Did I just ruin my brand new Brooks B17?

[zpl]

It's not even two weeks old. I have a rain cover for it and I've been riding it with the rain cover on. I pulled the cover off the other day and now see this:



I don't understand where the white color is coming from. The underside of the rain cover is dark gray. I do see black streaks in the rain cover.

So far I've tried wiping the saddle with a wet cloth, but to no effect. It looks like I've worn away the black color of the saddle, but I wouldn't have thought the natural color of the leather was white.

Can I do anything to fix this?

Scott

[bayAreaDude]

Maybe try some shoe polish or those leather repair kits with dyes. And don't use that rain cover anymore.

[Herbie]

It's not ruined. It looks like the proofhide or whatever you used is showing. I would just ride it. If you use shoe polish, it will just wear off on your shorts. Dye may work, but so what.

Brooks saddles are pretty tough. I have even been caught out in the rain without a saddle cover, and the saddle was fine after it dryed out.

[tihsepa]

I will bet its fine. Let it dry out and use the right cover or a shower cap. Your ass cant tell what color it is it only knows comfort or not.

[Spinistry]

More proofide and butt buffing. No more rain covers.

[zpl]

I suppose I'll have to get used to it. I just find it annoying that I messed it up so quickly after buying it.

On the bright side, I suppose the discoloration might be considered an anti-theft feature. And certainly I'm no longer riding any saddle while its rain cover is still on.

Scott

[MB1]

It'll buff out.

Go ahead and use the rain cover when it is raining. But take it off when the bike isn't in the rain.

[Doug B]

Make up some cool story about the blemish, and enjoy it as "character". Maybe tell folks ( not many will notice or care), that the discoloration is from an alien abduction or something crazy.

[QED]

Just tell people you have been riding it so much that you wore a spot in the saddle already. They will think you are bada**.

I think it will buff out with more riding without the cover on, but time will tell. Gives it character. And like someone else sad, your ass doesn't care what color it is.

[brianmcg]

What does it smell like?

[MrMook]

Ruin is a strong word for simple discoloration. That saddle still has 100% functionality.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think you're supposed to ride with the rain cover on. Its just for parking/storage. I always ride my saddles in the rain, and cover them when I get there. My butt keeps rain off the top, and fenders keep the underside dry, so what's the point? Nothing uglier than seeing a rider with a plastic bag on their seat. Talk about ruining the aesthetics of the bike!

PS: thats one hell of a way to route a brake cable.

[Myosmith]

Saddle soap lightly rubbed in according to mfg instructions and then buffed out with clean cotton cloth.

[lonebikeroftheapocalypse]

That's ruined. Send it to me for proper disposal.

[xxl]

It's not even two weeks old. I have a rain cover for it and I've been riding it with the rain cover on. I pulled the cover off the other day and now see this:



I don't understand where the white color is coming from. The underside of the rain cover is dark gray. I do see black streaks in the rain cover.

So far I've tried wiping the saddle with a wet cloth, but to no effect. It looks like I've worn away the black color of the saddle, but I wouldn't have thought the natural color of the leather was white.

Can I do anything to fix this?

Scott

Sorry, but it's ruined. If you send it to me, I'll dispose of it properly, in an environmentally sound manner. No need to thank me.

Srsly, I think you're probably seeing a temporary blush of Proofide, or possibly organic salts contained in the leather that migrated to the surface, that'll ride off in the next few weeks.

You could always ask the Brooks people what their opinion is: BROOKS ENGLAND LTD. | GETTING IN TOUCH

[froze]

I use a cheap Aardvark cover if I know I may get caught out in rain, and it never has done that, but I have brown not black saddles. It does look like the Proofide stuff perhaps didn't get initially polished real well, or more then likely you simply used to much, after riding for a while without the cover on the stuff will wear off. Rain won't bother it if treated right, but I tour with mine so I'll put a cover on it especially setting overnight outside and rain or dew might occur.

Whatever you do, DO NOT listen to anyone, either here, or friends, or some internet bike guru, or you LBS on how to care for your Brooks saddle, only follow the care instructions that Brooks gave you if you want long life from you saddle. I follow the Brooks instructions and have not incurred any problems and one of my saddles is now about 13 years old with no signs of wear. The only thing I do outside the directions is apply neutral KIWI paste wax after I applied Proofide, with both on I only have to treat it once, sometimes twice a year. Also Brooks says to tighten the nose bolt 90 degrees, I only turn it about 45 degrees at a time and only just enough to get the tension right, over tensioning will rip the saddle, and usually you shouldn't have to tension the saddle only maybe once every 5 years if that depending on use and body weight.

[zpl]

PS: thats one hell of a way to route a brake cable.

That's EL wire, not my brake cable. bikeglow.com

Thanks for the replies, I'll get used to it and hold out a slight hope it will buff away eventually.

Scott

[George M]

By the time you get done sweating on it this summer, you wont even notice it. Plus don't use saddle soap on it. That's one of the worse things you can do to it.

[velodog]

Yep, it's ruined.

Throw it away and get a good plastic BMX saddle. Not only won't you ruin it, but you won't care if you do.

[Newnan3]

You got a picture of the bikeglow in action?

[oldroads]

I'd stay away from the Kiwi polish. Stick with saddlesoap or Proofhide.

[SGMDWK]

I always get a kick out of the posts outlining the detailed care needed for Brooks saddles. I got my first Brooks in 1962, when I was in Jr. high. I kept that saddle for 40 years. It went through all the abuse you'ld expect in my teenage years, went to college, then on into adult life, with no more care than to wipe off rain or dirt. I might have used saddle soap once or twice - I never heard of Proofide. When I finally sold that saddle at a time I thought my rioding days were over, it looked pretty much the way it did when it was new - though it was a bit more forgiving on the nether regions. Brooks saddles are well made and they are tough. That's why they have been around for so long. You certainly can destroy then with abuse. But my experience is that they hold up better than most - without any esoteric pampering.

[froze]

I'd stay away from the Kiwi polish. Stick with saddlesoap or Proofhide.

Proofide is a wax and not an oil or a silicone that will damage leather saddles, Kiwi paste is a wax not an oil or a silicone, Sno Seal Wax is the same no oil no silicone type of thing. Saddlesoap is for cleaning leather.

Proofide is simply tallow, cod oil, vegetable oil, paraffin wax, beeswax, citronella oil combined in whatever percentages the tin does not say, but the proper percentages so that it seals and conditions the leather. Downside to Proofide is the citronella oil smell whereas Kiwi leaves the leather smelling like leather. Kiwi is also easier to find. BUT, Brooks says to use only Proofide, so I use mostly Proofide and only use Kiwi in a pinch and then only the neutral color wax.

[Dave Cutter]

I don't know... but I think that is salts from the curing process. I would NOT use any oil on it (MHO). You may want to search and read at the Brooks saddle Web Site