Are leather saddles really comfortable?

I've seen so many rave reviews about leather saddles (Brooks, Rivet) claiming they are so much more comfortable than "modern" saddles.  But whenever I see the bikes they are on, they are always retro looking bikes.  So I wonder, are they really that great, or is it just the retro grouches who use them overstate how great they are because of their dislike of modern technology?  I've been considering trying one out, but they are very expensive, so not something I want to buy without knowing how good they are.

Yes - they really can be very comfortable. In large part because they conform to your anatomy over time, unlike "modern" saddles. A nicely broken-in Brooks is like having your own personal, custom-formed saddle. 

BUT - we are talking about saddles, and regardless of what they are made out of, there will always be a high level of personal opinion/experience in terms of defining what "comfortable" is. 

Many people love leather saddles, and use them for thousands of miles. Other people don't find them comfortable, or at least not more comfortable than cheaper, synthetic options. We all have different needs when it comes to saddles, but if you are unable to find a "modern" saddle that works well for you, especially on long distance rides, then a leather, 'hammock-style' design is certainly worth trying out. 

I love mine. About half the people I ride with love Brooks the other half hate them. I borrowed someone's already broken in Brooks before I bought my own. The break in period was pretty uncomfortable until I got caught in rain and it's been great ever since. All the people I know who ride with a leather saddle have them on modern gravel bikes.

My $.02: I rode my first bike race as a 15 year old "Junior" in 1958 on a Brooks leather saddle. I honestly don't remember if it was comfortable or not. Like tubular tires, steel frames, 5 speed cog sets, wool bike shorts and jersies etc; there really wasn't much choice back then. I do remember that you had to take very good care of that saddle -- and your wool clothing, and how you glued your tubulars. Modern material science and manufacturing processes have vastly improved all of the above. Or have they? Over the last few years, there has been a sort of re-birth of some of the old materials - especially merino wool and leather. With good reason -- natural leather and merino wool have some unique qualities that are difficult to match with synthetics. As others have suggested however, saddles are a very personal choice. In my case I've gone back to Brooks -- the Cambium C17. The Brooks Cambium line has the same shape as the classic leather B series but uses a natural rubber body covered with a specially treated canvas material that gives the saddle a leathery feel and look. The advantage of the Cambium - especially riding in dirt and gravel- it requires no special treatment and is virtually water and mud proof. If you want some of the feel of a genuine Brooks B-17, without the hassle, check out the C-17.

A leather saddle will stretch over time, reducing pressure points. This can create a saddle that is very comfortable. \nHowever, it is important to realize this happens by spreading the load(your weight) over a larger area, thereby INCREASING pressure in other parts of your pelvic area. \n \nBesides comfort of the saddle itself, you also need to consider biomechanical and medical aspects when choosing a saddle. \n \nModern, properly designed and tested saddles (like Specialzied BG models) are meant to reduce pressure on the soft tissue and concentrate it on the 'sit-bones' . \nIt is important to remember that blood flow can be restricted without any sensation of discomfort, while still leading to potential medical issues over the long term. \n \nThe other aspect that many people don't consider is biomechanics: \nIf the body weight is not properly supported on the 'sit-bones', if often leads to poor posture on the bike. The most typical problems are sideways rotation and posterior pelvic rotation (lumbar spine very upright) leading to a very curved back and neck. \n \nBecause of that, my advice is to hunt around for the 'modern' (tested for blood flow) saddle and bib combo that is the most comfortable, with the least rubbing and chafing, instead of a Brooks saddle, which might be more comfortable (after break in) but potentially creates other, more serious issues.

Another important consideration is that leather's biggest enemy is water. If you're going to ride in wet conditions, your saddle is going to take a beating. While some have indicated that water can help to break in a leather saddle, it's far more likely to break it down. Some people do find a saggy leather saddle to be comfortable and they're the luck ones. Once a leather saddle has become soaked and lost its shape, there's no getting it back again. Additionally, dirt/mud/road grit will abrade the leather's surface in short order. Aside from looking bad, this can lead to excessive friction between you and the saddle.

So, if you find the stock shape of a leather saddle to be comfortable, you need to protect it from getting wet. That typically means coating the underside with a waterproof leather dressing and using a waterproof cover over the top.

As you may have realized, the wet and dirty conditions that are often part of gravel riding are a near worst-case scenario for a leather saddle. The only thing that would be worse is mountain biking and I honestly have never seen anyone riding a leather saddle on an MTB around here (NH).

