Champion C9 Tights + White saddle = Grey saddle

[Skierchickie]

Thanks, Liza. I'll see what I can find. Hmmm - like Shout? (Skierchickie runs out to the garage and scrubs some on one area). I have noticed that, until now, the thing stayed really really clean, unlike the silver leather Terry I tried last year. Makes sense that it would be synthetic. Maybe it won't be as easy to ruin while trying to get the stain out! I worried about white, but after 900 miles it was still as clean as when it was new.

Grrr. Guess I'll be buying some PI Quest tights that my DH likes so well, and throwing these things out. He suggested just not wearing them for biking, but how likely is it that I will ALWAYS remember not to wear those biking. Right now, I don't want to have anything to do with Champion products, but I'm sure I'll cool off if I can actually clean this up.

[Jones]

That is a bummer. I have used rubbing alcohol and Soft Scrub, separately not mixed, to clean various stains on my saddle, grips and bar tape. Maybe one of these will work. Good Luck, Jones

[Misandal]

What about the stain "eraser" for kitchens & bathrooms - is it by Mr. Clean? I haven't bought one or I'd know but someone brought one to the office. It looks like a white sponge or markerboard eraser, and it's done wonders around here on white doors, trim, things like that. Maybe it'd do the saddle, too.

For white bar tape, my shop recommends Armour-All Cleaning wipes. I don't know how that translates to saddles...

[sundial]

If you know of a leathersmith or shoe repairman, ask if they have anything for that white saddle.

[Skierchickie]

Thanks, everyone. Yup - tried the MR Clean thing yesterday - nothing. Goo Gone (read a recommendation somewhere for cleaning leather purses) - nothing (although I didn't give it a huge try).

So far (fingers crossed) the Shout gel stuff seems to be slowly lifting it (thanks Liza!). I put some on then clean it off the next day. At first it seemed to be moving the stain into splotches in some places - first hint of success. Now I'm cleaning it off, applying more, letting it sit for a day, cleaning it off, ..... I think - maybe just hoping - that it is starting to look more like it did at 60 miles into the ride, rather than 120. Lighter, smudgier. The nose, which was the lightest area, looks fairly white now. It almost turns to a sludge after a day, and then I use water to try to wipe it all off. The Shout gel is the only thing that has produced any dark residue on the shop towel when I wipe the saddle.

I just hope I'm not wrecking the saddle - the grain seems slightly raised today. I'm thinking now it may be real leather - the Jamis website calls it a leather Arione, the Fizik site mentions Microtex, but there are several versions of that saddle. Looks like leather, kinda feels more like leather than my Vitesse Hp.

I should have taken before & after pictures.

We don't have much for leather places - very small community. We did have a shoe repair place, years ago - maybe it's still there. I didn't have time to think about it today.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone - it is nice to have a pool of helpful people to bounce things off of. I'll keep you posted, in case it ever happens to anyone else.

[VeloVT]

Good luck!

[redrhodie]

Is it possible that the shorts did not stain the saddle, but friction had worn the white off? I'm also wondering what white shoe polish would do? Anyone tried it?