Tips on breaking in a new Brooks

[snailracer]

... Tighten the bolt ...if the leather "bottoms out"(!) on the rails. Otherwise just ride it....

+1.
So long as it's not bottoming out on the rails, sag is good - it allows room for your nutsack .
Your sitbones are located very close to the rigidly-supported back edge of the saddle - the sag in the middle of the saddle does not really affect the sitbone position or angle.

... plastic carrier bag stuffed under the rails is handy to cover it when parked if it's likely to rain but I've never had one damaged by water and I've ridden nothing else since 1977.

I always put a plastic bag over it when it's parked outside. Not because I'm afraid it would get waterlogged, but because I would be devastated if someone stole it.

 

[PpPete]

Never understood this "don't touch the bolt" thing.

I have a second-hand Swift that was was as soft and saggy as Nora Batty's stockings when I got it. I suspect it had too much proofhide (or even neatsfoot oil) from previous owner. Needed several turns of the bolt to get it into any semblance of order.

I also have an old B17 on which the bolt popped out of the nose ring, because I hadn't tightened it up enough. Brooks want £20 to repair it .


Proofhide - very light application on top, loads of it on the underside.