Why has my Brooks turned on me?

I've been on the road for 6-7 weeks now, and over the last couple of weeks, my B17 has been - literally - a pain in the rear. Started developing a nasty-looking saddle sore from it. I've now covered over 5,000km with that saddle, and I thought it should be fine by now. How come it's giving me grief? I use padded shorts one in every 2 or 3 day's riding, and I thought I've been careful enough with cleanliness. Seemed to be more of a problem when I had several long days (10 hours moving, 12 on the bike) into some tough headwinds. Using a combination anti-inflammatory/anti-fungal/anti-bacterial cream I've got.

I've got a few days off here in Istanbul to rest, recover and refit. Probably heading east on Sunday.

Any thoughts? I just put another dose of Proofide on. Thinking maybe I should tweak the tension a little. Wondering if the problem is that when I sit on it, it's flattening out a bit too much, and spreading out at the sides. Anyone tried what Sheldon Brown talks about, punching holes in it, and putting laces on to adjust the width?

Last season, I had something similar happen to me with my B17 (and it ended up taking me several weeks to finally get things back into shape).
I'm not sure which of these was the key item but I'm OK now:
a) saddle tension was low - I was able to use my thumb to push the center of the seat down (and have the sides spread appreciably) at least an inch with just some firm pressure (I'd guess 10-20lbs?). I tightened the tension so that I can only push it about 0.5 in with firm pressure.
b) Heavily 'Proofided' the seat, top and bottom (Seat must be dry).
c) Found that the seat wasn't quite at the height and fore/aft position that I expected - perhaps it was slowly slipping down and back. So began a process of slowly adjusting it to a spot that was comfortable again.
d) Began washing my shorts daily with detergent
e) Began using butt butter.

This season, I haven't had to re-adjust anything so far and haven't needed the butter yet.

One other thing to consider is that your bike fit may have changed as your conditioning improved. Perhaps your riding in a little bit different position now then you were when you last adjusted your bike seat/bars etc...

Would go with the last suggestion. Especially so as it gets worse after long hours or work into wind.
Saddle may have altered and broken in more, but more likely, you are riding a slightly different riding position now you have settled into touring. Happens. Could be height for or aft, but more likely angle. A month is about the time for it to show up. Tourers are often told their saddle is angled too far back. Actually not. Touring a different game.
Would check that first. People are inclined to tension saddle too much and too often. Mine quickly becomes hell to ride if tensioned too much. Even Brooks advise that once you have got it right, should very very seldom readjust it.
Meanwhile, enjoy the few days off the bike, wearing the loosest fit shorts you can.
Would do the Sheldon Brown as a last resort. Tho I found, that even tho my Brooks is skinnier than the B17, I needed to stretch the sides together. Only required one one on workbench drastic. Altered the sit area quite drastically quickly. Been great ever since. But try everything else first.

Thanks for the advice. It does spread out quite a bit if I put pressure on with my hand, so maybe I'll just tweak that tension a little bit. Have been thinking that I need to make some small adjustments to position too, to iron out some other minor discomforts. Was going to raise saddle a touch, will also look at my fore/aft positioning, and angle while I'm at it.

Have been doing the loose fit thing too, avoiding any sort of restriction in that area. Bit of airflow will be all good for it I think.

They're currently recommending 42km/h NNE winds on Sunday, funnily enough the direction I will be heading it...so may have an extra day or two's rest...

Saddles are a very personal thing. I had a B17 years ago and it was by far the worst saddle I've ever had. It sounds like they don't suit you either. I suggest you try something else

Agreed. I also suggest you buy one of the plethora of cheaper saddles that weigh less, can be ridden in the rain (!), don't require time consuming preparation and care, and have the added bonus of not ripping your ringpiece to shreds. Brooks - why????

Brooks - ripping ringpieces to shreds since 1866

I took delivery of a new Flyer today, first impressions are that it's more comfortable than any other saddle I've ridden by a country mile. Will see how well it break in. And while I'm here, is Proofide a necessary thing or will it do without?

