The leather softens over time. And there is nothing solid under the leather, just a metal frame underneath which only touches the leather at the very back and the very front.

Even fresh out of the box my Brooks was incredibly comfortable. The leather was hard like cardboard, but gave when I sat on it.

Now that it's starting to form to my butt and sit-bones, it is amazingly incredibly fabulously comfortable. And I've only ridden about 100 miles on it so far!