How long should a saddle last?
This is a tough question to answer since there are so many variables – rider weight, riding style, care given to equipment, climate in which equipment is used, where the saddle is mounted on the rail, if the rider wears cycling shorts or something else while riding and a host of other things. With all that said, 5,000 miles is a reasonable amount of miles to expect from a saddle. 10,000-15,000 miles is at the high end of the scale. 15,000-20,000 is looking for rail or base failure. (All of these expectations can be severely reduced by an abusive riding style, extremes in temperature and one or more of the other things listed above.) A saddle that is “broken in” should feel “softer” than a new saddle. The base hasn’t been “seated” onto the rails; the foam hasn’t contoured to the rider’s sitting position; the leather is still stiff. The saddle can continue to be ridden for many more miles if: 1). the cover isn’t torn; 2). the edges of the leather cover aren’t showing signs of wear throug
