# Leather saddle care?



## damon (Dec 24, 2001)

My commuter has a 10 year old leather saddle that i love (first generation WTB Ti rail), but it is starting to show its age. The Leather is starting to look dry, and i was wondering what proven methods there are to keep things happy under the bum.

Thanks,
-Damon


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## coonass (Feb 4, 2004)

*Proofhide*



damon said:


> My commuter has a 10 year old leather saddle that i love (first generation WTB Ti rail), but it is starting to show its age. The Leather is starting to look dry, and i was wondering what proven methods there are to keep things happy under the bum.
> Thanks,
> -Damon


as used for Brooks' leather saddles would be my recommendation....if it's a soft type saddle, you may want to clean it with Saddle Soap and maybe apply some Melatonin Cream to help the color if it's faded....others may recommend Neatsfoot Oil or Vaseline, but I only use those for belts, billfolds, etc., plus they may seep into your riding shorts.....
Get a Kiwi Sponge applicator (for shoe polish) and use it to apply the Proofhide....


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## BR549 (Nov 8, 2004)

*Lexol leather/conditioner/preservative*



damon said:


> My commuter has a 10 year old leather saddle that i love (first generation WTB Ti rail), but it is starting to show its age. The Leather is starting to look dry, and i was wondering what proven methods there are to keep things happy under the bum.
> 
> Thanks,
> -Damon


I use this on my Fizik Aliante (2 of them 1 silver one black) I have read this saddles to be fragile leather wise& the silver wears off & looks bad. Mine looks perfect no wear showing even all the lettering is like new.one year & 2000 mi. later.soft & supple.This stuffs good on about all kind of leather.


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## Guest (May 15, 2005)

The primary ingredient in Proofide is Beeswax , mixed with some lanolin and saddle soap.

I usually just use Beeswax on my saddles but if you prefer Proofide, go down to the Bike Doctor on Commercial and get a tin there, they keep it in stock.


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## damon (Dec 24, 2001)

*Ahh yes... shoulda thoughta Brooks.*



toomanybikes said:


> The primary ingredient in Proofide is Beeswax , mixed with some lanolin and saddle soap.
> 
> I usually just use Beeswax on my saddles but if you prefer Proofide, go down to the Bike Doctor on Commercial and get a tin there, they keep it in stock.


Thanks for all the replies, guys! Regarding Beeswax, though, how do you apply it? I know it softens up when you work it in your hand, but how does a soft solid condition a saddle?

And good call on the Commercial Bike Doctor. For a chain store, that is a surprisingly good shop for the commuter (and seems much better than the one on broadway).

: -D


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## Guest (May 17, 2005)

damon said:


> Thanks for all the replies, guys! Regarding Beeswax, though, how do you apply it? I know it softens up when you work it in your hand, but how does a soft solid condition a saddle?
> 
> And good call on the Commercial Bike Doctor. For a chain store, that is a surprisingly good shop for the commuter (and seems much better than the one on broadway).
> 
> : -D


Damon, I usually just rub the Beeswax in and polish it that way, then rub off the excess. You get enough into the leather to be useful.

Bike Doctor has only become a chain in recent times, it was, all the time I lived in VAncouver just one store, the one on Commercial. It caters primarily to people who USE their bikes for commuting and transportation. It isn't the kind of store where you go to buy your Go Fast parts. Of the various branches I have been in, Commercial Drive certainly is the best store in the "chain".


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## jmoryl (Sep 5, 2004)

Just a data point here. Go to a saddlery or tack shop (horse stuff) and you will find a wide selection of nice leather care products for much cheaper (per ounce) than you might pay in a bike shop. After all, horse saddles are bigger and these guys are not going to fool around with some little 4 oz. bottles. I needed a treatment for some leather car seats and someone recommended Effax Leather Balm from Germany - it contains beeswax, lanolin and avocado oil - and a large container can be had for $12 in a tack shop.

Joe


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## OES (Jan 23, 2002)

jmoryl said:


> Just a data point here. Go to a saddlery or tack shop (horse stuff) and you will find a wide selection of nice leather care products for much cheaper (per ounce) than you might pay in a bike shop. After all, horse saddles are bigger and these guys are not going to fool around with some little 4 oz. bottles. I needed a treatment for some leather car seats and someone recommended Effax Leather Balm from Germany - it contains beeswax, lanolin and avocado oil - and a large container can be had for $12 in a tack shop.
> 
> Joe


Well, that's nice, but a $6 tin of Proofide (size of a shie polish tin) will last for years and years. I have three Brooks sadlles, and I'm still not halfway through a tin I bought 5 years ago. With Proofide (or any other conditioner, really) you don't use much and you don't apply it often, else you'll end up with a floppy oversoftened saddle, otherwise known as 'ruined.' 

