good saddle that is rainproof?

bugbear said:

As a cycling commuter, I sadly have
to leave my bike out in the rain
(company has no covered racks)

Since my current saddle is knackered
and needs replacing, I was wondering.

Currently my saddle reacts badly to rain,
so I carefully cover it when I park.

Is it a Brooks type saddle?

Quoted message said:

Can anyone recommend a decent quality
(comfort + longevity) saddle
that is water proof, thus saving
me the task of covering it?

Any normal modern leather or vinyl covered saddle will survive being left
out in the rain. Vinyl is totally waterproof, but despite that it's not as
durable as leather in the long run and splits more easily.

Can't advise on comfort because it's too much of a personal fit/preference
thing.

~PB

bugbear said:

Can anyone recommend a decent quality
(comfort + longevity) saddle
that is water proof, thus saving
me the task of covering it?

It won't be that comfortable if it's soaking wet, so waterproof or not
I'd still cover it up in the rain. Unless you /like/ a wet bum, that is...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Pete Biggs said:

bugbear said:

As a cycling commuter, I sadly have
to leave my bike out in the rain
(company has no covered racks)

Since my current saddle is knackered
and needs replacing, I was wondering.

Currently my saddle reacts badly to rain,
so I carefully cover it when I park.

Is it a Brooks type saddle?

no, but it has padding that goes horribly squelchy!

BugBear

Peter Clinch said:

bugbear said:

Can anyone recommend a decent quality
(comfort + longevity) saddle
that is water proof, thus saving
me the task of covering it?

It won't be that comfortable if it's soaking wet, so waterproof or not
I'd still cover it up in the rain. Unless you /like/ a wet bum, that is...

I was hoping for something non-absorbent that could
be usable after a simple wipe.

Essentially, I suppose I want a good quality
plastic covered saddle, if that's not a contradiction
in terms.

BugBear

bugbear said:

I was hoping for something non-absorbent that could
be usable after a simple wipe.

Essentially, I suppose I want a good quality
plastic covered saddle, if that's not a contradiction
in terms.

Shouldn't be, but even after a wipe it'll still probably retain some
dampness. Why not just cover it up to avoid that, and then you can
choose a saddle on grounds of overall comfort rather than if it's
plastic-coated?

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

bugbear said:

I was hoping for something non-absorbent that could
be usable after a simple wipe.

The leather used for most saddle coverings is virtually non-absorbent --
certainly doesn't let the padding get squelchy. A quick wipe will sweep
rain water off.

Quoted message said:

Essentially, I suppose I want a good quality
plastic covered saddle, if that's not a contradiction
in terms.

It may be good quality... until the covering rips.

~PB

Rido saddle gets good reports and its cheap !
http://www.rido-cyclesaddles.com/

SW

In message <[email hidden]>
"Pete Biggs"

Quoted message said:

bugbear wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I was hoping for something non-absorbent that could
be usable after a simple wipe.

Long ago I used to keep a shower cap stuffed under the saddle; it did
a super job of keeping the rain off the saddle - outside Richmond
Library is one image from the days when I rarely locked my bike.

Becuse it was stiff-ish plastic, it would dry well even when scrunched
up under the saddle
--
Charles
Brompton P-type T6 in Motspur Park

Steve Watkin said:

Rido saddle gets good reports and its cheap !
http://www.rido-cyclesaddles.com/

I'll second that recommendation. I've got an all black one (they are not on
the website, but if you ask they have them) and they are firm, flat, light
and 100% waterproof.

Tom
--
Return address is dead. Real address is at
http://www.happy-penguin.info/address.jpg

bugbear bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim said:

Peter Clinch said:

bugbear wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Can anyone recommend a decent quality
(comfort + longevity) saddle
that is water proof, thus saving
me the task of covering it?

Quoted message said:

It won't be that comfortable if it's soaking wet, so waterproof or not
I'd still cover it up in the rain. Unless you /like/ a wet bum, that is...

I was hoping for something non-absorbent that could
be usable after a simple wipe.

Essentially, I suppose I want a good quality
plastic covered saddle, if that's not a contradiction
in terms.

BugBear

The old selle italia were like that but I don't know if they are still
made.

