14

I've got a Brooks leather saddle and i like it a lot, but i am entirely clueless on how to care for it. I know i am supposed to rub some sort of fat on it, but i have no idea what kind of fat, or how often, or how strong or how much, etc.

Can you give me pointers on how to keep it nice or if possible link to step-for-step instructions?

freiheit
  • 18,957
  • 4
  • 86
  • 117
Mithaldu
  • 375
  • 2
  • 7

1 Answers1

7

Brooks makes a product called Proofide for saddle care. For normal use, once or twice a year is likely enough.

To use, start with a dry saddle and wipe off any grit or dirt with a dry rag. Then take a very small dab of Proofide and spread it on the top surface of the saddle. You want to spread this out into a very fine layer all over the top (finished) side, don't use too much. Then let it dry -- probably takes 4-12 hours, depending on how much Proofide you used. Finally, polish the saddle to get rid of any excess Proofide (looks like a white waxy residue).

There's a Brooks maintenance kit that includes a tin of Proofide, a polishing cloth and a tension adjustment wrench.

Also, try to keep your saddle as dry as possible. Riding in the rain is ok, but make sure you store your bike somewhere that the leather can dry out naturally.

darkcanuck
  • 10,920
  • 5
  • 42
  • 58
  • I keep a cover on my B-17 when riding in the rain, but I'm not convinced it's necessary. A little water ain't gonna hurt, just don't dry it with a blow dryer. Treat it well, and eventually it'll be insanely comfortable and look like this. – Goodbye Stack Exchange Dec 17 '10 at 18:27
  • Also see http://bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/1751/is-a-leather-saddle-appropriate-for-all-weather-riding – darkcanuck Dec 17 '10 at 18:53
  • Thanks, going by this i found more sources and bought a full maintenance kit and now my saddle is not only properly water-proofed again, but has also lost its sag. – Mithaldu Dec 23 '10 at 08:55
  • Brooks also recommends Proofide on the bottom side, but they say not to wipe excess off the bottom. That's from their product page: https://www.brooksengland.com/en_us/proofide.html – SSilk Oct 13 '23 at 09:50