You have been warned!


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## europeorbust (Feb 12, 2005)

*stiff saddle*

3 Brooks saddles? you're the old man to ask then; I have a 3month old Brooks Pro that just doesn't seem to be breaking in. I get the concept behind Brooks (same as Birkenstocks or DocMartens, right?) but how long should such a process take and is there anyway to speed it up without damaging the leather? i'd say i ride at minimum 4 days per week since i got the saddle and for the past 2 or 3 weeks i've been rubbing 'Horseman's One Step leather cleaner and conditioner' into it twice a day. any tips or do these things just take time? i have a big tour comming up that i'd like to use it on, but i only have 3 weeks left.

thanks a lot for any help.


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## Guest (May 18, 2005)

europeorbust said:


> 3 Brooks saddles? you're the old man to ask then; I have a 3month old Brooks Pro that just doesn't seem to be breaking in. I get the concept behind Brooks (same as Birkenstocks or DocMartens, right?) but how long should such a process take and is there anyway to speed it up without damaging the leather? i'd say i ride at minimum 4 days per week since i got the saddle and for the past 2 or 3 weeks i've been rubbing 'Horseman's One Step leather cleaner and conditioner' into it twice a day. any tips or do these things just take time? i have a big tour comming up that i'd like to use it on, but i only have 3 weeks left.
> 
> thanks a lot for any help.


You keep rubbing oils and "conditioners" into that saddle and you will ruin it. What do you expect it to be like, it is a Hard leather saddle that will support you better than any saddle on the market, it breathes and provides years of comfort.

I have 6 - I would not put anything else on those bikes.


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## OES (Jan 23, 2002)

europeorbust said:


> 3 Brooks saddles? you're the old man to ask then; I have a 3month old Brooks Pro that just doesn't seem to be breaking in. I get the concept behind Brooks (same as Birkenstocks or DocMartens, right?) but how long should such a process take and is there anyway to speed it up without damaging the leather? i'd say i ride at minimum 4 days per week since i got the saddle and for the past 2 or 3 weeks i've been rubbing 'Horseman's One Step leather cleaner and conditioner' into it twice a day. any tips or do these things just take time? i have a big tour comming up that i'd like to use it on, but i only have 3 weeks left.
> 
> thanks a lot for any help.


Hmmmm. Well, if it were me, I'd leave off the Horseman's One Step. I doubt that stuff is good for the Brooks leather. Honestly, the safest course is to just follow Brooks' recommendation and use Proofide. It's cheap and it works.

As far as speeding up the process, there are lots of tricks people have used over the years (Lon Haldeman used to soak his in motor oil and leave it in the sun for a couple of days) but, again, you're probably going to end up doing more harm than good if you try anything drastic.

The ONE thing I might suggest is, to LOOSEN the tension-adjusting nut a bit, so the leather isn't pulled so tight. Then ride for a week or so. This will speed the 'shaping' process, wherein the saddle shapes itself to the specific contours of your particular ass. Then re-tighten to normal tension.

Honestly, though, I have to say if the Brooks isn't comfortable to you by now, it may never be. Most people find them comfy from day one, and the whole 'breaking in' thing is over-stated. They start good and get better -- they don't start bad and then get good, for most people. So maybe you're just one of those non-Brooksers.

Try the loosening thing though. It may help.


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## jmoryl (Sep 5, 2004)

OldEdScott said:


> Well, that's nice, but a $6 tin of Proofide (size of a shie polish tin) will last for years and years. I have three Brooks sadlles, and I'm still not halfway through a tin I bought 5 years ago. With Proofide (or any other conditioner, really) you don't use much and you don't apply it often, else you'll end up with a floppy oversoftened saddle, otherwise known as 'ruined.'
> 
> You have been warned!


Since the original poster was not asking specifically about a Brooks saddle I made my recommendation based on what I use to preserve a typical leather covered saddle. Not sure what type of saddle the original poster's WTB is but I doubt is is like a Brooks. The large jar of Effax is also useful for my car, belts, etc.....


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