Guess of the thousands of riders who would not use other than Brooks, there is going to be a few who don't get along with them,,, for whatever reason.
Apart from other reasons in leathers favor, (a biggy is they don't get sweaty and chaffey), they are fully adjustable, which most saddles aren't. Others are usually it suits or doesn't,,, which is fine,, till the saddle padding bits start to break down. Leather saddles are usually the last you need to buy.
As #6 used many saddles, none were much comfortable. The brooks is comfortable, and after the few weeks to adjust, been fantastic, no problems. So it took a few weeks to learn to adjust it, rather than plonk it on and hope as with others. Took about that long to break in, or perhaps was same thing. Was never a problem from day one. Has now done 14 years of most days riding.
Covered some of the why's.
Cheaper. What price comfort. And if it's the last you will need to buy, thats cheaper.
The rain. ! Ride it every day, and get plenty of rain here. Gets left outside when suits, rain or otherwise. When touring, weathers more often than not. Never have put a cover on it.
consuming preparation and care,. No consuming. Just only get on bike and go, always.
ripping ringpieces to shreds. Rubbish.
Been articles giving good reason for using Proofide rather than other potions. Seem to stack up. And Proofide is cheap enough, why not it.
Helps soften the leather and help break saddle in as well as preserve the leather. All leather dries out and cracks. Even so does synthetics. A liberal coating when new is sensible, including the underside. 1 or 2 times a year apply more works for me.
Personally don't care whether you use a Brooks saddle or not, only that personal preduces don't put people off a saddle that has stood the test of time.

Ah, more interesting thoughts. I've tweaked my setup a bit, will be leaving Istanbul in a couple of days, so will get a chance to properly test it out. I'm heading east, but I will probably be in Ankara in a couple of weeks (come back on a bus to pick up visas), so if I'm still having issues then, I'll look at trying out something else.

Given the long history of Brooks, I am prepared to put in the time and effort with trying to make it work for me, but if I can't get it right, I'll need to look at something else - I think it was quoted somewhere else that the right saddle is one that I find comfortable, doesn't matter what other people think.

Definitely,, is you that has to sit on it. You didn't say what bit hurt. Presumably the sit bones. Whatever, you've a hell of a long way to go with a bad saddle.
People say the B17 is the best, but not which one. Rechecked site, haven't done that in a while. I find 6 B17's. No measurements, but seem very different. For touring, I would figure the B17 Narrow would be hell is here and happening. Most important is width of rear of saddle to individuals sit bones. Get that wrong and it would hurt in all the worst places. The Special, Standard or Finesse seem more tourable. I use the Team Professional S and it is fantastic, would consider no other, model or type of.
Perhaps everyone is right. Those that picked the correct model for them think they are the greatest. Those that picked the wrong model curse them.
Perhaps more correct that a leather saddle is way far better than a synthetic job. Just get the right one for you and your use.
For me, the Narrow, Swift and Team Professional would be cursed and trashed real fast, along with the sales git. Race or short time saddles only.
Yeah, be pretty hard to stay in business for 140 years if you produced rubbish.

Regarding #9, as to which bit hurt, there are two separate issues. One, more minor, is around more or less my sit bones, that seem to be irritated a little bit I guess by some of the rivets. That's sometimes annoying, but not such a major problem - it may well be related to the width of the saddle, being too narrow

The other problem is at the very top inside of one of my legs, where a nasty red lump/irritation developed. That's more of a concern.

Due to some other issues, I'm not leaving Istanbul today, and will be here at least 2 more days it seems, so I guess that means a bit more time off the bike.

Ok, no one has come back with other suggestions so will give it a shot. No saddle expert, but my 2 cents worth. Only know mine is fantastic, even beyond 10 hour days.
You have been sold one of the three narrow B17 saddles. ?
You probably should sit on the leather part of the saddle. That it is too narrow, so you sit too far back,,, on the rivets,, which is the steel part of the saddle frame. (with my saddle can distinctly see where the sit bones sit, well ahead of the rivets)
Rather than the narrow horn, the wider part of the saddle, where you should sit, is between your legs. Mildly too wide there would chaff. That it is beyond that, figure too much pressure/weight is taken on that area. A soft tissue area of you not designed for that.
I would figure there should be no pressure on your legs. That it is on one, suggests the saddle is not in line with the way you sit. Or that leg became aggravated first and you side shifted you weight to compensate. Few people sit in a true line with the bike.

