Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
...and is there a "quicker" way?
See, here's the skinny; I built my wife a cute little Schwinn to go get her riding. Amongst other things, I picked up a Brooks "girls" saddle for her to give it some pop. Everything is fine but the few times shes gone riding her girl parts are not happy! Hence neither am I ...
"Whats the history" you may ask? I got it new and it was treated by Aaron and I got the little jar of seat lube and have applied it a few times when its been warm out so it absorbs into the leather. It's never gotten soaking wet. The seat tension is at its slackest as well. Shes put maybe 30 or 40 miles on it so far but at this rate it wont last.
She really digs the way it looks, but isn't happy with how it's treating her in return. So my question is; is there a better, faster way to break one of these seats in? I'm especially looking for feedback from the feminine side of .83 (insert insult to a dwed here), 'cause i'm guessing you know what shes going thru and may have a suggestion or 2, but i'm no expert on saddles or their sores so i'll take any advice.
Trev
Last edited by TrikerTrev on Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:30 pm; edited 1 time in total
langston
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 4:47 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 5547Location: Columbia City
ride it in the rain, so it gets nice and wet. Then stay on it until it dries or so. I've found that the FHR race is great for breaking them in.
Dry, they take about 300 miles to perfectly mold. Wet, about 50. This is a 10-year saddle, expect the break in time to be appropriate.
Aaron
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:25 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
Here at ABR, we offer pre-treating service with Obenauf's Oil when we sell a Brooks.
Didn't we do it for you? If not punch me in the balls next time you see me to remind me. If you got it elsewhere, bring me a sixer and I'll lube your wife's saddle up good!
Aaron
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:28 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
Just checked our records. You did buy it from us! Thanks BFAM!
A second treatment of oil may help. Langston is indeed right that riding in the rain can soften the saddle. However, Brooks specifically recommends AGAINST riding a wet saddle.
Maybe you should spank your wife more so her ass gets tougher!
TrikerTrev
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:22 pm
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
Aaron wrote:
Just checked our records. You did buy it from us! Thanks BFAM!
BFAM...butt-fucking ass master?
Aaron wrote:
A second treatment of oil may help. Langston is indeed right that riding in the rain can soften the saddle. However, Brooks specifically recommends AGAINST riding a wet saddle.
See, thats what I thought too..about wet riding, but actually RTFM and saw the notice against it. I'll have her get it (the seat, sicko) really wet before our next ride. Maybe after a fer of those we'll do another oil treatment. Can this sound any more perverted?
Aaron wrote:
Maybe you should spank your wife more so her ass gets tougher!
BWAAAHAHAH...i'll tell her that!
TrikerTrev
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:29 pm
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
langston wrote:
ride it in the rain, so it gets nice and wet. Then stay on it until it dries or so. I've found that the FHR race is great for breaking them in.
Dry, they take about 300 miles to perfectly mold. Wet, about 50. This is a 10-year saddle, expect the break in time to be appropriate.
Thanks Langy!
I didnt wanna blow your suggestion off, as you can see I thought it was better to ride it wet and i'm gonna have her do that. Since it's not gonna rain like that for some time now, and she wont take many more long rides (in her terms) before she gives up on this saddle...and that would make me a saaaad panda.
Any suggestion on a good un-rain soaking? half an hour in a bucket? Wrap it in a plastic bag so it doesn't ruin her shorts?
langston
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:34 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 5547Location: Columbia City
TrikerTrev wrote:
Thanks Langy!
I didnt wanna blow your suggestion off, as you can see I thought it was better to ride it wet and i'm gonna have her do that. Since it's not gonna rain like that for some time now, and she wont take many more long rides (in her terms) before she gives up on this saddle...and that would make me a saaaad panda.
Any suggestion on a good un-rain soaking? half an hour in a bucket? Wrap it in a plastic bag so it doesn't ruin her shorts?
you might talk to Aaron about the "recommended" route of treatment, but I would hit it with a warm blow dryer and go over it again with the Obernauf. Much like breaking in a baseball mitt, soaking it completely in a bucket would be overdoing it and threaten the integrity of the leather when riding. Maybe a rapid repeated dunking movement in said bucket to introduce some moisture, but not going buck wild with just leaving it submerged. Make sure she wears black drawers when you get her out breaking it in, or her shorts will be stained.
MikeOD
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:28 pm
Joined: 04 Feb 2006Posts: 545
TrikerTrev wrote:
...and is there a "quicker" way?
See, here's the skinny; I built my wife a cute little Schwinn to go get her riding. Amongst other things, I picked up a Brooks "girls" saddle for her to give it some pop. Everything is fine but the few times shes gone riding her girl parts are not happy! Hence neither am I ...
Trev
Which model women's Brooks is it? B17, B67 etc.
Since you said her "girl parts" are not happy, rather than her ass parts are not happy, try adjusting the tilt of the saddle. I've read that women tend to like the nose of their Brooks tilted slightly down, while men tend to like them tilted slightly up. My household survey of 2 supports this.
