Dear John:
The reason that my saddle needed reframing was that the original one
snapped. I brazed it, but predictably, it promptly broke again. Brooks has
had some trouble with ch frames becoming brittle during the chroming process.
Tony claims that he can no longer obtain new chrome plated frames, and feels
that the powdercoat (enamel?) black may be a better long term prospect. So, I
retained my well broken in top for less than the cost of a new saddle.
The problem that I have seen with the Swallow saddles commonly available
lately lies with the riveted in bracing piece at the saddle neck. There is
very little leather between the rivet and the edge, and this area is under
tension from the riders weight. This never occurred to me until a friend of
mine had one tear at this point within 200 miles. It was warranted, but it
still seems to be a real weakness in the design.
You may also want to check out what Cycleart is doing with leather
saddles. They do nice stuff.
Regards,
Wes Gadd