JCS CYCLES

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December 31st, 2011

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    Touring, Commuting, Cargo/Utility Bicycles and Accessories.
    "The bicycle enables us to escape many other machines: We use it for transportation, sport, recreation, and make it a way of life." - Jobst Brandt
    Breaking in a Leather Saddle

    B17 in the Box
    B17 in Honey - Bought by a very happy customer!
    Over many years of riding, we have discovered that there is no substitute for a good leather saddle. Their comfort, and durability, is simply the best. What they do require is a proper break-in, and then some minimal care, unlike artificial saddles. People that have a bad experience with a leather saddle have either not broken them in properly, not bought the model of saddle that was appropriate for their body size and type of riding, or have bought a used saddle that was broken in by someone else.

    A leather saddle will quickly conform itself to your own unique anatomy, so it's important to NEVER buy a saddle that has been broken in by someone else. It will not be as comfortable, or durable, as a new saddle that you break in for yourself.

    Breaking your new leather saddle in is a very simple process. Before your first ride, take a washcloth or towel that has been used and no longer "bleeds" it's color. Hold the washcloth/towel under running warm water, then wring it out so it is thoroughly wet, but not dripping wet. Then place it on the saddle so it covers the back of the saddle where your "sit bones" will contact it. Let it sit for an hour, then work the wet area with your thumbs, kneading the area where your "sit bones" in your hips will hit. Take the wet cloth off of your saddle. Then go for a ride.

    Brooks Pro
    A broken in leather saddle showing the telltale wrinkled indentations

    Repeat this process every time you ride. The saddle will quickly begin to change shape, with the area that you are wetting beginning to sag a little, while the nose stays firm. We recommend to our customers that they NOT cover the nose of the saddle with the wet cloth. You want the back part of the saddle to be softer than the front. A broken in saddle will sag ever so slightly, not drastically, in the middle. There will be a slight wrinking where your sit bones contact the saddle. This is the indications that you have achieved break in of your saddle. The saddle will feel supple - not very loose, but not tight as when it was new, and the leather will have a soft feeling.

    At some point in the life of your saddle, the adjusting nut in the nose of the saddle will need to be tightened slightly. Depending on your size and riding frequency, this may be months, or years in the future. If in doubt, and as with anything you buy from us, bring your bicycle with your Brooks saddle into the shop, and we will be happy to adjust it for you, while you wait. If you bought it from us, we will do this free of charge.

    You can see from the lead picture on this page that we sell all of our saddles in their boxes as they come from Brooks. Note that the adjusting "spanner" wrench is included. If you buy a leather saddle from someone else, especially on eBay, you may well not get the wrench included. Many online sores take the wrench out, and sell it separately. Whether you buy your saddle from us on our online store, or in our "brick and mortar shop, we give you the saddle in the box, with the wrench included, no extra charge.

    A word of warning - if you have bike shorts that are not black, and sit on a black saddle, you will have black stains on your shorts. If you have a honey or aged saddle, you will start to get a darker color in your lighter colored saddle. The color in the saddle leather comes from a die, and it isn't permanent. Over time, the lighter colors ake on a darker, aged, look, and the black saddles take on a lighter look. This is normal, an actually looks pretty cool.

    Brooks Pro
    Team Professional with Copper rails and rivets
    There is one more step we recommend be used on the Brooks Professional Special model, or Velo Orange Model 1. These saddles, along with the Brooks Swift, are some of the firmest leather saddles on the market. They also last the longest the longest, but will take longer than other leather sadlles, to acheive a broken in state. We have found that it helps to do a ONE time application of Neatsfoot Oil on the bottom of the saddle in he area under where the sit bones contact the leather. Apply it with a clean rag, and don't apply it to the top of the saddle or the underneath of the nose. It's powerful, will stay in the leather, working it's way through the grain. Applying it over several days will speed up the break in period, but will also dramatically cut the useful life of your saddle. We have seen people destroy their saddles with this method in as little as two years.

    B-17
    B17 in Black
    The other models will break in very quickly using the washcloth method. It takes us only 200-300 miles to break in most leather saddles. The tougher saddles takes closer to 500 miles in our experience. This will vary depending on your body size and riding frequency.

    After you purchase your leather saddle, be sure you purchase a leather conditioning compound. We recommend the use of the VO leather treatment. It was developed by a professional boot maker. We sell a small tin for $11.00 that will last you for many years. And while we are on the subject - stay away from soaking your saddle in oil or applying it to the top of the saddle. Some websites and forums recommend this. It works swell if you want to shorten your saddle life to a few years. Follow our instructions and you can get 30 years or more out of your saddle. We like to use the leather treatment initially when we get a new seat, applying it about once a week to the top and bottom of the saddle the first month. We use a soft cloth after the Proofide dries, typically a eyeglass cloth, to wipe it off. After the saddle is broken in, we use it lightly every few months, just on the top of the saddle.

    A final word on getting the saddle wet. Riding a leather saddle in the rain is fine. Your butt will protect the saddle from getting completely drenched. Our commuters both have leather saddles, and we used them in Oregon for a month one year during rainy season without issues. We don't advise letting your leather saddle sit out in the rain for hours. We carry a waterproof cover Velo Orange makes for situations such as this, and it sells for $11.75.

    B-17
    Leather saddles, properly broken in, are simply the finest saddle you will ever ride on.