Breaking in a Brooks Saddle

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rogerzilla

Legendary Member
I've ridden most of the mainstream Brooks saddles, and in general the black ones are harder and the Swift is quite an aggressive shape (I get on better with a Team Pro or a Swallow - I like the old 60s/70s Professional best of all). You may find it challenging.

Shortcuts involve riding in the rain (it'll dry out ok but it will change shape while wet) or getting someone else to break it in for you. I've never had an issue with s/h Brooks saddles; they may shape themselves to the rider, but it's not all that precise.
 

Shreds

Senior Member
Brooks leather saddles all the way on all my bikes apart from the ‘laid back’ recumbent one and even that has a Brooks leather bag for tools.

I would not ride a bike without a Brooks saddle otherwise. Just Proofhide the underside, and only very very occasionally a quick waterproofing of the top which should be polished straight off immediately. Bring the colour back with traditional shoe polish, again polished off immediately, if using a black saddle.

Never ever abuse them as suggeted upthread here. Travesty ! You will damage their long term condition as well as invalidate any warranty. (Brooks will refurbish saddles and even recover them if they are defective or problematic / worn).

Beware the multicoloured ‘specials’ such as the red white and blue 2012 Olympic versions, as the dyes can come off on your shorts/trousers. Black or “Honey” ones are fine though.

Dont adjust the tension unless absolutely necessary after a number of years. Its not needed. Brooks leather saddles; the epitomy of cycling comfort. I am well qualified having ridden Brooks saddle since a teenager!

The Swallow is probably quite hard due to its very economical shape,

B17N or Swift are my personal favourites although I have ridden most of the range during my cycling ‘career’.

Persevere and you will love them for years and they will serve you very well.
 
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ren531

Über Member
Location
Lancaster uk
The easiest way I have found with Brooks or the hardest one of all a Spar Cycles leather saddle was to use them on my commuter bike 6.5 miles twice a day breaks them in with out you realizing ,not everyone has this option of course ,but it beats going on a long ride with a new one .The Spar saddle is great now but wow was it tough at first ,nearly gave up on it but putting it on my commuter did the trick .
 
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Hanlon

Active Member
The only issue with breaking in a Brooks by riding alone is that they have quite a hard "spine" where the holes are and some (including me) find that really uncomfortable. I was bearing too much weight directly on my perenium which was causing numbness, and my sit bones weren't taking enough of the load.
One of the members here (Jayoclock) recommended Flexalan horse tack dressing. You take the saddle off, paint it with flexalan on the underside until it soaks right in (some of it may soak through to the saddle upper, but that's fine). Then put on clean socks, bend the saddle "wings" out so the saddle is flattened out with it being oriented right way up, and then press the saddle onto the ground, and stand on the spine of the saddle. You'll feel that spine start to give a little as you work it with your foot (and your full weight) on it. Do it for about 10-20 minutes.

Allow the saddle to dry naturally and it'll be much softer in that area particularly, (although it'll still be firm).

Proofhide is largely a waste of time for softening, it's just neutral shoe wax which is fine for protecting the leather if that's what you want to do.
This sounds worth a try - thanks for the advice ! My late father always recommended another equestrian potion called Neatsfoot Oil that I've recently used to soften up my vintage Gianni Motta cycling shoes. I guess that would work similarly to the Flexalan ?
 
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