Why Your Cycling Butt Will Love A Brooks Saddle

A gorgeous slab of leather that molds itself to your rear end

When I decided to cycle 3,600 miles across the country, I had to get very serious about my butt.

I’d done long-ish tours before — cycling up to 450 miles in a few days. And I learned the agonizing lesson that all nascent long-distance cyclists learn: Any part of your body that touches the bike is a potential vector for pain. That includes your hands (mine get numb without precautions), and your feet.

But most particularly, your butt.

When my son and I rode up to Montreal last summer, I used my inexpensive Cannondale hybrid bike, which has a basic padded synthetic saddle. (BTW, bike experts usually call the seat a “saddle”, harkening back to the period in the 19th century when a bicycle was a high-tech replacement for a horse. Trivia!)

Anyway, the thing about synthetic padded saddles is that they’re very comfy for a short ride around town. The cushioning feels great when you first sit down.

But if you pedal for a long time — and when I’m touring, I might be cycling for seven or eight solid hours every day — cushioned seats transform in a dreadful, eldritch fashion. Cushioning is pliable, so it grabs at your skin (or the fabric of your…