No matter if youโre on one of our leather saddles, a Brooks, or that hand-crafted custom buckskin saddle created from ethically harvested recycled leather, you want to keep it in good shape so it will remain supporting you for years to come. In todayโs post, weโll see what you can do to maintain your saddle soft for kilometers.
Break-in is the first and most critical step in the life of every leather saddle. A leather saddle, like your favorite pair of jeans or boots, can feel rigid and unforgiving when you first start using it, but like an old friend, it becomes an extension of your body as it is broken in. So, the good news is that you already enjoy something thatโs a fantastic method to break in a saddle: riding your bike!
Put on your brand-new saddle, have it readjusted, and go riding! Your saddle will be comfortable for longer and longer as you accumulate miles. After a while, youโll have a moment of elation like youโre soaring in the air, and youโll get really psyched up.
Maintain the leather
After your saddle is properly broken in, you want it to stay soft, firm, and comfortable for a long time, and you certainly donโt want it to develop cracks or become brittle, which would ruin your hard work and shorten the life of your leather. Thatโs why itโs crucial to use leather care products, and that includes providing. The answer is, yes, definitely provide. Itโs one of the longest-known and most effective leather protectors out there, even if it seems like something a charlatan would peddle in the old west. You may usually find many possibilities at your local craft store, leather goods shop, or hardware store.
Put a small amount on your saddleโs top and bottom, then rub it in. After waiting for a minute, wipe the saddleโs top with a shop towel until provide has been well applied and the excess has been removed. The debris on the underside of your saddle will act as a barrier against moisture, so you donโt need to wipe it off.
You can do this whenever your saddle seems dry and your leather will remain supple and supportive.
Make sure itโs tight.
Lastly, with time, leather will expand, therefore drifting into sagging hammock zone and undoing that perfect fit. Fortunately, itโs nothing that canโt be fixed with a little wristwork! On the front of your saddle, you will discover a bolt for tightening. You can begin by loosening the bolt with the provided tension wrench (or a long-handled screwdriver/allen wrench/etcโฆ depending on your saddle model). Then, begin carefully stretching the leather back into tension by making a series of quarter-turns counter-clockwise with the tension wrench.
After you have adjusted the tension, hop on and go for a ride. After tensioning, riding will help to reset the leather and avoid problems with over-tightening. When you get at your destination, your ride should not be on a saddle that is wet, so keep it dry while you work on it.
Done! If you treat it well and donโt overdo it, youโll end up with a saddle that will hold you for the duration of your ownership of your bike.
Have a nice trip. Look for us on the field.
