Why has my Brooks turned on me?

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!)