Need Help with my Brooks Saddle!

[Juliegoddess]

Hi Everyone! I've been missing in action...missing you all! But, I've been riding more and more, and loving my Jamis!

I have a Brooks saddle, and it seems to be sagging. The sides are splaying out a bit and rubbing my shorts, and the springs are squeaking like MAD (and driving me nuts!). I am trying to figure out how to tighten up the saddle, but can't find ANY help with this. Which way do I turn the bolt? I've been following "righty-tighty, lefty-loosey"...but it just seems like the bolt just goes around and around without ever tightening.

I've read that doing the tightening wrong can destroy my saddle...so I'm scared! What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance everyone!

[Biciclista]

if the sides are splaying out, you can punch holes in it and lace it tighter. You might do a search on springs squeaking because someone else had issues with that. Did you buy it from a LBS? they would have a tensioner which would at least tighten the saddle.
Sheldon Brown might help: here's what he said:
Tension Adjustment
Most leather saddles have a tension-adjusting nut located under the nose of the saddle. Fortunately, this nut usually requires a special wrench, so most people leave it alone. In almost every case that I know of where someone has tried to adjust the tension with this nut, the saddle has been ruined. My advice is to leave it alone.

If a leather saddle gradually becomes too soft and too wide after many thousands of miles, it is sometimes useful to punch a few holes in the bottoms of the side flaps and lace them together under the saddle frame.

This allows the width and firmness of the saddle to be adjusted to the rider's taste. Some older models came with a row of holes along the lower edge of the side flaps, for this very purpose.

I realize that this sounds like a lot of trouble, but most cyclists who take the trouble find it well worth while--in the end.

[Juliegoddess]

Thanks for the advice and the welcome back!

Yes, I'm paranoid about the saddle and messing with the bolt, I do have the special tool from Brooks for tightening, but as I said, it doesn't seem to be doing anything at all. I'm definitely going to take it to my LBS and have them do it. I didn't buy my bike there, but I DID buy the saddle there!

It seems as though this creaking, squeaking and groaning and slight sagging has come out of nowhere...I can't wait to get to the bike shop!

[Sky King]

Hole punching and threading will solve the splaying. You will need a leather punch and leather thread (we got ours from the Tandy store)
Also find a good silicone spray like tri flow and spray your springs, should solve the squeaking.

[KnottedYet]

Make sure you oil the half-ball and socket in the nose shackle. And do all the contact points in the nose mechanism while you're at it.

I thought for the longest time that my springs were making noise (because that's where it seemed the sound was coming from.) A call to Bill at Walllingford Bicycle Parts, and he told me about the secret half-ball and socket. I had no idea that's what was inside the nose shackle. (Just in front of the adjustment nut)

Oiled that up with Boeshield and the noise was gone.

[blackhillsbiker]

I thought for the longest time that my springs were making noise (because that's where it seemed the sound was coming from.) A call to Bill at Walllingford Bicycle Parts, and he told me about the secret half-ball and socket. I had no idea that's what was inside the nose shackle. (Just in front of the adjustment nut)

Oiled that up with Boeshield and the noise was gone.

I did the same thing. Oiled the heck out of the springs, then tracked down the squeaking to the nose bolt. I oiled that and the squeak never returned.

Deb

[Bill Laine]

Hi Everyone

Brooks saddles usually get noisy because the leather has stretched and the tension mechanism has become too loose.

Oiling the saddle with a little spray oil is good for calming the sounds but you still need to adjust the tension. Brooks sends the wrench with new saddles for a reason.

If you are facing the saddle you want to turn the nut clockwise. If you can see the pin and nut you want more threads in front of the nut to tighten the saddle. Since the tension pin isn't anchored it can spin if the tension is too loose. Sometimes holding the end of the pin with your finger will hold it enough. Sometimes you need to use pliers on the unthreaded part of the pin to hold it. Once you get a little tension between the nosepiece and the tension shackle the pin should stop turning.

Just turn the nut a little and ride the saddle to see how it works. If the tension is right you should be able to push the seat down almost a quarter inch with your thumb. If you have pulled it too tight you will see the hard ridge of the nose extend back into the seat. If you think you have the tension right but it still squeaks then it's time for a little squirt. Oil without tensioning is masking the problem but it isn't solving it. Most broken tension pins are a result of the tension being too loose.

I know that a noisy Brooks can be annoying, and dealing with the noise can be frustrating. I hope this helps.

Regards

Bill Laine
Wallingford Bicycle Parts
New Orleans