Possibly, the angle may be too great and is sliding you too far back. A race cyclist normally has saddle tilted back. A tour cyclist, it level or tilted forward even.
Possibly if the tension is too great, it will raise the centre of the saddle and pull in the sides. Thus sliding you back, and narrowing the rear further. Very few leather saddles have a straight top line. Some even have an exaggerated banana shape, and the riders think they are fantastic comfort. Rather than tension the saddle, it may be better to quite drastically loosen it. (from new I did mine, think 3 full turns, and have never re tensioned it) If you try this, should know within minutes whether pressure points have altered. You may tend to slide forward, off the rivets.
Or could be a combination of both these.
My saddle, the rear is level, the horn of rising slightly. A slight banana shape.

Some thoughts. May help. Or be way off.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, a Brooks saddle is adjustable. Rather then other types where you can only just plonk them on, and they work or they don't. Get them right and they are great. If it is the model that suits you, is quick and easy. True.
But if it is too narrow for you, only one really option, one place for it to be.

Ah, for all Striker's faults, I do think he was onto something when he said "why the [redacted] is dotravel so wise?"

Thinking about it, I have been moving about, and moving to the back. This was probably more in the last few weeks. Currently my saddle is tilted back a little, to counter an issue I was having with sliding forward. I will fiddle with the angle and tension a bit, based on the above thoughts. Also wonder if fore/aft position may have altered after a few thousand kilometres, with a bit of bumping around in Romania. Will doublecheck that.

I suspect part of the reason I have been having issues more on one side is related to something a chiro picked up last year, where one leg is a little longer than the other. Interestingly I can see on my saddle that where it has been molding to my shape, it is a lıttle deeper on the left hand side (the one with the longer leg).

Think you're right about the adjustability thing - more options means greater chance of getting what you need, but also of adjusting it wrong, ending up with trouble.

Since I seem to be here for a bit longer yet, I might spend tomorrow afternoon faffing about with it.

Thanks for all your help and advice, it is truly appreciated.

Will post some results (hopefully all good) in a week or two.

Edited by: katija on Dec 23, 2013 5:42 AM

Yeah, sounds like could probably be tension. If the saddle slopes rear that is where your rear will go. Unlike a race cyclist, a tour cyclist sits on a saddle. Riding local somewhere in between. Thinking since back, it was a while ago, had the saddle set up good, till I toured, then had the sliding issue. [only had it month before tour] Loosened it. Was straight line across the top. Over tightening can put a hump in it, sort of opposite to what figured it should be. At extreme will crunch that nerve, and you will slide off the hump. As sed, the rear of my saddle is level, the horn only slopes up slightly.
For various reasons cyclist seldom sit perfectly true to the bike. Then again things like more strength in one leg than the other giving favoritism. Few of us were built perfect. And fewer of us have had a trainer to iron out idiosyncrasies.
Encouraging that the saddle has taken on shape. Is more adjustability with Brooks, sort of more option to get it good, or wrong. Was fiddly after had used other types. A little adjustment can make an enormous difference. Perhaps try tension first. That can alter the angle. Try that second.
Is one time to put aside "If at first you do not succeed, give up, it was no bloody use anyway"
Hope all goes well for you.

I'm not a saddle expert at all, so i won't try to give any advice there. But i had an almost identical experience a couple of years ago on my own tour - 5000km's into it i got a very bad saddle sore, also for no apparent reason (although it had been very hot and quite bad road but i had been very careful with hygiene), which ended-up finishing-off my trip.

The one critical piece of advice i would give is that whatever adjustments you make, make sure you've allowed yourself enough time to heal first! Especially if you might be heading into areas where you won't want to be stopping for long. There are three stages of saddle sore: sounds like you are at stage 2 - stage 3 is full infection and you DON'T want to be there....

good luck

p.s. If for some reason you do get to the 3rd stage, the key thing is not just to get antibiotics but also to get it lanced (ow!)