When I re-entered the world of bicycles after more than two decades, I never considered a saddle made of real leather. Too complicated that seemed to me, So I took some kilometers on the original Brompton saddle - which was quite OK, but the roads around are bad, and the Brompton-suspension is good but tough.

Maybe... ok, well I got hooked to style. British Brompton, needs british saddle, ey? And I am a fair weather-cyclist. And I always take my Brommie with me. And there where raincovers. Plus the look of the immense rear springs of that saddle gave me a positive feeling that they would catch some potholes before these could get into my spine.

So I got my luxury Brooks saddle mounted to my Brommie and started. Not before I read some more things about the pro and contra of such a thing. I carefully covered it into a thin coating of leather fat (of course I got that luxurious little tin of Proofide), and started to ride that crafted thing.

Well, part of me is realy fond of technologies - great new materials and so on. Another part is quite vintage. I even possess an steel frying pan for my stove to do perfect fried potatoes. But even that one needs attention. Regular use. No washing-up liquid, spend a first awful evening frying potatoe peels just to get the surface prepared for the future...

So I expected the new leather saddle to be as demanding. Which it was not. It get waxed with the special saddle fat sometimes when the surface looks dryish. As you would do with your expensive leather boots. I got a raincover in the little pocket attached. Thats it. Really,

The reward I got after some kilometers was a saddle, that is custom-made for me. In fact I made it, just by riding it. I do not feel extra-effort to keep it in a good shape. But the feeling, that there is natural material working for me is a little bonus indeed.

i will get a "big" 28" bicycle soon and surely my new saddle, this time black as the rest of the bike, is a Brooks. I will keep that project updated.