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

John Kane said:

Quoted message said:

Essentially, I suppose I want a good quality
plastic covered saddle, if that's not a contradiction
in terms.

BugBear

The old selle italia were like that but I don't know if they are still
made.

Selle Italia make both leather and vinyl covered saddles -- both survive a
bit rain. Many, many models to choose from.

~PB

On Wed, 29 Aug 2007 10:19:59 +0100, bugbear
<bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> said in
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

As a cycling commuter, I sadly have
to leave my bike out in the rain
(company has no covered racks)

My solution is a nice comfy Brooks leather saddle fitted to a
Brompton which I fold up and park under my desk :-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 29 Aug 2007 10:19:59 +0100, bugbear
<bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> said in
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

As a cycling commuter, I sadly have
to leave my bike out in the rain
(company has no covered racks)

My solution is a nice comfy Brooks leather saddle fitted to a
Brompton which I fold up and park under my desk :-)

I use brooks saddles on all of my bikes and keep a carrier bag scrunched up
between the seat rails of each saddle. If the bike has to be parked up
outside with the threat of rain and no shelter then the carrier bags serve
as saddle covers - cheap and effective. No harm is done if the seat gets an
ocassional soking through personal neglect of duty.

"vernon" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I use brooks saddles on all of my bikes and keep a carrier bag
scrunched up between the seat rails of each saddle. If the bike has
to be parked up outside with the threat of rain and no shelter then
the carrier bags serve as saddle covers - cheap and effective. No
harm is done if the seat gets an ocassional soking through personal
neglect of duty.

Disposable shower caps are cheap and much smaller & lighter than a carrier
bag.

--
Tony

" I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
Bertrand Russell

Tony Raven said:

"vernon" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I use brooks saddles on all of my bikes and keep a carrier bag
scrunched up between the seat rails of each saddle. If the bike has
to be parked up outside with the threat of rain and no shelter then
the carrier bags serve as saddle covers - cheap and effective. No
harm is done if the seat gets an ocassional soking through personal
neglect of duty.

Quoted message said:

Disposable shower caps are cheap and much smaller & lighter than a carrier
bag.

Or those disposable overshoes you get in labs - basically a showercap
with a foot shape which is therefore more like a saddle shape.

Roos

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"vernon" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I use brooks saddles on all of my bikes and keep a carrier bag
scrunched up between the seat rails of each saddle. If the bike has
to be parked up outside with the threat of rain and no shelter then
the carrier bags serve as saddle covers - cheap and effective. No
harm is done if the seat gets an ocassional soking through personal
neglect of duty.

Disposable shower caps are cheap and much smaller & lighter than a carrier
bag.

At 21 stones I don't think that I'm going to notice any performance benefits
of shedding a few grammes through the adoption of a shower cap instead of a
carrier bag ;-)

John Kane said:

bugbear bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim said:

Essentially, I suppose I want a good quality
plastic covered saddle, if that's not a contradiction
in terms.

The old selle italia were like that but I don't know if they are still
made.

I'm using an old (late 1980s or early 90s?) selle italia gel saddle.
Fabulous and it's been left in the rain many times (not if avoidable,
as rain is still bad for the chain and so on). Unfortunately, I put a
nail into it (don't ask), so I may have to replace it soon. Are current
ones as good?

Regards,
--
MJ Ray - see/vidu http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html
Experienced webmaster-developers for hire http://www.ttllp.co.uk/
Also: statistician, sysadmin, online shop builder, workers co-op.
Writing on koha, debian, sat TV, Kewstoke http://mjr.towers.org.uk/

Thanks to all who responded.

My LBS had a cheap
San Marco "Rolls" saddle.

I've bought that, and will continue
to use rainproof coverings "as needed"

BugBear

MJ Ray said:

I'm using an old (late 1980s or early 90s?) selle italia gel saddle.
Fabulous and it's been left in the rain many times (not if avoidable,
as rain is still bad for the chain and so on). Unfortunately, I put a
nail into it (don't ask), so I may have to replace it soon. Are
current ones as good?

Some are excellent, some are rubbish.

Sorry that's a bland answer but Selle Italia make dozens of different models
in various styles. Best to go to a shop and have a look and feel for
yourself.

~PB