You are reading a single comment by @Big_Block and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@Big_Block
Finding the leather was the hardest part. From what I can find on the net you need to have vegetable tanned leather at least 5mm thick. In Adelaide that can be found, as long as you want a whole side. That was an overkill for one saddle. After two tests with 4mm thick leather, which I considered too thin for my use, I had some sent from interstate.
It is about 7.5mm thick, vegetable tanned, and very, very stiff.
I made a pattern and cut roughly to shape, leaving enough around the edges for the forming process to pull to shape.
The leather gets soaked in water until all of the tiny bubbles stop appearing. It should be very flexible. You can try warmer water (up to 60 degrees C) to stiffen the leather but shrinking can occur. My leather was stiff enough without this step.