Brooks Saddle Break-in - how'd you do it

[dd74]

I'm a little sore and "stingy" after 2.5 hrs. on my new Brooks Swift Ti. For my next ride, I'll lower the saddle's nose a bit, hoping that will relieve a bit of pressure on the..ahem...assets.

Nonetheless, I wonder how other owners with a Brooks have broken in their saddles.

Did you ride normally, or less miles during the break-in process?

Did you use lighter gears and ride easier to get your body used to the saddle and the saddle used to your body?

Thx.

[rugbysecondrow]

I just proofided it and road as I normally would, and I have broken in 3 B-17s. It helps that I weigh 225, so the leather didn't put up much of a fight. Also, I did tweak my saddles during the first few rides to make it more comfortable (front to back, tilt, height etc) just to get it right. Once I got it dialed in, no problems at all.

The B-17 is a great saddle for me, not sure about the swift though. I think brooks makes good stuff, so I would just stick it out and make little tweaks as you ride to get it comfy.

Just my laymans opinion.

[ALAMIKE]

I have ridden on my swift for about 8000 miles. It took about 200 miles before it was broken in some degree when you can start seeing the butt creases in the saddle. I did the initial proofride application and put some miles on it. Mine was pretty comfortable right out of the box. Maybe you do not have a rear end for a swift. If it is returnable and it still gives you a stinging feeling, I would try something different. It is amazing how expensive a swift with Ti rails has gotten. The saddle is about the most valuable piece on my bike.

[dd74]

I'm going to stick it out and put some miles into the saddle. I've always wanted a Brooks, and on Saturday, the opportunity (thanks, Don :) ) fell into my lap.

[amator]

I'm a little sore and "stingy" after 2.5 hrs. on my new Brooks Swift Ti. For my next ride, I'll lower the saddle's nose a bit, hoping that will relieve a bit of pressure on the..ahem...assets.

Nonetheless, I wonder how other owners with a Brooks have broken in their saddles.

Did you ride normally, or less miles during the break-in process?

Did you use lighter gears and ride easier to get your body used to the saddle and the saddle used to your body?

Thx.

Unconventionally, I 'dunked' it (swallow) in olive oil, let it dry out and rode it.
the swallow is even tougher to break in than my swift.

[amator]

The easiest and fastest method to break in a new saddle is with a liquid leather dressing, such as neatsfoot oil, Lexol, seal oil (a French favorite) or baseball glove oil.. These products are available from shoe stores and sporting-goods stores. There are probably lots of other liquid oils that would work as well-RAAM pioneer Lon Haldeman uses SAE 30 motor oil, but his saddles tend to wear out after only 300,000 miles or so (according to Cyclist Magazine). Paste or wax type leather dressings, such as Brooks Proofide, Sno-Seal, and saddle soap will work, but it takes much, much longer to break in a saddle that way.

You can just pour the oil on and rub it in by hand, or for a more drastic approach, you can actually soak the saddle. The easiest way to soak a saddle is to turn it upside-down on a sheet of aluminum foil, then form the foil up around the saddle for a snug fit. Pour in a whole 4 ounce can of Neatsfoot oil or whatever oil you prefer, and let the saddle soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Pour the remaining oil back into the can, and wipe the excess oil off with a rag or paper towel. Install the saddle onto the bike, put on your black shorts, and ride. Even the most recalcitrant saddle (the thick-skinned Brooks Professional) will be substantially broken in within 200 miles or so.

The soaking technique is best for thick, hard-to-break in saddles such as the Brooks Professional. For most leather saddles the pour-and-rub technique is adequate. A saddle only needs baptism by immersion once. After that, some oil should be poured onto the saddle and rubbed in by hand every few weeks. Once the saddle has become soft and comfortable it is only necessary to oil it lightly every few months to keep it from drying out.

[fiamme red]

Unconventionally, I 'dunked' it (swallow) in olive oil, let it dry out and rode it.
the swallow is even tougher to break in than my swift.My experience was the opposite. My Swallow broke in almost immediately. It began to sag in the middle and I had to tighten it quite a few turns.

[joelh]

+1 on lower the nose a slight bit. I have team pros on both bikes and had very little trouble breaking them in. The biggest issue for me was getting the nose at the correct angle. Lots of people like to ride their Brooks nose up, but I am much more comfortable at dead flat or even just slightly down.

[Nautilus]

These things just take time, it took me about 3 years of daily riding to get my team pro to become broken in, it keeps getting better every day though.

[gomez308]

My slightly used, but looked new, Swallow felt good from the get go. I have it about 3/8" nose up.

[CNY rider]

These things just take time, it took me about 3 years of daily riding to get my team pro to become broken in, it keeps getting better every day though.