Another consideration is weight. A Brooks saddle can easily be a pound heavier than a modern saddle with a synthetic shell. If it's the only thing that you find comfortable, it's worth it's weight in gold, but for most of us that's not the case.

I like both types of saddles, the leather Brooks B17 and foam type. My Wtb pure V was very comfortable to me on long rides and as a daily user but unfortunately it started cracking on the underside. 

I decided to try a Brooks and while it is still fairly new sub 300 miles I can ride with socially acceptable clothing without padding. While I like the Brooks very much, the pure v at this point has an edge in comfort. I have the Brooks on my gravel bike and it looks great by the way. 

For weather protection just treat it with proofide or sno seal. 

Can't say for sure that leather is better; but after reading about the French Berthoud factory in BQ, I decided to order this in tan https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/components/saddles/berthoud-aspin-saddle/ . I don't know; maybe riding a leather saddle again will make me feel like the 19 year old bike racer I was in 1962 http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=12582 .

bobknh wrote:Can't say for sure that leather is better; but after reading about the French Berthoud factory in BQ, I decided to order this in tan https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/components/saddles/berthoud-aspin-saddle/ . I don't know; maybe riding a leather saddle again will make me feel like the 19 year old bike racer I was in 1962 http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=12582 .

Bob I read your story. That is pretty cool that you had a chance to race in Belgium and enjoy some of the world in the process. My only claim to fame is finishing RAAM(Race Across America) in 2006 as a 4 man relay team(Team Cyclonauts)

Zman

bobknh wrote:Can't say for sure that leather is better; but after reading about the French Berthoud factory in BQ, I decided to order this in tan https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/components/saddles/berthoud-aspin-saddle/ . I don't know; maybe riding a leather saddle again will make me feel like the 19 year old bike racer I was in 1962 http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=12582 .

 

I agree w/ Zurichman, that's a great story Bob!  I really enjoyed Joe Parkin's book Dog in a Hat, so I always dig hearing from others who rode and raced back in the day.  

ljsmith wrote:I've seen so many rave reviews about leather saddles (Brooks, Rivet) claiming they are so much more comfortable than "modern" saddles.  But whenever I see the bikes they are on, they are always retro looking bikes.  So I wonder, are they really that great, or is it just the retro grouches who use them overstate how great they are because of their dislike of modern technology?  I've been considering trying one out, but they are very expensive, so not something I want to buy without knowing how good they are.

 

FWIW, I've been riding road bikes since the mid-1980s, and mountain bikes since the early 1990s, and have ridden all sorts of saddles over the years.  Through the years, I've kept old school stuff that works well, discarded stuff that hasn't, and have adopted new technology/upgrades if it has improved or enhanced my riding experience--e.g., there's no comparison in performance between my first rigid steel mtn bike, to full suspension mtn bike I owned 10 years ago, to the full suspension mtn bike I currently ride.  

As others have said, saddle comfort and preference is very much a personal thing, and one rider's slice of heaven might be another's personal hell.  But I'll never forget how the super light, super chic, relatively expensive saddle on my Special Ed carbon road bike somehow turned into an unforgiving brick about 3/4 of the way through a century ride a few years ago--I would have paid anything to have been able to swap it out for my tried-n-true old Brooks Team Pro (now about 16-17 years old) that is a permanent fixture on my lugged steel touring bike.   

I was just chatting to a friend about the Belgian Waffle Ride, and if I do it next year, then I'll definitely replace the current contemporary saddle (foam padding over a plastic shell) on my otherwise modern carbon-disc-thru axle 'cross bike with a new Brooks Swift or Swallow.  The weight difference can be significant if you're a gram counter (up to ~300g difference), but for me, that's a very small price to pay for comfort when you're 70 miles into a 100+ mile ride.  

And like bnystrom said, water will kill your pure leather saddle quickly if you don't get all OCD about it's care and protection.  I'm lucky to be in CA, and ride almost exclusively in dry weather (and try to apply Obernauf's leather protectant when I remember).  If I was to consider a Brooks-style leather saddle and rode in a wet climate, then I'd probably get one of the "watershed" treated leather saddles from Selle Anatomica (and they offer a 30-day trial period too).

Well I live here in good ole rural Pa. Yes we get our share of rain and yes I have some Brooks saddles. I luv the Waterford series with the cutout. I have one that has sagged some probably from some neglect on my part and some/mostly because I have ridden it out in the rain without a cover. It till fits me sweetly and right out of the blocks I rode this saddle brand new on a 300k for the first ride with no break in and have never looked back. Yes I love my Brooks saddles.


Zman