Let Skully customise your leather saddle: Brooks, Wrights etc - trimming, tying, name embossing and de-hammocking.

OOppps missed all these comments:

Skully I think it looks amazing, thanks so much. Will ride it to some forum beers and buy you one soon

Really no need! Jonny has paid me handsomely. Hope its nice.

Don't forget a little bit of proofide (especially a layer underneath, which you don't wipe off, if you don't use mudguards). You don't have to keep it up forever, but apply some to the top once a month or two whilst it breaks in a bit.

Skully I have a Wrights that someone elses arse has squished to one side- can I ask what the advantages are of a chopped saddle? or is it all in the aesthetics?

Oh I guess it is OK to let Skullychops loose on a Wrights and not a Brooks- heres a pic to see what you think, and I will have to post too :(

I don;t like doing old saddles much. If its a bit wonky, try blocking it out. PM me tomorrow and I will explain how to do it... Or I'll do it for a pint.

skully how has that brokks pro ended up ?

Haven't ridden it yet, waiting to go on the next bike which is still in bits. But its a beaut, cheers.

Just a question, cant see if anyone has mentioned wether its makes them less comfortable
My regular B17 ssoooo comfy.
if i chopped it down, what would it loose ?

If it aint broken... Don't fix it. Yeah its really just all about making it racy looking (a B17 cost £40, a swallow costs £100+). It could get a little softer if I chopped it and tied it loosely. I can vary how much tension I put into the tieing bit, so could firm it up a bit. But my advice is, don't do it if you like the saddle just the way it is. Stamp your name in it if you like it that much.

@ Bush ranger, that is what I was trying to get at -(but you are much more consice than I).

I have the opposite problem in that the saddle is not overly comfy for me-

I guess I would have the most to 'win'!

See above comment. It could make it a bit softer for you if I chopped, if it feels a bit rigid due to the support of the large side flaps. It might be best to look at a wider/narrower framed saddle if its really not suiting you. Remember to try all the possible variations in saddle height and position on the seatpin before anything else though.

It might help to chop, basically.

mushy brain, been at the text book last two days straight.
i have a turbo super, turbo bio and san marco supercorsa saddles on my other bikes and the b17 is by far the nicest.
back to my question
simply, if i chop my saddle down will it be less comfortable?

Probably not. Just racy looking. If you're into touring style, don't bother, if you want a roadie look, perhaps it is worth doing. Thing is, some are really soft straight away, some hard as nails for thousands of miles. They vary, its a natural product. Some use thicker bits of hide thanothers, and allegedly black is harder than honey, brown in between.

I've been looking for new saddle for while now and after a shitload of research I think a brooks is gonna be the one, and maybe I'll have to hit up Skully for some chopping, those photos above look sweet. Does anyone know what the selection criteria is between a B17 and the B17 narrow?

I figured the narrow would be a little more racey but will i compromise on comfyness? I had my sit bones measured at evans out of curiosity and Im about 140-145mm.

Best to compare your best saddle with either of these widths of brooks, just visually. Best to try and ride some different ones though. note that the Team Professional frame is in between the B17 and B17 Narrow. I think that the swift is similar to the Team Pro, and swallow is as narrow as the B17N.

I just got me a vintage Sprinter. It's insanely narrow! It was apparently for track riders. They did a limited re-release of it a while back, but mine's an original. I'm actually scared it will rip me new bumhole though.