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FORDSVTPARTS

I've got an old leather saddle on a bike I picked up recently and it's in pretty bad shape, like nearly rock hard and weathered but no deep cracks or tears.

Any tips on what to do to try to bring it back? Do I just go right after it with leather feed?

verktyg

There's a number of witches brew treatments for reviving old dried out saddles.

Some folks soak them in water then tie them up to reform or retain the shape (not my recommendation).

A word of caution, avoid using Neat's Foot Oil unless you know that it's free from petroleum based products.

Most commercial products labeled Neat's Foot Oil are either pure petroleum based or are Neat's Foot Oil diluted with a petroleum product.

You can buy the real stuff from most saddle shops.

Here's the story on Neat's Foot Oil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neatsfoot_oil

FORDSVTPARTS

Here's the seat, Any opinion on how much effort I should put into it? Does it appear salvageable to you?

Thanks for the tip on the "Neats" I bet I can find something like it at the Fleet-Farm store near me.

I may just keep playing with it regardless just to see what happens.

verktyg

You have a genuine worn out Norex saddle. I believe that these were 2nd tier OEM versions of Ideale Model 39 saddles.

Norex saddles came standard on bottom of the line Peugeots U-08 models (you'll get no respect for a Peugeot in the Gitane Forum). Laughing

The Ideale Model 39 (Norex) saddles were slightly less flexible that a piece of wood and only got worse with use! Shocked

Notice the tension adjuster screw in the front is missing.

Also note the sunken area where the ischial protuberances contact the saddle in the rear is totally squashed down on both sides while there is a ridge running all the way to the front of the saddle from being over adjusted to reduce sagging.

ISCHIAL TUBEROSITIES ("Sits bones")
Etymology: Gk, ischion, hip joint; L, tuber, swelling
Rounded protuberances of the lower part of the ischium (lower rear part of the pelvic bones). They form a bony area on which the human body rests when in a sitting position.

The ridge is guaranteed to induce much discomfort plus a possible trip to see a Dr. specializing in "male issues". Crying or Very sad

Best use:

Here's a link to a site with some other "interesting" saddles.

http://www.bikecult.com/works/saddle.html

Gtane

FORDSVTPARTS,

Nice saddle.

If you can locate an adjuster screw as Chas says, you may well be able to salvage it but be careful, extremely careful in tightening. Gentle coaxing over time with nourisher could bring life back in to it again. On saddles of this type, and drier, I use Dubbin topside and underside, then later I move to Proofide top only.

I usually take the saddle off for a month or two, maybe more, when applying Dubbin to be sure it's having the right effect, or an effect at least. I will admit that I have lost saddles but there's no harm in trying, however I cannot emphasise enough, slow gentle work is key, tensioning too, it's critically important when wanting to return the saddle to the bike.

Tim

FORDSVTPARTS

Thanks guys, I'll play with it some more.

BTW-Verktyg, I hate to have to tell you this but I've got two Peugeots in my garage right now Razz

The fleet consists of my regular ride a 1977 Raleigh Super Grand Prix and then I have a 1972 Peugeot AO8 and the one I just picked up which is a 1977 UO8.

The wife rides a 1975 Motobecane Nomade in rootbeer brown, my son rides either his 1985 Raleigh Pursuit of his Batavus Monte Carlo and my older daughter has a Giant Cabriolet.

I'm an equal oppotunity old bike kind of guy Very Happy

I've also got a constantly rotating fleet of bikes I repair and sell as a hobby/part time job.

Kinst VonSterga

LOL ... don't worry, I have 2 Peugeots as well (to accompany my fleet of Gitanes). They include a 79' PXN10LE and 1980 CFX-10. Favorite "riding" is still my 72' Gitane Super Corsa, but the Peugeot super competition is still one of my all-time favorites for our faster club rides. I'm starting to feel the fiery coals of shame land on my head for having shared this Embarassed

verktyg

Since it's confessional time, I'm no purist either with 3 Peugeots, a slew of Motobecanes, some Raleighs and so on...

During the 1970s I assembled and sold 100s of Andre Bertin bikes equipped with Ideale 39 saddles (identical to your Norex sadle). The fellow who owned our company actually liked them and we specified those saddles for our bikes! Rolling Eyes

One of the problems with bike seats up through the late 70s is that most of them were very poorly designed and uncomfortable for MOST riders.

The idea was that a rider should condition their posterior to fit on the bike saddle. If they couldn't make the adjustment then they were a lesser person and would never make a true cyclist! That was the prevailing attitude of many in the bike business back then!

That's also why many great bikes from the 70s are coming out of the shadows of basements and garages as their owners are downsizing their lives and getting rid of unused possessions.

Many folks bought a "10 speed racer" during the the Bike Boom only to find that it was too uncomfortable to ride because it was never properly fitted or adjusted by the shop that sold it.

After a few episodes of sore butt the owners stopped riding their bikes but saved them away for whatever.

If I remember correctly, Ideale 39 saddles sold for around $7.00 but we sold very few because they just weren't comfortable. No amount of "breaking in" was going to improve them.

The problem with most saddles from the era was that they were too narrow and round topped in the rear section which put pressure on the soft tissues between the ischial protuberances of the pelvic bones. Crying or Very sad

Pelvis Side View showing "sitting bones"

Male Pelvis Front View

Female Pelvis Front View

BTW, These 2 points on the pelvis are usually much wider in most women than in most men. That's why the anatomically designed women's saddles are much wider in the rear.

In 1977 Avocet was the first company to introduce a complete line of anatomically designed saddles for both men and women. Here a picture of one of their touring models for women (They were made in Italy by Selle Italia).

I think that one of the reasons why 10 speed bike saddles were so narrow back then was that the bikes were billed as "racing" bikes. Many saddles designed for short duration track racing events were very narrow.

Another thing was that many Europeans who were in their late teens and early 20s during the 1960s were born during WWII and grew up in the post war era where many people suffered from malnutrition.

Just speculation but if you compare the physiques of riders from the 50s and 60s with those of the 70s and 80s, I think that you will find that the later riders had wider hips and shoulders. Compare Merckx and Hinault with Coppi!

Coppi 1940s, 50s, he used 36cm wide bars.

Anquetil 1960s, Merckx 1970s

Hinault hammering 1980s

Hinault hammering 1980s Wink

Ideale Model 80 and 90 series saddles were wider in the rear. Brooks Pro saddles were even slightly wider than the Ideales. Brooks B17s where even wider still. These saddles when new back then were just as expensive as they are today (Brooks only - Ideale went out of business).

Why the diatribe? back in the 70s I endured 3+ years of discomfort, trying at least 25 different saddles before I found a Brooks Pro in 1975 and it was perfect. Later in the 70s I rode an Avocet Women's model saddle on my off road bike.

When I see a Norex or Ideale 39 saddle I think PAIN!

Hopefully this information may help someone find a truly comfortable saddle and not try to force fit their butt to some torture device! Evil or Very Mad

FORDSVTPARTS

Thanks for the info, I think I'll leave it alone.

Years ago I had a '60's vintage Raleigh with a Brooks saddle that I loved, can't afford one these days.

Maybe if I flip enough bikes I can manage one. Very Happy