Introduction to Leather Saddles
History and Works
1865 - Legend has it that a young man of 19 years called John Boultbee Brooks bought
himself one of those new-fangled velocipedes. He would have cut quite a dashing figure back
in the day, but that was not all he cut; the wooden saddle was excruciatingly uncomfortable.
Now his father made leather saddles for horses - and indeed he and his contemporaries
normally went to work on horseback. Therefore, the young Brooks set about designing and
developing a comfortable saddle from leather in his father’s works. The rest, as they say, is
history.
So as you can see, Brooks experience in saddle making goes right back to the beginning back to the period of solid tyres - and is unequalled by any other house in the world.
That said, we recognize that it would ill-become us to depend entirely upon past laurels and
expect today's cyclists to buy Brooks saddles, merely because they have inherited their
ancestors wisdom and keen eye for quality and detail. However, the fact that many of these
saddles are still in active service today, stands as testament to their design, materials and
craftsmanship.
We acknowledge that it would be folly, even now, to depart from such a practice. Today the
business looks forward, rather than back, and by its productions is preserving a time
honoured name for future generations.
As we see it, only one policy will achieve this, and that is to continue with "quality first", both in
materials and manufacture.
Facility
Brooks is located in the heart of England, in the county of West Midlands. The area is known
as The Black Country, due to the plumes of dark smoke produced by furnaces from its
historical past, as the centre of steel production within the United Kingdom.
The facility houses a number of bespoke machines dating back to the early 20 th century,
many procured from Germany.
All of the component parts of a Brooks saddle are manufactured in house.
The leather is received in hide form, each piece measuring approximately 30 by 50 inches.
‘Blanks’ are then cut from the leather, immersed in water and formed under extreme
pressures to achieve the tops. During this process the blanks are also submitted to varying
temperatures in our huge ovens.
The springs and frames are received in wire form on drums weighing up to half a tonne. An
array of machines are utilised to manipulate such wire into the desired component, whether it
be a frame or the stranded coils, used on the B33 for example.
The backplate arrives as flat sheet metal and undergoes a number of presses and cuts to
achieve its form.
The component parts are then assembled by hand to achieve the finished saddle. Many of
the models are still hand – riveted, a skill in itself, and Derek Gardener, at the grand old age
of 71, still attends Monday to Friday mornings to ply his well honed trade.
The whole process of manufacturing a single saddle can take up to 90 days.
Leather and Quality
The wise man who is taking up cycling in any form, or changing his style of riding due to
either age or inclination, must exercise great care in the selection of his saddle.
We should like to impress upon all riders the great advantages, both in power and comfort,
that are derived from a saddle meticulously handcrafted by technicians who have honed over
130 years of saddle making experience.
At Brooks we appreciate that to choose a saddle which is suited to both rider and his
machine, and also the class of road/terrain he intends to ride upon, is a matter well worthy of
more consideration than is normally devoted to this question. With over 70 percent of the
rider’s weight being coupled to an area of only a few square inches, it is essential an informed
decision is made.
Naturally, in supplying the needs of a demanding public, it is necessary to eliminate
unnecessary costs, but cost is always a consideration to be dealt with last by Brooks, as we
decline to produce anything that does not fulfil the requirements of our exacting customers.
The Brooks policy is, and has been since the firm was founded in 1866, "Quality First".
Of all the components of a quality saddle, none is more important than the leather, and its
scrupulous selection is entrusted upon men who, as judges, cannot be excelled. They have
absolute and definite instructions to examine every individual hide and pass none that do not
reach our high standards. They buy nothing but the highest quality 'middlings', or butt,
ensuring that whilst all stretch is eliminated the flexibility of the leather is retained intact. The
ultimate result is that not only will the Brooks top keep its shape for years to come, but it will
also form to the contours of your body.
For Brooks saddles, only the butt of a hide is employed and whilst commanding a higher price
it is only by use of such material, that our quality may be maintained and the experience of
many millions of cyclists confirms the prudence of this wise precaution.
Saddles cut from butts, dressed during manufacture, are practically waterproof, yet capable of
'breathing' in a healthy manner; this is why Brooks saddles never become clammy and are
always cool to ride, thereby providing greater levels of comfort, even on the longest rides, on
the warmest days.
