Sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear. I have never had one of my saddles develop such a ridge. When I bought a "broken in" used saddle or two, I saw such ridges. My couple of Brookses did not change shape significantly with my use, even with occasional months with a few Proofides.
This is one reason I'm skeptical of treatments any more aggressive than Proofide.
Ken Freeman Ann Arbor, MI USA
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of John Thompson Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2007 9:55 AM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR]Brooks/Ideale leather saddle treatment
Kenneth Freeman wrote:
> I don't use Brooks or Ideale any more since they don't fit my
> undersides, but I have had several. I've only used Proofide, up to a
> few coatings on top per month, and not seen any inordinate stretching.
> I liked a Brooks Pro for quite a while. I understand that Proofide is
> gentle enough for many applications, and I have not known it to aid in
> softening. My feeling has always been that if the saddle will not
> break in to my shape, or if I can't acclimate to it, I won't be able to
use it.
>
> Many supposedly "broken-in" leather saddles have butt-bone depressions
> flanking a ridge, and I find this shape to be impossible. I don't see
> how any leather treatments that do not involve clever leather surgery
> can remedy this situation, at least for me. Result is, I'm not
> comfortable on any on-topic saddles.
I suspect that "a few coatings per month on top" is far too much Proofhide, and may well have contributed to the ridge you complain of. I have a 25 year old Brooks Pro I ride regularly and it has no such ridge, but I only use Proofhide on it about once a year.
http://www.os2.dhs.org/
--
John Thompson (john@os2.dhs.org)
Appleton WI USA