The Fountain of Youth

I admit to an unnatural love for the saddle on my mountain bike. It is a Titek Beserkr DH Ti. It is big enough so you feel like you are sitting in a Lazy Boy but light enough (305g) so that you can use it for cross-country. Titec has retired this model so that every time I see some website "blowing them out" I buy a couple more. It is the gathering instinct we all have.  I feel like a squirrel every time I put another Beserkr on the shelf, but it gives me comfort.

It pains me to see my saddle slowly drying out and disintegrating because of winter salt, water, and sand.  During 30 years of riding, I have tried every imaginable trick for restoring and cleaning saddles. I’ve tried needsfoot oil, mink oil, and other trendy cures but they all had their drawbacks. So, I keep trying new things.

My wife is a horse nut and can frequently be seen "dressing"  expensive saddles and bridles on the kitchen table at night.  A few months ago I noticed that she was using a product called PASSIER Lederbalsam.  It comes in a can about the size of a saddle soap but is about twice as high.  Most of the instructions are in German but the limited English says....

"Passier Lederbalsam is a tried and tested leather dressing that restores and preserves fine saddlery (my Berserkr came to mind instantly).  It protects the leather against water and keeps it soft.  Thus it prolongs the life of leather goods considerably."  

I asked to borrow the stuff but she exclaimed "Do you know how much this stuff costs ($13.70)?  I had to wait until she was out of the house to try it.  First, you clean off your saddle with a cloth, then smear it on with the little sponge they give you.  By the next morning all the stuff had been absorbed into the saddle and my Beserkr looked brand new!  The next step was to test ride the bike.  It was perfect, no sticky residue that prevented me from sliding onto and off the saddle.  I felt like I had truly found the elusive Fountain of Youth.

If I am careful, I may have enough Beserkrs for the next ten years. A can of dressing will last a lifetime, however. Passier Lederbalsam is available at all fine saddle shops or online at Dover Saddlery doversaddlry.com Check out Titec’s new Beserkrs at Titec.com.