Two years in on mine and it's just getting some perfectly formed dimples, right where I need them!
That's after two treatments with Obenauf's and several thousand miles.

[dd74]

30 wt. motor oil? I mean, I have a couple spare quarts at home, but Jeez, won't that ruin the seat?

I thought it was only Brooks-specific stuff that could be used with the saddles.

[Ahneida Ride]

sent it to me !

No Brooks can withstand my Posterior !!!! :banana:

-----

Try Lexof nf (not the regular Lexol) to soften and retain color.

I would NOT use regular neats foot oil.

If you don't mind a darkened color, also consider Obenauf LP.

200 miles or so and she should be tamed !

oh yea .... loosen up the tension screw ! that helps a lot.

[Ahneida Ride]

ya gotta play with the fore / aft and angle/tilt ...

Micro changes can make a HUGE difference ...

Ride with Allen wrenches and adjust.

[dd74]

The saddle is black, so I'm not too worried about its color.

[paulrad9]

I'm a little sore and "stingy" after 2.5 hrs. on my new Brooks Swift Ti. For my next ride, I'll lower the saddle's nose a bit, hoping that will relieve a bit of pressure on the..ahem...assets.

Is your bum sore or your junk? If the former, make sure your sit bones are on the seat and not off the back or too far forward. If your bones are resting on the metal rail, there's a really good chance you'll never get comfortable

If your junk is in pain, then the nose may be too high or your sitting too forward/backward

[vqdriver]

Thanks for this thread

I was wondering about the break in myself cuz my new swallow seems hard as a brick

[dd74]

Is your bum sore or your junk? If the former, make sure your sit bones are on the seat and not off the back or too far forward. If your bones are resting on the metal rail, there's a really good chance you'll never get comfortable

If your junk is in pain, then the nose may be too high or your sitting too forward/backward
Both. Hurts to piss, too. ***? I love that saddle, though. Looks good on the bike. It also helps that I'm a masochist.

[dd74]

Anyway, an update. Took the saddle out for day 2, which was only an hour's ride. I felt a little better on it. I can feel it shaping around me. Lowering the nose helped a lot.

I'm just looking at the end result here. A nicely broken-in, good-looking saddle, and me with a voice like Pee-Wee Herman. :rolleyes:

[OtayBW]

The easiest and fastest method to break in a new saddle is with a liquid leather dressing, such as neatsfoot oil, Lexol, seal oil (a French favorite) or baseball glove oil.....

...The easiest way to soak a saddle is to turn it upside-down on a sheet of aluminum foil, then form the foil up around the saddle for a snug fit. Pour in a whole 4 ounce can of Neatsfoot oil or whatever oil you prefer, and let the saddle soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Pour the remaining oil back into the can, and wipe the excess oil off with a rag or paper towel. Install the saddle onto the bike, put on your black shorts, and ride. Even the most recalcitrant saddle (the thick-skinned Brooks Professional) will be substantially broken in within 200 miles or so.

The soaking technique is best for thick, hard-to-break in saddles such as the Brooks Professional. For most leather saddles the pour-and-rub technique is adequate. A saddle only needs baptism by immersion once. After that, some oil should be poured onto the saddle and rubbed in by hand every few weeks. Once the saddle has become soft and comfortable it is only necessary to oil it lightly every few months to keep it from drying out.
I'll try this. I currently have a Brooks Sprinter with >2000 miles on it, and it's still like sitting on an anvil. No crease marks, no nothing. Fits very well - that's it's only saving grace.

I've had Brooks Pros and this and have never been able to break any of them in worth a hoot.

[Ken C]

Is your bum sore or your junk? If the former, make sure your sit bones are on the seat and not off the back or too far forward. If your bones are resting on the metal rail, there's a really good chance you'll never get comfortable

If your junk is in pain, then the nose may be too high or your sitting too forward/backward


I went from an arione to a swallow. I like the arione, but it would sometimes hurt pretty bad after a 3 hour ride. My wife bought me a swallow for Christmas last year. I rode it for about 300 miles and it would be really comfortable for about 3 hours and painful afterwards. I ended up putting the arione back on.

Just recently I felt pretty bad about not using the gift my wife bought me and I put it back on the bike, but instead of using the Ritchey pro seatpost I bought a velo orange long set back post. I also lowered the seat about 2mm , what a world of difference. Because I could not get the seat far back enough I was sitting on the metal rail in the back, now that I have the setback right I am sitting on the correct area of the saddle. I also did not worry about setting up the saddle with a level. I just started level and then went on a ride with an allen wrench and fiddled with it until I got it right. It is now a little nose up, but I have a lot less pressure on the taint than my nose level arione. I am looking forward to continuing the journey.

