A TIP FROM EMILIO: What I know about white saddles

Triathlon Forum
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Are white saddles more popular than ever? This might be a good slowtwitch poll. Recently I have received a number of emails and PM’s asking me how to clean white saddles. I am tempted to suggest they contact the saddle company, I sell clothing and wetsuits, not saddles. But I have some answers so why not reply with what I know about white saddles? Here we go:

  • Most of you will only own one white saddle in your life…after that you will only buy black saddles.
  • They only look great when they are clean and new, but they all will get dirty and stained.
  • There is no way to stop the staining. Think about it…white leather exposed to sun, heat, cold, road grime, water and oils from the streets, and add to that a multitude of chemicals that run down your body including sweat, deodorant, hair products, salt water, chlorine, sunscreen, lotions, body glide, chamois cream, vaseline…all end up on your saddle. Finally, add to all this the rubbing and movement of your body on the saddle with every pedal stroke.
  • The only way to keep a saddle white is to hang it on the wall and not ride it. My only white saddle is on my restored vintage 1987 Kestrel 4000 hanging on a wall in my house.
  • The second best way is to put a seat pad on it. Most seat pads are black. Even then your saddle will not stay white.
  • There are a few ways to get white leather white again:
    1. Sometimes stains on white leather can be removed with a Hi-Polymer pencil eraser like the one in the photo attached. You can get these at any office supply store.
    2. Hairspray helps remove ink and pen marks.
    3. A solution of 1/2 white vinigar and 1/2 water is effective on sugar stains left by things like gel packets, sports drinks, or energy bars.
    4. Oil and grease can be cleaned off with spray-on spot remover.
    5. I wanted it my white saddle to look perfect so I resorted to white leather dye and just applied to the entire saddle. After all that is what white leather is.
2

I have been looking at new bikes lately. Apparently, white saddles and bar tape are very hip these days. I’ll stick with the practical black saddle and bar tape if and when I get a new bike.

3

been riding white saddles for years and never had problem with them. They are still white and i do ride a lot!!!

i guess i m lucky?? Selle italia stay white… ism also…

4

My ISM Adamo is still white as well, but I wipe it down with disinfecting wipes after riding.

5

White saddles are a b*tch to clean. Mine always kinda yellows after a while. I don’t buy them anymore. As far as white bar-tape is concerned, Arundel makes a great tape called Gecko (sp?) and its like a spongy, rubber material that is great for gripping and cleans up nicely (not perfectly white, but really close). I’m in love with this stuff, its similar to Lizard Skin, but about 1/2 the price and better I think.

6

I ride a white saddle and don’t mind the discolouration. I like to have my stuff look like I actually use it.

7

And white cycling shorts should be banned completely!

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I ride a white saddle and don’t mind the discolouration. I like to have my stuff look like I actually use it.

I don’t mind it either. Mine is on my cheap commuter road bike though, so the worse it looks, the better.

9

So… what you’re saying is you don’t like white saddles, eh Emilio? Just playin.

I think it depends on your upper. Leather rides and breathes better, but Lorica cleans up and wears better in white… Specialized and Selle Italia have great Lorica uppers. But, it’s not very classic. Bike for show: white leather. Bike for ride: white Lorica.

10

Along with Olympic rings and world championship stripes - white bar tape/saddles are fine in my books as long as you are always up front taking monster pulls and chasing down breakaways. If you have a mechanic that installs fresh bar tape after every spring classic, that is also cool. Don’t pay for your saddles either? Not a problem.

Otherwise, they are the tell tale signs of a dentist/dermatologist/fred/second tier triathlete.

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Otherwise, they are the tell tale signs of a dentist/dermatologist/fred/second tier triathlete.

You called?
**
Try a diluted mixture of Simple Green. I use it on friends bike’s that have white bar tape, saddles, etc. Mine are black.

12

You called?

No. I called out. Different.

13

What is worse is they are putting white saddles on mountain bikes…duh
.

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I have a white Selle saddle and white bar tape; I use an automotive leather cleaner about once every 2-3 months on the saddle and it seems to do a decent job at keeping it looking respectable. If I’m feeling really “kind,” I’ll give it a little wipe with the leather conditioner, too. :slight_smile:

15

I am rocking the white saddle on two of my bikes and one of them is my mountain bike. It’s how I conduct my business, if I am not cleaning my saddle after every ride, I am not living life.

16

There is a product at pep boys that makes white saddles shine like new for years and years. Shoot my dad is wearing 4 year old white shoes that still look brand new.

edit: and it isn’t leather cleaner :slight_smile:

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Well I will admit, I do prefer white tape, but that is because it is cheap, and my hands (with bike gloves) are always clean. Even after changing flats…thats because I have surgical gloves in my patch kit.

18

good way to look at it and agreed. like a good ole worn baseball mit, right?

19

Sweet…are they Hush Puppies?

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Most of you will only own one white saddle in your life…after that you will only buy black saddles.

hahaha. Quoted for truth.

I loved the look of white bar tape on my road bike. Emphasis on the ‘ed’ and the end of ‘love.’ I guess white saddles and tape are a luxury for those with either more discretionary income than me or a team of personal mechanics.