Re: RC: Wet weather saddle covers

[Lynne Glazer <lynne@glazer.org>]

At 12:08 PM -0700 1/3/00, Monika Smith wrote:
>Happy 2000 to all!
>
>Since the question was raised about wet weather clothing, does anyone do
>anything about protecting saddles?
>
>Any saddle covers that work? Do you bother at all? Just let the 
>saddle dry out?
>
>Cheers
>
>Monika, Koko and Ripp
>

I'm sure the SE and PN riders will chime in here, but after the El 
Nino year of 1998 where every ride conditioning or competition was in 
the rain, I believe SoakedCal riders have valid input.

I was riding in my Passier then, which is now wending its way towards 
the consignment shop, sometime this week.  It did at least 6 rides in 
total rain, and looks gorgeous; it's a 14 yr old saddle.  At the 
inaugural Oak Springs ride, we got 9" of rain in two days.

My one-month-old ReactorPanel saddle got put to the test Friday, 
fully baptized in a 2 1/2 hr New Year's Eve conditioning ride, and I 
was the one who got off to open the gates.  Getting back on and 
feeling that squish was less than pleasant, but the saddle seemed 
unfazed.

Anyway, my technique is to bring the saddle indoors, let it 
completely dry with towels over it.  Quick saddle soaping with mostly 
water to get any dirt off, then use my favorite leather conditioner 
of the moment rubbed in, buffed off, then rubbed in again--wait a 
half hour or so, buff off any excess, making sure to do both sides of 
each leather piece.  The RP looks like it never had gotten wet.

Had an OF cutback for 6 years that especially seemed immune to water 
damage.  My verdict is unless you're preserving a suede seat or 
Newmarket-colored leather, why bother with a cover?

Lynne

Ontario, California    http://www.lynnesite.com
Norco Riverdance Ride (PS) 9/2/00
& Rem-member Me, Celesteele


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