Brooks Saddles

Ah thanks, C17 ordered.

Apologies if this had been covered previously
My brooks saddle expander wedge thing has pushed upwards creating a bulge on the top of the saddle. Is this a common fault

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Cheers, I thought there would be a significant difference. I think I may try a c17 out first as I've seen them go for good prices on eBay then will go wit b17 if it doesn't work out. Got loads on my buy list but I think a saddle is most important .

It’s generally because your saddle has too little tension.

Ok thanks I'll try tightening up

Don’t go nuts tightening it up, leave a little stretch in it.

Which is owned by Russia, so circle is nicely complete :0

re stretch: Brooks leather seems way softer than old. The hide on B17, swift, swallow and conquest seem to stretch really fast. Team Pro and Colt seem to be made of sterner stuff, and I’d always choose those for a fairly forward riding position, on hoods or drops etc though in general I’ve found well-preserved old ones are better than new, whatever the model.

Guess that was sort of at @sacredhart and @T0mg in one ramble.

@sacredhart If a saddle has sagged like that and there’s plenty of tension bolt left, you might well have added it earlier but yeah add some. If the new saggy shape is a bit shit still, you can try blocking out the saddle - release the bolt a bit, submerge in lukewarm water till it stops bubbling, stuff scrunched up newspaper really tightly throughout, add a leather toestrap or two along the middle & nose to keep the skirt down. Dry naturally for ages. Buff with beeswax. Add a little tension. Leave it stuffed for some more time. Then unstuff. Add a little more tension. Should be a relatively normal shape again.

+1 for the softer leather in modern brooks saddles. I just had to exchange a 1,500 mile B17 flyer for a replacement (after a lot of wrangling from wiggle, who initially refused and said I’d maintained it wrong, I eventually went to brooks who swopped it straight away), as it had already developed a massive and painful ridge down the middle- and I only weigh 10.5 stone!

Over tensioned?

Ha, not on your nelly! I know how to look after leather saddles

@skully that's really useful info, thankyou

Any opinions on Rivet Saddles? In the Brooks/Berthoud/Selle Anatomica category.

Not used one myself, but I know a couple of high-mileage audaxers that like them a lot. IIRC they've got a bonded mid-layer (or is it just a bottom layer?), so the leather's likely to be more durable than a modern Brooks. As ever, it's about finding the model that fits your arse (and possibly breaking it in - whether arse or saddle may depend on the rider...).

on the hunt for a swift on the cheap if anyones got something!

They seem to also offer all leather which needs to be more vigorously waterproofed by the end user. They are tempting.

Picked up a B17 from here which is looking a bit flat.

Not sure whether blocking it or punching some holes in the sides and tying them would be best?

Tied seems to be recommended.

As the meme goes “ why not both?”

Yeah, might do both. Think I’ll give tying a try first anyway as I have the stuff to do that right now (so long as a shoe lace will do for tying?).

Squeezing it in the way lacing will pull it seems like it’ll do the job.

First attempt at tying seems like it’s going in the right direction. Top is maybe a bit more rounded that it should be but will see how it rides.

Before...

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After...

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Looks a little humpty-hump from the side but the head on shot looks better.

Yeah, rises up a bit towards the nose.

Will stick it on a bike and see how it feels today. Reckon it might need soaking and blocking to bring that down.