I quite like to ride my bike, you should too, it is fun.

Hopefully the saddle that comes with the bike is comfortable for you. If it is not allow me to recommend a Brooks saddle. They are made out of leather and are very comfortable. However, I am not here to sell you a saddle, I am here to remind you to ride your bike!

I purchased a Brooks B17 Imperial leather bicycle saddle that has holes in the sides which allow laces to prevent the sides from curling up. Laces give the saddle more structure. I had no idea how to lace this saddle, so I consulted my old friend "the Internet". To my surprise the search term "how to lace a brooks saddle" came back with very few links on my specific saddle. Curses, my old friend "the Internet" has let me down!

This document is how I laced my Brooks Imperial saddle in hopes that is useful to someone else who has the same saddle. It is not authorized by Brooks, and is only my opinion.

Supplies:

The saddle comes with several cotton laces. If you lose yours or they break, the factory laces look very similar to round shoe laces which could be used if you run out of laces.

I used a needle nose pliers to tighten the lacing.

Step 1: Tie a Knot at One End

Tie a standard knot at one end of the lace. The knot will prevent the lace from pulling through the hole.

Put the other end of the lace (without the knot) on the inside of the saddle on the starting hole. The idea is to hide the knot inside the saddle. I chose to put the lace on the first hole closest to the nose of the saddle. If you have shorter laces you may want to select holes further back.

Step 2: Lace Back and Forth

Pull the lace all the way out, put it back into the the very next hole, and out the other side. Continue lacing the nose of the saddle toward the back. Depending on the length of the lace and the size of the saddle skip some holes so you have enough lace to make it to the end. I tired to skip the area where I estimated the seat clamp would sit, so the lace did not rub on the clamp.

Step 3: Tighten the Laces

Use a needle nose pliers to tighten the laces as you go. I used my thumb against the outside of the saddle to hold the outside lace tight. The saddle does not need to be very tight (it should have some play) or it will break when you sit on it.

Step 4: Tie a Knot at the Other End

The back side of the saddle is more open and easier to work with. Once I had the seat laced as I wanted, I tied off the end of the lace. Tuck in the remaining string into the laces if you have left over lace.

The saddle has provided me many miles of comfort and the lace has not broken yet.

This is not the only way to do it! If you lace your Brooks saddle differently post a picture in the comments and tell me how or why you chose a different style.

Thank you for reading, now go out and ride your bike!