Champion C9 Tights + White saddle = Grey saddle

[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?

[Biciclista]

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?

funny that's what i thought of too. that's how we kept our white and blue saddle shoes looking white and blue.

[Skierchickie]

Well, it went from completely white, with 900 miles on it, to smudged grey where my thighs rub, 15 miles later. At first I thought it was some sort of residue from a 5-mile stretch of new pavement, but it kept getting worse over the next 105. I'm pretty sure it's the dye - and I had never worn those tights on any non-black saddle before. And it does seem to be lifting a little.

I thought about covering it with shoe polish or something, but wouldn't that transfer to my shorts? Hmmm - some sort of skunk butt effect?

I'm going to keep working on it.

[redrhodie]

I thought about covering it with shoe polish or something, but wouldn't that transfer to my shorts? Hmmm - some sort of skunk butt effect?

Now that sounds lovely! You definitely don't want skunk butt.

Maybe Martha has a trick.

ETA, Even Martha doesn't seem to have the perfect solution!