Breaking in a Brooks...

[rogerzilla]

AIUI the fibres of the leather really do break in the high-stress areas around the sitbones. On a visibly broken-in Brooks, especially a smooth, hard, black one like a Team Pro (B17s usually have a coarse texture that confuses matters) there are lots of fine creases and lines in two areas just in front of the cantle plate. On one of the saddles with softer, more flexible, leather like my old Professionals or my honey Team Pro, the top never develops these marks but doesn't need breaking in, either.

 

[hoopdriver]

Saddles are highly individual things, so any recommendations you receive should always be taken with a grain of salt. Was works for a million others may not work for you. That said, I've ridden on Brooks saddles for more than thirty years and never had any troubles with breaking them in at all. They last forever and form themselves over time to your body shape. I put an initial covering of proof hide under my saddle, as recommended, out of the box, but haven't bothered since. My saddles are all between 10 and 25 years old, and clearly will go on for decades more, well and truly outlasting me...

 

[raleighnut]

I love all my Brooks.

 

[Illaveago]

What I don't understand is that a lot of us probably started off riding on a Brooks or similar leather saddle in our teens after learning to ride on something completely different much earlier.
I can remember my first cycle as a Christmas present . It was a Sun Mist which I assume came with a Brooks leather saddle, I can't remember. I don't remember it being painful either. What I do remember is the first time I rode my brother's old Carlton Catalina with Lycet Swallow saddle . It took me a while to find that comfy. Likewise my Holdsworth which I bought new had a Brooks B5N which chafed the insides of my legs for the first week or so . I think we just accepted these things which gradually wore off .
I don't remember either of my bikes coming with any instructions for how to care for or maintain the saddles, we just got on and rode them in all winds and weather. Some seem to have survived this lack of treatment .

 

[Donger]

My Brooks was rock hard when I got it. Used a pastry brush to give the underside 3 coats of olive oil and it softened up nicely and is supremely comfortable.

 

[Andy in Germany]

My Brooks was rock hard when I got it. Used a pastry brush to give the underside 3 coats of olive oil and it softened up nicely and is supremely comfortable.

Handy in the event of it not softening quickly, thanks.

Why olive oil?

 

[Donger]

Handy in the event of it not softening quickly, thanks.

Why olive oil?

Can't recall who recommended that to me, but it works. It did discolour my blue saddle though, and made it look black. Worked a treat though.

 

[Drzdave58]

I’m surprised.to read on here some of you soak the brooks in water or one guy putting it in the oven...doing that hardens the leather...which I think would make it more uncomfortable..ive Had my B67 for about 5 years and apply proofhide to the underside once a year...it’s the most comfortable saddle I have ever owned...however ..I did have one of the rear spring bolts snap and some rivets broke as well...went to the hardware store and bought a bolt and some copper rivets and was able to fix it myself..

 

[Tenkaykev]

My Brooks was rock hard when I got it. Used a pastry brush to give the underside 3 coats of olive oil and it softened up nicely and is supremely comfortable.

I hope you used cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, sourced from a single estate. I mean we are talking Brooks here, blended olive oil just wouldn't do😉

 

[12boy]

I believe cold pressed extra virgin oil from a single estate just isn't adequate. It must also be non-GMO, locally sourced and artisanly crafted to be good enough, don't you think? Actually, I took the saddle from my 75 Carleton, poured el cheapo olive oil lavishly into the bottom side of the saddle and left it for a few days in my car with the windows rolled up in the summertime heat. Actually rode a bike with that saddle yesterday and it works just fine.

 

[Donger]

I hope you used cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, sourced from a single estate. I mean we are talking Brooks here, blended olive oil just wouldn't do😉

Actually I'm not one for fancy olive oil myself. For the first 30 years of my life I just used to put it in my ears. Tell that to a Frenchman and he will blanch at the thought of it.

 

[Donger]

I’m surprised.to read on here some of you soak the brooks in water or one guy putting it in the oven...doing that hardens the leather...which I think would make it more uncomfortable..ive Had my B67 for about 5 years and apply poofhide to the underside once a year...it’s the most comfortable saddle I have ever owned...however ..I did have one of the rear spring bolts snap and some rivets broke as well...went to the hardware store and bought a bolt and some copper rivets and was able to fix it myself..

My LBS mechanic had a customer whose metalwork snapped after a lifetime of use. I think he said about 30 years or more. He loved the saddle so much he sent it to Brooks to repair it and they replaced it with a brand new one. No quibbles.

 

[All uphill]

Pedant alert.

Just had to go out to the garage and check.

It is Proofide, not Proofride or Proofhide.

😉

 

[raleighnut]

Actually I'm not one for fancy olive oil myself. For the first 30 years of my life I just used to put it in my ears. Tell that to a Frenchman and he will blanch at the thought of it.

Yep the French generally take medicine by suppository

 

[rogerzilla]

I learnt to ride on a Brooks. It was one of those plastic torture devices shaped to look a bit like a B17 narrow, complete with "fart holes". It's amazing that I have children.