Recover your favorite saddle

[weisan]

Sorry if this has been mentioned elsewhere, where does one go to recover their old worn-out but all-time favorite saddle?

I don't mind doing it myself if I can be given proper instructions or directions.

[LouDeeter]

There was a time when you could easily purchase saddle covers that covered up the torn or worn leather. I'm pretty sure it would be more expensive to have someone actually put new leather on it than it would be to buy a NOS or excellent used one if you can find it.

[AngryScientist]

The problem is that we have an IKEA disposable culture going on. My town used to have a few furniture repair people and upholstery repair folks, but they are all out of business.

If you can find someone who repairs chairs and the like, they can probably do it.

[tv_vt]

Carson Leh is your guy. He sells saddle recover kits.

Well, he used to. I'm not seeing the kits on his current website: https://lehcycling.com

UPDATE: as pointed out below, the recover kits are still available. I just didn't look deep enough. Look under SADDLES. Kits shown there.

[charliedid]

Maybe have a chat we these folks?

https://tandyleather.com/pages/tandy...stin-south-186

[GregL]

I vote DIY. I had a few recovered by a forum member who did a great job, but is no longer offering that service. When I wanted to recover a few more, I put together my own checklist/guidelines/materials from internet research and had at it. Like pancakes, the first example was a throwaway, but every one after that has gone well. I got my covering material (leather and four-way stretch marine vinyl) from a local upholstery shop. They gave me the scraps for free! I gave them $20 toward their beer & pizza fund in thanks. Now if I can just find a source for Lorica synthetic leather...

Greg

[roguedog]

I thought our own Curo Gloves did it at one point but seems no longer. I'm sure I recall a US based person as well.

There's always Busyman in Aus. I mean this is awesome work

[sailorboy]

Mick Peel at Busyman can do some pretty crazy-cool stuff that looks and feels better than the original cover, but it will definitely cost you. I have one on each of my two Bishops. Does matching bar tape as well.

https://busymanbicycles.blogspot.com/

https://theradavist.com/tag/busyman-bicycles/

as above; beat me to it

[C40_guy]

On a possibly related topic...that poor saddle...weisan, how many burritos do you eat on a ride?

[Jad]

Recovering your saddle could be a fun project. I've done two WTB Silverado and they came out well (some pictures of one in the thread below). It helps that they have a straightforward shape and no cut outs.

This thread probably has some info repeated here, but in case it helps...

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...ghlight=saddle

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

The problem is that we have an IKEA disposable culture going on. My town used to have a few furniture repair people and upholstery repair folks, but they are all out of business.

If you can find someone who repairs chairs and the like, they can probably do it.

I don't think it's a culture thing, I think it's just the basic economics have changed. Modern mass production is so efficient, that repair work is often no longer cost effective in a way that it was in the past.

Over the last 40 years, furniture prices have gone up by approximately 50% while the overall price level has gone up approximately 200%, and the prices for motor vehicle repair (used as a proxy for household goods repair, because the household goods repair price index has a lot of missing data) are up approximately 300%.

[d_douglas]

Originally Posted by tv_vt

Carson Leh is your guy. He sells saddle recover kits.

Well, he used to. I'm not seeing the kits on his current website: https://lehcycling.com

Maybe he still has some in his inventory.

Yep, seems the way to go. I was going to recover a vintage WTB, but gave up and ride it trashed!

[sg8357]

Gilles Berthoud saddles have replaceable tops,
and the old tops are bio-degradeable.

This might be a rare example of Jan Heine being right.

[sokyroadie]

Originally Posted by tv_vt

Carson Leh is your guy. He sells saddle recover kits.

Well, he used to. I'm not seeing the kits on his current website: https://lehcycling.com

Maybe he still has some in his inventory.

They are still shown:

https://lehcycling.com/products/saddle-recover-kit

[weisan]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

On a possibly related topic...that poor saddle...weisan, how many burritos do you eat on a ride?

C40 pal, more than I care to admit.