steps 1, 2, and 4.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Started off with a little(I mean very little) beef tallow rubbed in, as well as some beeswax, also done that with a cheap Chinese leather saddle from Amazon. It worked out quite well, but Brooks saddles don't need a lot of persuasion, in my case.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I had a B17 and found that after 1000 miles it was still an instrument of torture. However I did come up with a way to sort it. This is it.
1. Bury it in the garden.
2. Leave it for ten years.
3. Buy a Specialised Body Geometry saddle to use in the interim.
4. Forget where you buried the Brooks.

It worked so well I bought a Specialised for each of my bikes, but didn't bother with steps 1, 2, and 4.

Good vote for the Specialized saddles as well.

 

[Banjo]

My B17 standard was comfy straight out of the box just a bit slippery initially.Still is very comfortable and only ever gets a light proofide once a year or less.Never yet adjusted the tension bolt.

Only downside is it isnt so comfy on the drops but is great up on the hoods.

 

[byegad]

I'm sure some bottoms suit Brooks of whatever variety. But after suffering for 1000 miles of riding the B17, I put on the Specialised Body Geometry and was comfortable straight away, well OK I had to adjust it after my first ride, for rake, but I'd fiddled with rake, distance and the B17s tension for 1000 miles to no avail.

I bought another six Specialised for my other uprights, all of them were brilliantly comfortable. Lady Byegad tried the female version on one bike and immediately bought another for her other bike.

 

[steveindenmark]

I rode mine for 18 months. That worked.