Your regular reminder that Rowan needs our help if this channel is to continue. Please become a Velocipedian to thank him and allow him to continue sharing his knowledge and passion with us.
Thanks for the tip. I will be collecting a vintage Pashley soon and the original saddle in need of much TLC. Unwaged at present so the Brooks proofride, dearer than luxury skin potions, very much an unnecessary expense. I have had great results with Carr Day & Martin saddle soap so will give the Balsam a go.
Love Brooks since 1956. I have one from '64, '68 and 2005. Zillions of miles on the first two, only 17,000 miles on the latter. They've never "splayed", no leather strings. Use Proofide every 6 months. I've owned many other saddles. Brooks by far the best. Road, touring, gravel and mountain bikes. Thanks!
Yes it was helpful. I got a new saddle from Amazon for a £10 , lovely looking oxblood 3 spring vintage looking thing BUT discovered after it got wet the dye used to colour the leather was painted or sprayed on and was water based. Scrubbing with a wet sponge it came off to reveal the natural leather. I think with this saddle stuff it should come up lovely.
Wonderful, many thanks for this, very useful indeed. I've just picked up a 1950s (?) Phillips 3-speed which has come with a vintage Wrights saddle (looks very similar to a Brooks Swift). I'll give it a good going over with some Proofide, strap it up, and see how it fares!
Very similar but I think the Belvoir is better for leather that sometimes gets wet. It’s made for horse saddlery. It seems to have more of a cleaning factor too. The ingredients just say it’s Beeswax and Lanolin, so I know there’s nothing in there that could do any harm. It’s a fraction of the price of Proofide too.
I just subscribed to your marvelous channel. Do you have the solution to my problem. I always ride the b67 but then after 10.000 kilometers the nails start popping up and tearing my pants. Otherwise the saddle is still fine but this forces me to buy a new one.
Do you have a follow up video for this saddle? Did you use it in one of your other videos after this one? I just bought a used b66 online and it has curled up lips which were not apparent on the pictures the seller provided. It's not as bad as yours but would still be impossible to ride in this state. I think the saddle got wet and just sat for a long time. I got some proofhide and old broken inner tubes, thinking of really soaking the lips with the proofhide and wrapping it tightly . How long should I leave it for like this?
Theae saddles are still good, and will perform for a good few years yet. If spreading is persistent, you can punch a few holes in each side and bootlace it together, like the Brooks laced saddles. The B67 on my Connoisseur is laced, as was the B66 on my Hopper.
Useful. Yes. I have a 90 year old saddle which is stiff as a board and broken. I intend to repair.
Your regular reminder that Rowan needs our help if this channel is to continue.
Please become a Velocipedian to thank him and allow him to continue sharing his knowledge and passion with us.
Would have been nice to see the result after a few days
Thanks for the tip. I will be collecting a vintage Pashley soon and the original saddle in need of much TLC. Unwaged at present so the Brooks proofride, dearer than luxury skin potions, very much an unnecessary expense. I have had great results with Carr Day & Martin saddle soap so will give the Balsam a go.
Love Brooks since 1956. I have one from '64, '68 and 2005. Zillions of miles on the first two, only 17,000 miles on the latter. They've never "splayed", no leather strings. Use Proofide every 6 months. I've owned many other saddles. Brooks by far the best. Road, touring, gravel and mountain bikes. Thanks!
Yes it was helpful. I got a new saddle from Amazon for a £10 , lovely looking oxblood 3 spring vintage looking thing BUT discovered after it got wet the dye used to colour the leather was painted or sprayed on and was water based. Scrubbing with a wet sponge it came off to reveal the natural leather. I think with this saddle stuff it should come up lovely.
Wonderful, many thanks for this, very useful indeed. I've just picked up a 1950s (?) Phillips 3-speed which has come with a vintage Wrights saddle (looks very similar to a Brooks Swift). I'll give it a good going over with some Proofide, strap it up, and see how it fares!
My Brooks saddle has leather lacing along the bottom.
I didn't realize it could flare!
How does the Belvoir compare to Proofhide from Brooks? Are they interchangeable?
Very similar but I think the Belvoir is better for leather that sometimes gets wet. It’s made for horse saddlery. It seems to have more of a cleaning factor too. The ingredients just say it’s Beeswax and Lanolin, so I know there’s nothing in there that could do any harm. It’s a fraction of the price of Proofide too.
How do you fix the nose piece, when it is twisting?
I just subscribed to your marvelous channel. Do you have the solution to my problem. I always ride the b67 but then after 10.000 kilometers the nails start popping up and tearing my pants. Otherwise the saddle is still fine but this forces me to buy a new one.
Do you have a follow up video for this saddle? Did you use it in one of your other videos after this one? I just bought a used b66 online and it has curled up lips which were not apparent on the pictures the seller provided. It's not as bad as yours but would still be impossible to ride in this state. I think the saddle got wet and just sat for a long time. I got some proofhide and old broken inner tubes, thinking of really soaking the lips with the proofhide and wrapping it tightly . How long should I leave it for like this?
Theae saddles are still good, and will perform for a good few years yet. If spreading is persistent, you can punch a few holes in each side and bootlace it together, like the Brooks laced saddles. The B67 on my Connoisseur is laced, as was the B66 on my Hopper.
I've seen Sheldon Brown suggesting lacing a saddle to keep it tense and in shape - what are you thoughts on this?
It is an excellent idea. However I have a laced B67 and the sides are showing weakness, as the top still dishes