Northern Pre-Ride

 The 200-on-100 is coming up in two weeks and I am woefully behind schedule in training, largely due to retirement and the loss of my regular commuting regime. I did my first century ride of the year last weekend, climbing both App Gap and Smuggler's Notch, and this week the intention was to extend the distance. Years ago we had an unfortunate mishap near the end of the big ride when we found there was a bridge replacement underway in Readsboro that we didn't know about, as it didn't appear on the state road construction listings. A combination of factors made the temporary bridge a hazard for cyclists and a few of our riders who crossed it after dark went down, one bad enough that he broke a collarbone. After this experience I started travelling the entire route in sections during the month before the ride, to ensure that we could warn cyclists of any hazards they might need to navigate.

Saturday, I rode up to the North Troy border crossing to complete my coverage of the section north of Waitsfield. The weather was supposed to be showers in the morning, mostly ending by 10 am, and I waited until then to start. The actual weather proved to be much wetter, with periodic showers, and a few downpours. It wasn't warm, but I was wearing a wool jersey that I bought from Road Holland before they sadly went out of business, and a light vest and that was perfect for the conditions. The thing that saved me was switching to my Waterford RS-11, a lugged classic with fenders that I had setup specifically for long, hilly, wet rides.

I took a hilly route out, taking Pleasant Valley Road to Jeffersonville and then the long climb up VT 109 through Belvidere, joining VT 100 in Eden, which was the farthest north that I had covered this year. To avoid redundancy, I try to do these pre-rides in the opposite direction from the actual event, so I followed 100 north all the way to the border. I had thought I might cross into Canada and follow the Missisquoi to Richford, but decided instead to backtrack to Ludlow and take VT 58 over Hazen's Notch. The climb isn't bad from the east side and there is a nice roadside spring on the descent to refill. It was cool enough that I only went through three water bottles on the 150-mile ride.

Near the top of Hazen's Notch. The Bailey-Hazen Military Road was cut during the American Revolution and construction ended at the high point of this section, where a small stone monument now marks the spot.

I stopped briefly in Montgomery where the bike shop was still open and the guys graciously gave me some lube to quiet what was becoming a loud chain after all the rain. Luckily, I only went through one more brief shower afterwards. By this time I was learning the hard way the foolishness in assuming that just because I had ridden that Specialized saddle on a previous edition of the 200-on-100, that didn't mean I could be comfortable on it again without some shorter rides. I'm sure I would have been fine with a Brooks, but I was finding the saddle to be a real pain with 60 miles to go. By the time I got to Enosburg, it was bad enough that I was looking for any opportunity to up get off it. The only good thing was that it took my mind off how sore my legs were getting.

I got home just as it was getting dark, very happy to finally get off that saddle for good. I think if I end up riding this bike on the 200-on-100 due to rain, I will switch to a Brooks with a saddle cover. I am planning on getting in another ride at least as long next weekend and hopefully that will be enough prep to get me through the big ride. This one ended up being hillier than I expected, at around 9800' of climbing, so I am cautiously optimistic that the 23rd run won't be my first DNF.

The Specialized "Not My Body Geometry" saddle.

Brooks Saddles: THE Icon of Cycling

 I am an unabashed fan of Brooks saddles. My first leather saddle was a low-cost French one that came on my 1971 Motobecane. It stretched out quickly after riding in the rain. I don't recall it being uncomfortable, but you don't expect much when you are 16. In late 1972, I was working at a Schwinn dealership and used my employee discount to purchase a brand new Schwinn Paramount, then a hand-made, top-of-the-line model that rivaled the best racing bikes made anywhere in the world. The bike came stock with a Brooks Professional leather saddle which had been "preconditioned" at the Schwinn factory. This preconditioning involved clamping the saddle in a fixture and repeatedly running a roller under pressure back and forth across the saddle to stress the leather and shorten the "break-in period". I quickly appreciated this saddle as the most comfortable that I had ever ridden, though it took a few rides for the two of us, my posterior and the saddle's leather, to become good friends.

I will admit a certain amount of confirmation bias. I wanted to love the bike because it represented a huge investment that I could not really afford. I had learned to revere these machines as I worked alongside others who had their own varied levels of appreciation for and competing opinions about cycling and its equipment. I expected the bike to be perfect, which it wasn't, but it was a real joy to ride. When I sold the bike, I kept the saddle and it moved from bike to bike as my own journey through life progressed. Over the years, I have ridden many different brands and models of saddles, but non have displaced Brooks as my top favorites.

