Brooks Saddle - Setting it up for the first time

[wheres_my_beard]

My parents generously gave me a bike shop gift voucher which covered most of the cost of a Brooks Swift saddle, which I purchased and attached yesterday. It looks awesome and I am really pleased with it

I am wondering though whether I need to set it up in any particular way to aid the break in phase; ie tip the nose up, have it lower than normal, or something else?

On a very short ride last night and my commute this morning, I was sliding about on it's insanely smooth surface, and didn't really feel I had any purchase on it at all. All this was not helped by having a sore spot which has developed recently which the insanely hard saddle pressed on, thus making my ride to work this morning total agony ( I really did think about getting off after a few seconds riding and walking to work, but kept going because I'm well-hard, and didn't want to be late for work).

I won't be beaten though. Please help.

 

[PpPete]

Start with it dead level, don't forget the saddle is taller than modern style saddles so you probably need to move your seat post down a bit.
Then try to work if you are sliding more off the front or the back - and minute tilt accordingly.
For the slipperyness.... apply the Proofhide generously to under surface, and with what's left on your fingers after you've rubbed it in, just go over the top. Not so much applying Proofhide to the top, more using the clean leather top surface to clean the residue off your fingers. That teensy amount takes some of the high gloss off the surface and stops you sliding about. After a couple of applications your position hopefully will have stabilised and start to conform the saddle to your sit-bones.

 

[Danny]

My parents generously gave me a bike shop gift voucher which covered most of the cost of a Brooks Swift saddle, which I purchased and attached yesterday. It looks awesome and I am really pleased with it

I am wondering though whether I need to set it up in any particular way to aid the break in phase; ie tip the nose up, have it lower than normal, or something else?

On a very short ride last night and my commute this morning, I was sliding about on it's insanely smooth surface, and didn't really feel I had any purchase on it at all. All this was not helped by having a sore spot which has developed recently which the insanely hard saddle pressed on, thus making my ride to work this morning total agony ( I really did think about getting off after a few seconds riding and walking to work, but kept going because I'm well-hard, and didn't want to be late for work).

I won't be beaten though. Please help.

As PpPete says you do need to give your saddle time to break in.

However it sounds to me like you have developed an actual saddle sore -i.e. a small raised lump on your perineum which feels really painful when you apply pressure to it by sitting on a saddle. If this is the case I would suggest you stop riding for a week or so until it goes away, as in my experience it is the only way to get rid of saddle sores.

If you are prone to saddle sores, you should see if you can swap your Swift for a Brooks Imperial which has a cut out section in the middle which will relieve the pressure on your perineum. It was only by buying a similar saddle (though not a Brooks) that I managed to stop getting saddle sores.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Thanks guys

The sore bit is a pimple of some sort which is to the side of the perineum, but is still incredibly tender none the less. The bike is in my LBS so the guys there can get medieval on it to try and shift the seatpost so I can have the saddle an inch lower (on a new post as the one I have is pretty messed up now); it looks like I'm unlikely to have the bike over the next couple of days, which may help with my spot of bother.

On the ride home yesterday, I consciously pushed myself to the back of the saddle, with the nose tipped up slightly and it made a remarkable difference to the comfort levels, so things are looking up for my future with this saddle

 

[Garz]

Good to hear wmb!

I had a pimple in that region a while back which could have been random or aggrivated from cycling a lot. I got the wife to put sudocrem on it religiously after every shower over two-three days. It cleared up quite fast.

I too am still breaking in the brooks, the swift would probably be better than my B17 Special but give it some time before making any rash decisions as like you say it could be down to saddle angle and position.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

"Rash decision" lol - any pun intended?

Sudocrem may well help, but I'm pretty certain that Mrs WMB would probably expect me to apply it to myself!

 

[smokeysmoo]

Brooks IME is simply a case of fit and forget, I've never had to go through any of the break in procedures or mileages that some do.

 

[theloafer]

Brooks IME is simply a case of fit and forget, I've never had to go through any of the break in procedures or mileages that some do.

+1