Restoring old leather saddles........

[John the Canuck]

impressed..!...... must be a satisfaction to ride that.!

 

[raleighnut]

There is actually a real similar thread going on now -1958 Royal Enfield Zephyr where the guys got a B15/L15 Swallow that's of a similar age to yours but looks very different yet similar but is again differently made to mine, I'd post a link but don't know how but if you use the search threads tool it should come up.

 

[John the Canuck]

mine is stamped
Champion Standard
B15
PAT No 662070

same PAT No as this one on eBay....a B15 Champion Narrow which has the underside 'barrier' too. ..i think
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-BROOKS-B15-CHAMPION-NARROW-LEATHER-SADDLE/131248903195?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=1&asc=24059&meid=8550091830288636831&pid=100011&prg=10244&rk=1&rkt=10&sd=390686070856

--------see none then 2 come along------

 

[John the Canuck]

well that's enough beeswax for now
i'll lightly do the top next week when the Proofide arrives
.

 

[John the Canuck]

next dilemma .......... mounted on the bike
tore the black gel cork tape whilst removing the preglued [!] blue cotton Tressostar
so need new tape .............BROWN..........very DARK BLUE........ or BLACK..????
and no - i cannot afford a black Brooks
.

.

 

[raleighnut]

next dilemma .......... mounted on the bike
tore the black gel cork tape whilst removing the preglued [!] blue cotton Tressostar
so need new tape .............BROWN..........very DARK BLUE........ or BLACK..????
and no - i cannot afford a black Brooks
.

.

The blue tape looks good to me, why change it.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Nice bike I can't quite see from the piccie, what colour are your hoods?

I would say go for a nice dark brown on the bar tape.... but I have had real difficulty myself searching for dark brown bar tape to match my brown brooks..... it was near impossible to get a dark enough shade!

I ended up going for this:

http://www.koo-bikes.com/m-part-ess...a-brown.html?gclid=CPi0pJna4L8CFavHtAodMxMAtA

It's decent tape, but too light to be a good match (would have been better suited to a honey brooks TBH). Tried darkening with shoe polish, then with acrylic paint, but nothing seems to stick... guess I will just have to wait 'til they get properly grubby!

If you have the patience (I didn't!), then cloth tape with dark shellac would be just perfect (google image for some great jobs done by others).

Dark blue or black would also look great though, don't think you can go wrong with any of those choices... But I know it's fun to agonise over these things

Edit: If it were me, I'd look for some cork bar ends and add them while I was at it...

 

[raleighnut]

Nice bike I can't quite see from the piccie, what colour are your hoods?



Edit: If it were me, I'd look for some cork bar ends and add them while I was at it...

Now that's a good idea

 

[John the Canuck]

The blue tape looks good to me, why change it.

too bloody late now...................

 

[ChrisEyles]

'twill be worth it when it's all done!

 

[John the Canuck]

Nice bike I can't quite see from the piccie, what colour are your hoods?
If you have the patience (I didn't!), then cloth tape with dark shellac would be just perfect (google image for some great jobs done by others).
Dark blue or black would also look great though, don't think you can go wrong with any of those choices... cork bar ends .....

thanks, and for all the tips too
no hoods can be fitted cos of the 'suicide' levers
due to my hands i need gel tape
so i think i'll redo in black gel tape
if that looks wrong - i'll tape over with dark blue or brown Tressostar cotton as i did with the 'blue'

saved me ££s if i'd asked BEFORE stripping the blue off....................

BTW Brooks are smart - forced me to buy their spanner
i loosened off the tension nut before waxing - the spine of the saddle is now flexible - how tight should it be,,,?

thanks all for your input

 

[ChrisEyles]

My Brooks has some flex in it (if I push hard with a thumb), but not much. When you can feel the leather starting to tension on turning the nut, you don't want to go too much further.

Can't go wrong with black bar tape, I'm sure it'll come out looking dead smart!

 

[raleighnut]

Press gently down on the top of the saddle and you'll feel when the tension bolt starts to make the top come up, that's getting about there ride it for an hour and then re-check, it may need a turn more.

 

[John the Canuck]

THANKS to all you Brooks aficionados who've given me tips on my old B15
.
.just done a 12mile circuit to the village....and it's bloody comfortable ... ..

seems it has a little 'history'
''......My dad was a plumber who carried out some repairs for a chap who couldn't pay - but had a new Carlton racing bike (.. a Franco Italia?) which he offered as payment. ..Apparently I was about 2yrs old at the time (which would make the cycle a 1953ish model) and dad stored it in the shed and then the loft above his garage until I was about 11. .
It served me well through my teens ..... and on into my 30's as a winter trainer when I was time trialling with the Bournemouth Arrow Cycling Club...''.

so second owner - nice to know
.
.

 

[Tony Raynor]

There is actually a real similar thread going on now -1958 Royal Enfield Zephyr where the guys got a B15/L15 Swallow that's of a similar age to yours but looks very different yet similar but is again differently made to mine, I'd post a link but don't know how but if you use the search threads tool it should come up.

this was mine and its now one 0f 3 lycett L15 swallow saddles I have (1 for each of the zephyrs and one spare).