Primitive man recognized the serviceable qualities of leather and it has been utilized for
footwear ever since. Its value in the manufacture of quality footwear is widely recognized and
despite great advances in technologies it still remains the number one choice of its purveyors.
A cycle saddle, subject as it is to hard service, requires a covering of exceptional toughness.
We have much correspondence from cyclists who have used the same Brooks saddle for fifty
or more years, great testament to the value of leather.
Another, and even more important feature peculiar to leather, is that of porosity. Invisible
pores in the animal hide provide natural ventilation; that is why a Brooks saddle remains cool,
and expert medical opinion emphasizes the benefits of leather in this respect.
Maintenance and Fitting
A saddle manufactured from leather, is the only saddle that will anatomically form to the
contours of your body and become a truly ‘custom fit’. Your saddle will marry itself to your
unique sit bone position and will become as unique to you as your fingerprint. Given time your
saddle will, very much like a quality pair of leather shoes, fit like a glove. As with shoes any
quality leather saddle will require a break-in period, after which time they’ll reward you with
many years of loyal service becoming so comfortable that you’ll wish you had discovered the
brand earlier.
Caring for your Brooks
Leather is a natural material, which will provide lasting comfort, coolness in hot weather, style
and durability.
If you follow these simple instructions your saddle will adapt itself to you and retain its support
and comfort. A new saddle should be treated with the Proofide to help assist the 'breaking - in'
process. Proofide helps keep the leather supple as it is specially formulated from natural
ingredients to condition, preserve and shower proof your saddle. Proofide is the only
substance that should be used to care for your saddle.
Apply a little Proofide to the finished side of the leather. Allow the Proofide to permeate until
dry and then polish off. Proofide should be used several times during the 'breaking - in' period
and every 3 - 6 months thereafter. On bicycles not fitted with mudguards, an initial application
to the underside of the saddle will be beneficial. This need not be polished off. The leather
gets its colour during the tanning process and it is possible, therefore, that some colour
residues will remain. It is recommended to polish the saddle with a soft cloth before first use.
You should protect your leather saddle from moisture with a saddle cover. If a wet saddle is
ridden the colour may stain your clothing. Allow wet saddles to dry naturally. Never tension or
Proofide a wet saddle.
Correct leather tension will ensure your saddle retains its shape and comfort. To tension, turn
the nose bolt nut 90° at a time, check tension. You can use the tension spanner or allen key
to do this. Over - tensioning a saddle will overstretch the leather fibres and may destroy their
structure. Little and not very often is the key. Remember, once the end of the nose bolt is
reached, the saddle can no longer be tensioned.
Brooks produces a range of saddles varying from race saddles to heavy duty saddles in
various colours with single, double and even triple wires. Whilst single rail saddles can be
used with a micro - adjust seat pin, remember that with double and triple railed saddles, the
clip provided should always be used as this supports the saddle / rider correctly preventing
premature breakage to the rails.
Brooks supply a range of spare parts for your saddle to ensure it is always in a good state of
repair.
Your Brooks saddle is guaranteed for two years from the date of purchase against defects in
manufacture or materials. If you believe you have a claim under this guarantee, you should
return the saddle to the place of purchase along with your proof of purchase.
Fitting of your Brooks
Correct fitment of any saddle is essential to achieve the most advantageous coupling with
your body. In the same way that your seat-post and handlebars require adjustment, precise
positioning of your saddle will ensure a comfortable ride requiring less effort, whilst providing
greater efficiency.
Once you have selected the correct saddle pertinent to your style of riding, you must adjust it
properly on the bike. The saddle should be set parallel to the ground so that its tip is not
pointed up or down to any great extent. In case of slight pressure problems the tip of the
saddle can be tilted forward a little.
In order to avoid overstraining the knee, the seat height should be adjusted so that you can
still just reach the ground with the tips of your toes, whilst sitting on the saddle. If you feel
unstable, the saddle can be set slightly lower.
Brooks England Ltd
www.brooksengland.com
Downing Street, Smethwick, West Midlands, England B66 2PA, UK
Brooks Branch Ltd
(sales & marketing department)
via Vittorio Emanuele 119, 36050 Pozzoleone, Italy
Tel: +39 0444 461147
andrea@brooksengland.com