I've found that the comfort of my Brooks, and the health of my junk, depends on minute adjustments in tilt. A standard microadjust seatpost (the kind that uses notches in the clamp to control tilt) didn't work as well for this as a seatpost with infinite tilt adjustment. I couldn't find the right tilt until I changed seatposts.
Trying to use lots of oil or other methods to break the saddle in quickly might make the saddle lose its shape and ruin it, as Langston mentioned. If instant comfort is needed then a Brooks might not be the best bet.
A used bike I bought last year came with a trashed Brooks saddle, my guess is that it was heavily treated with some kind of oil to soften it, since the leather has a very oily feel. The leather was floppy and it had a serious hammock effect, sitting on it caused the edges to splay out, not comfortable. I cut the wings off and tied the edges together and now it's servicable, but it'll probably never become form-fit. I don't know if excessive Obenauf's or Proofide would cause this, but riding it a lot soaking wet might, as might using other kinds of treatments that are intended to soften leather.
The idea is that the saddle should remain firm and hard but will mold to the rider over time. When it's broken in the leather will still be hard but since it's form-fit there will be no pressure spots. That's the idea anyway. Working it some with the heel of your hand might help it along.
TrikerTrev
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:00 pm
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
Thanks Mike...thats good info as well.
I don't know the exact part # but its the smaller of the womens saddles.
I'll try the tilt as now it is prolly nearly horizontal and angle it noze down slowly.
When I got it from ABR, it was treated. After a few days I lather it with the Brooks recomended goo, and let it warm in the sun. I repeted this treatment maybe to other times in a month of so time frame I'm treating it just like its a new pair of hiking boots or like Langy said, a new mitt. I never could afford a Brooks in my upright days
Langy, good feedback as i'm not sure how damp the saddle needs to be to gain elasticity without ruining the leather fiber, although i wouldnt imagine sitting in a bucket for a bit would be worse than a commute to work in the winter around here.
MikeOD
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:44 am
Joined: 04 Feb 2006Posts: 545
Here's some support for the idea of wetting the saddle a little to help it form. I don't know about the steel wool part though.
TrikerTrev
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:08 am
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
MikeOD wrote:
Here's some support for the idea of wetting the saddle a little to help it form. I don't know about the steel wool part though.
good read!
Even though it's been oiled, i'm gonna give the rag trick a try. screw the steelwool part...black is fine.
Thanks again Mike!
Alex
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:38 am
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
TrikerTrev wrote:
Thanks Mike...thats good info as well.
I'm late to the thread but I agree with Mike's advice more than Langston's or Aaron's.
I've seen too many saddles ruined by people trying to go overboard with oil or water or other things to "quickly break it in".
Angle is really important. It usually takes me a couple of tries to tweak it. Someday I should measure the angle that works well for me.
A Brooks saddle should be comfortable without being broken in (but with the right angle and position). It just gets more comfortable as it breaks in.
Aaron
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:24 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
Alex wrote:
TrikerTrev wrote:
Thanks Mike...thats good info as well.
I'm late to the thread but I agree with Mike's advice more than Langston's or Aaron's.
I've seen too many saddles ruined by people trying to go overboard with oil or water or other things to "quickly break it in".
Angle is really important. It usually takes me a couple of tries to tweak it. Someday I should measure the angle that works well for me.
A Brooks saddle should be comfortable without being broken in (but with the right angle and position). It just gets more comfortable as it breaks in.
Having sold hundreds of Brooks and riding Brooks on all my bikes, the initial oiling seems fine. The saddles soften up but not too much. The oil treatment we do is a one time application. If you repeat it too much, then yes, the saddle will splay out. Riding the saddle wet will also do the same thing. Drilling and tying the sides of the saddle together is a good thing to do to splayed saddles. I have customers (and friends, Val for example) that do not find the splaying uncomfortable. The B-18 on my Bakfiets is splayed naturally a little and it is fine. Narrower saddles are not as comfortable splayed. That is why the B-15 and B-17 Narrow come pre-punched and include laces.
I second the motion to tilt it down! Adjust it on the rails and the tilt until she is comfortable. This may take several adjustments!
_________________ The guy banging on the door yelled, "Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms!" I just assumed it was more supplies
TrikerTrev
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 2:45 pm
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
Cassnasty wrote:
I second the motion to tilt it down! Adjust it on the rails and the tilt until she is comfortable. This may take several adjustments!
thanks cassifrass...that is my first order of business.
Aaron
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:22 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
Cassnasty wrote:
I second the motion to tilt it down! Adjust it on the rails and the tilt until she is comfortable. This may take several adjustments!
Too much tilt can cause pressure on the hands and make her shoulders tired.
If there is pressure at the nose of the saddle, it is better to raise the bars.
Brooks is and English compamy. "English Racers" all had bars at least as high as the seat. Bars below the level of the saddle will put pressure on the soft tissue. The only spot the saddle should bear weight is on the back where the "sit bones" are.
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