I also used Obernauf's LP on it, twice when I first got it and then one more really light coat when I just recently put it back on.

[WadePatton]

first off-if you oil the saddle with anything _but_ proofhide, then wallingford bike will _not_ take it back.

i found this wisdom on the net somewhere a while back, but don't know the original source. have tried it and do approve:

do not use proofhide or any oil/grease/duckbutter at first. simply "soak" the saddle by covering it with a damp cloth several minutes before riding it. the idea is to create a "sweat soaked" condition without saturating the leather.

repeat until sit bone dimples begin to appear. then apply proofhide or your favorite goosegrease and ride on.

it may take one or twenty rides for the dimples to start-depending on all the variables.

hth.


cheers

wp

[SEABREEZE]

My LBS owner and I were just discussing this the other day. He said he found the best way to brake in a BROOKS is to buy a can of silicone. Spray underside, and let dry, continue the process a second , third , fourth time, to you use the entire can of silicone. Wala, a waterproof and broken in saddle.

[rugbysecondrow]

is it just me or are we (the collective we) making this more complicated than necesary? These saddle have been around for how many years?

[EddieBirdsell]

first off-if you oil the saddle with anything _but_ proofhide, then wallingford bike will _not_ take it back.

i found this wisdom on the net somewhere a while back, but don't know the original source. have tried it and do approve:

do not use proofhide or any oil/grease/duckbutter at first. simply "soak" the saddle by covering it with a damp cloth several minutes before riding it. the idea is to create a "sweat soaked" condition without saturating the leather.

repeat until sit bone dimples begin to appear. then apply proofhide or your favorite goosegrease and ride on.

it may take one or twenty rides for the dimples to start-depending on all the variables.

hth.


cheers

wp


Inadvertently, this has been my experience as well.

Did some riding in the Pacific Northwest first week in July. Had probably 1000-1500 miles on my B-17. Applied Proofride as instructed. Still wasn't quite right.

Left bike outside while camping one night, and experienced the not-atypical Pacific Northwest extended rains. Saddle completely saturated. Rode the saddle for about 50 miles the next day, and the leather assumed the shape of my anatomy. Perfectly dimpled. Still is.

Only problem left to address is that mine is a real squeaker. A really, really loud one. Need to try some of those remedies that have been discussed here previously.

[dd74]

Just to be sure, a damp wet cloth meaning wet with water, not oil, correct?

[amator]

Just to be sure, a damp wet cloth meaning wet with water, not oil, correct?

water, when it drys will tend to dehydrate the saddle. hence the need to proofhide it from the elements.

The problem is that the absorbent part of the hide is below and not the smooth surface area where we are applying.

I have used virgin olive oil and used Sheldon Brown's method with success.

This was fwded to me by a long time user of Brooks saddles ; I think he has used well over 20 brooks and a few french copies in his cycling lifetime.

[dd74]

Olive oil, motor oil, baby oil -- all of which could be used to soften these seats -- it seems more like oil is oil and the saddle doesn't care.

Or am I horribly mistaken?

BTW: my woefully stocked local grocery store only had Weiman leather cleaner/softener. At least it's supposedly eco-friendly.

[WadePatton]

Just to be sure, a damp wet cloth meaning wet with water, not oil, correct?

water-yes. sweat soaked-not rain soaked. it is possible to over-stretch the saddle with full saturation.

the point about _not_ applying any proofhide etc. beforehand is to avoid inhibiting the ability of the leather to absorb the water.

this works, and doesn't affect any warranty or return policies.

note the _only_ one i've oiled was a 1979 NOS B5N that was rock hard when i got it. it was the only one that ever gave discomfort and will never forget the day that "someone in england flipped the switch". i'm still riding it-but am a new fan of the selle an-atomicas from wisconsin.

water was more than adequate for the rest.

after the dimples start, i then proofhide. in the case of a full-on wet ride or atb saddle, i use sno-seal on the underside.

oil is easy to over do.

[Kevin Grady]

A new '76 Raleigh Gran Sport had a black B-17N on it. Having previously experienced a more painful saddle break-in, I read, somewhere, that you could saturated the saddle with Proofhide and warm it up then ride it for an easier butt molding.

Being fairly young, overzealous, and cheap, I used 1/4 can of Snoseal to the top/underside, and popped it in the oven at 250F for about an hour. Took it out and rode it, barely cooled, for a few hours. By the next day it had already molded to me. However, within a week most of the black color had leached/rubbed out, leaving a semi-tan antiqued look to the whole saddle. Thank god for black shorts.

I recently pulled it out of 20 year hibernation and reused it on a SS commuter. Nice.