saddle life

I already know the automatic response: It depends! On the saddle, the
riding the weather/climate.

That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking how long your saddle lasts you.

In article ,
"recycled" wrote:

I already know the automatic response: It depends! On the saddle, the
riding the weather/climate.

That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking how long your saddle lasts you.

In seven years of serious riding, I have never retired a saddle. The
vinyl surfaces appear to be essentially non-wearing in the face of
padded lycra bike shorts.

My Avocet R1 leather saddle has spent a year in leather hell: it was the
seat of choice on my much-abused cyclocross bike.

I just bought a Selle Italia Storika for my road bike. It's leather, and
looks like some sort of torture device. The old saddle's cover was
coming unglued, but taping it back into place seems to have worked.

I see most of the "wear" on my saddles coming where the cover is
attached to the base or wraps around the plastic base.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

On Oct 29, 10:32*pm, "recycled" wrote:
*I already know the automatic response: It depends! On the saddle, the
riding the weather/climate.

*That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking how long your saddle lasts you.

In regards to old, I have 2 saddles that fit the bill. One is about
12 years old, and the other a couple years older than that. The older
of the two is on a BMX bike, and isn't really used for sitting. It's
more of a grab-point for my knees, and an additional contact point for
bike cartwheels. The fact that its held up all these years is
amazing, I've had many BMX saddles destroyed in a year. Can be seen
here
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...oKCRVgB1yjlZ3A

The second is in the neighborhood of 12 years. It's on my favorite
mountain bike. There's a small tear (or maybe even piece of fabric
ripped clean off) on the back, but it's not where I touch when
sitting, and it's yet to bother me. I don't have any good pics of it,
but it can kinda be seen in the right of this pic
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...zkX2JnRzX-_JIg
I never even considered replacing it until my cheapo motobecane 29er.
For some reason, I find that saddle more comfortable (although it is
no doubt lesser quality and heavier). Since riding the 29er I've been
considering a saddle swap for the hardtail, but if it happens it'll be
more for fit and comfort than the old one having worn out.

On Oct 29, 9:32*pm, "recycled" wrote:
*I already know the automatic response: It depends! On the saddle, the
riding the weather/climate.

*That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking how long your saddle lasts you.

On my road bike, about 5 years. On my mountain bike, anything from 1
day to almost a year. They never seem to last very long on the
mountain bike, regardless of how much I spend on it.

On 2008-10-30, recycled wrote:

I already know the automatic response: It depends! On the saddle, the
riding the weather/climate.

That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking how long your saddle lasts you.

I retired an Avocet mod. 1 (leather and foam padding over a plastic
shell) after about 20 years of service on my commuter bike. It was
still usable, but most of the dye had long since washed out, leaving a
cadaverous grey color, the leather had worn through in several places so
the foam padding underneath was disintegrating where it was exposed,
and there was a knife gash across it from a vandal (I still used it for
over a decade after this abuse).

On one of my road bikes I have a well-seasoned Brooks Professional
saddle that's over 25 years old but still in excellent condition, my
fixed gear bike has a similarly old Bernard Hinault "Turbo" saddle
that's lost most of its markings but still intact (unlike Avocet
described above). Another bike has an Avocet mod. 3 saddle, about 20
years old and in similar condition as the Turbo.

Bottom line: exposure to weather will shorten the life of a saddle, but
they still can be quite servicable for at least a couple decades.

--

John )
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

"Ryan Cousineau" wrote: (clip) essentially non-wearing in the face of
padded lycra bike shorts. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Face?

In article ,
"Leo Lichtman" writes:

"Ryan Cousineau" wrote: (clip) essentially non-wearing in the face of
padded lycra bike shorts. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Face?

Nothing like a brisk ride to put a li'l colour
in your cheeks.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

In article ,
"recycled" writes:

I already know the automatic response: It depends! On the saddle, the
riding the weather/climate.

That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking how long your saddle lasts you.

Until I wipe out and scuff the left rear corner of the
covering off it. When you've gotta fix it with duct tape,
it's b/r.

Tell ya what -- I'm /still seeing lots of those old
blue-&-white (or red-&-white) blistered Raleigh saddles
from the late '50s/early '60s around.

Those *******s are /tough/!

They're a nice size, shape & flatness, too.

Ass comfort was figured-out a long time ago.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

"Tom Keats" wrote: Nothing like a brisk ride to put a li'l colour
in your cheeks.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yeah, but which ones?

In article ,
"Leo Lichtman" wrote:

"Ryan Cousineau" wrote: (clip) essentially non-wearing in the face of
padded lycra bike shorts. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Face?

Er, the interface between seat and saddle. In short, the shorts.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."