'Modern' leather bicycle saddles were essentially invented by J.B. Brooks, who had been a leather manufacturer for about 20 years when he developed his first bicycle saddle in the early 1880s. In 1898, Brooks released its then top model, the B17, which has remained in production, largely unchanged, ever since, making it one of the longest continuously manufactured products from a single manufacturer. It probably holds that record for bicycle components. The Professional is a slightly narrower, more rounded version of the B17 which entered production in the 1960s and is now one of the most popular models. Brooks continues to make a wide variety of saddles, including some with springs for use on rough roads.

A Brooks Pro on a Raleigh Pro
This one appears to be tipped up a bit far.

Leather saddles are comfortable for most riders who take the time to break them in, but they suffer from at least three negative factors:

1. Expense - current models tend to be pricey, especially when compared to mid-range saddles from other manufacturers. This can be partly offset by the fact that a high quality saddle like a Brooks, given proper care, can last a lifetime.
2. Weight - There's no getting around this one. If you are looking for light weight, don't look to leather. On the other hand, a saddle is what is classified as "static mass" on a bicycle, considered secondary to rotating mass, which is thought to have a much greater effect on overall bicycle performance. Cyclists are an odd lot who will sometimes pay large amounts to lighten their bicycles by swapping out steel fasteners for lighter versions, but will then add a second. full water bottle or, worse yet, neglect to lose a kg of fat around the belly. Some of Brooks' saddles intended for performance-minded customers are available with titanium undercarriages, which significantly cuts weight (but does not make the saddle what you could call "light).
3. Weather resistance - One of the advantages of a leather saddle is that it absorbs sweat, which transports through the leather to dry out the other side. However, too mush water, such as might be thrown up from a rear wheel in a rainstorm, can soak the leather which can then lose its shape under the weight of the rider. The leather, supported as it is at the front and rear like a hammock, can stretch and then stiffen again as it dries in its stretched position. Leather saddles have an adjustment under the nose, but improper use of this adjustment has ruined many a saddle. Riders will often protect a leather saddle from getting wet, but this is not always possible, making this possibly the most significant drawback of leather saddles. To overcome this problem, Brooks has developed a line of saddles dubbed "Cambium" which are similar in shape and performance to their leather models but made entirely of synthetic materials. I have used these and consider them the ultimate saddle for a commuting bike, when theft is not a significant concern.

Brooks Cambium 'non-leather' saddle

I don't list the need for a break-in period among the negatives because I think this is over-hyped. I have found that getting the leather to be pliable as a glove is not an asset, for much the same reasons why mattress saddles feel great, but only for a few miles. I am one of those riders who actually prefers a leather saddle to be quite firm. Most people will like a leather saddle better once they have ridden it long enough for it to deform around what cyclists call their "sitz bones," and that distance is dependent on multiple factors, so it could be anywhere from 200 to over 2,000 km. The leather does require some maintenance, such as storing the bike in a dry environment and treating it with a dressing, such as Brooks' own Proofhide (a slightly modified dubbin). Don't overdo it, though, unless you like your saddles soft. Once on the underside and annually on the top is probably enough. I used to recommend soaking with neatsfoot oil to shorten the break-in, but I have backtracked on that suggestion as I think it makes the saddle too soft in the long run.

I find it intriguing that Brooks has made their saddles in only two different buildings for well over 100 years, their first structure having been destroyed by German bombing during WW2. They relocated to another building around the corner from the old one and have been there ever since. Much of their equipment dates back to the time of their relocation and since much of it no longer enjoys manufacturer support, Brooks maintains a machine shop to fabricate replacement parts as they wear or break. The saddles are still made largely by hand, using the same techniques and processes that were developed over 100 years ago. The leather is from British cattle, and even the steel and titanium parts are made in-house.

Brooks saddles have truly stood the test of time, and are still sought after by people who appreciate them for their performance, not just their uniqueness. You can find lots more information about them online, but here are a few useful links to get you started.

2-min. video on Brooks saddle manufacture: https://youtu.be/Ny38p-RP9To

14-min version: https://youtu.be/J4n8qkwIElY

Blog post from a Brooks saddle lover, with pics: http://bikeretrogrouch.blogspot.com/2013/11/brooks-saddles.html