since6

I am about to receive a 70s Unicanitore (Cinelli) bike saddle with what I believe is the Buffalo leather cover on it. I don't see tears in the one picture I have of this seat and not much wear on the embossing, however leather does like to be cared for and I think this seat was put away in a dry place for a good part of the last 40+ years.

With these thoughts in mind should this leather be treated with oil and/or other products to clean/restore it?
If it should what have you used on a similar bike seat that has worked for you? What should I not do/avoid?

Thanks for your advice and help.

rhm

Whereas a Brooks type saddle is made of a very thick veg-tanned leather, the Unicanitor has only a thin leather cover that I presume is chrome tanned. It is basically upholstery leather, like what you might have in a car interior. I don't know what kind of care upholstery leather requires, but I suggest you cheerfully disregard any leather care advice that pertains to Brooks, Ideale, etc.

since6

Thanks rhm I have some Griot's leather care that I have been using on my car's leather seats with very good results and thought of it as the first culprit. A double yes on not pursuing Brooks style leather cleaning restoration.

However, in reading other posts on the subject of restoring vintage saddles in Bike Forums there has been a split in opinion as to whether a vintage saddle should be restored given its age/patina (my saddle appears to be in very good condition) due to the collectible nature of this seat. Checking eBay I was shocked to see a similar Unicanitore #3 Buffalo seat listed for $189.99 with 12 watchers. So my dilemma.

Changing the condition of such a saddle will likely reduce its value, but I don't plan on selling it or the vintage Japanese race bike it comes with, but rather will restore the vintage Japanese race bike to be ridden. Perhaps my solution is to go with my modern, butt loves it and it's on all my bikes, Selle Italia seat, and put the Unicantore into safe storage for when I show the bike at vintage meets?

Bad Lag

Since6, there is no "e" on the end of "Unicanitor".

since6

There is when I type LOL, but you're right.

Bad Lag

"... when I type"

That was all I could contribute. It isn't much but tried to help.

It's a great saddle.

ollo_ollo

Its a judgment call, and depends on the model. Usually for max resale value, better to leave it as found. But if the leather looks really bad, it won't sell for much without intervention.

I had good results with several saddlery products: "Leather New-Liquid Saddle Soap with Glycerin), available in a spray bottle for initial clean-up. "Horsemans One Step", a cream type cleaner/preserver. Kiwi Scuff Cover can sometimes restore scuffs to a smooth, shiny surface similar to original. Available in black, brown, white. Haven't tried any of these on white, but they usually improve black or brown leather but do darken it, so if you want to keep a light brown color, beware. Don

Bad Lag

Those buffalo hide saddles were black when they were new. The hides had texture but the color was uniformly black.

noglider 

I got my first ten-speed when I was 15, an Atala Giro D'Italia. It came with a Unicanitor saddle, plastic with no cover or padding. And I rode it, waiting for it to break in. My friend had a Brooks saddle on his bike, and he broke the news to me that my saddle wasn't going to break in.

since6

Thanks all will keep all suggestions in the to-do/to-think about file for this bike. It should arrive sometime next week as I talked with the shipper and it was going to be packed for shipment yesterday.

I will post pictures after it arrives. I think I know what I got from the pictures but won't know until it is here. Perhaps Christmas in August, we'll see.

LoL noglider no the saddle doesn't break in, but the butt often does.

since6

Also thanks Don, ollo ollo, if this bike is what I think it is, then it won't be for sale, perhaps for a grandchild some day. The seat I'll ask for feedback on when I post pictures of the bike as I am leaning more to keeping it as is unless others looking at condition would service it , and replace the vintage seat with a modern seat for riding and then bring out the original seat for vintage meets to show it as it was ridden. The craft, art and soul of vintage bikes is why two sit in my office on a stand as I type, but I really try to make them ridden bikes. Took my 1972 Katakura-Silk/Nishiki Professional out today very nice. Moment of the ride was on the way back a 1/3 my age guy passing on his Bianchi, no helmet (they're all eternal at that age), slowed to look and said "Nice Bike". There is hope for us all. I may have to fiddle with stem length, while it has a 3TTT handlebar it looks like a Grand Compe stem so it should be possible to find a longer period correct stem if the top tube bar is a little short in order to get it to fit my measurements taken from my custom Stevenson. We will just have to see. Again thanks for advice.

Giacomo 1 

Funny how butts differ. One of my bikes has a plastic Unicanitor on it and I find it really comfortable. Maybe the old owner "broke" it in for me!😁

Good luck with the leather Unicanitor OP. My 2 cents is, use it as is until you start to see a little wear and then use it only for vintage meets. It would be a shame to never use it.

noglider 

Maybe it works for you because you're Italian.

We know how to measure feet for fit in shoes, but assometer technology is not as advanced. And do you want a saddle salesperson sticking their hand up your butt to measure?

Giacomo 1 

Now why didn't I think of that?😊

ollo_ollo

Since6: Appears we are both conserving some classics for our grand children. One day they will appreciate this. I am slowly realizing the difficulty of finding quality vintage parts. They are still available, but time marches on & prices keep going up. The well used but still functional stuff becomes more attractive daily. Don

since6

Yes, so true Don. My Stevenson Custom was built with all Campagnolo Record 8sp gruppo but with the Comp Triple cranks and triple bottom bracket, this lasted until about 5 years ago when I found I could not longer find essentials parts at any price! So I upgraded to 10 speed Record, but have watched the same thing begin to happen again. This time I began early stock piling of enough of the consumables to last me into the early 100s. Why 100s, but of course, my current hero Mr. Marchand of France who retired form setting Hour Records for his age group at 106. Now that's what I call a goal to aspire to.
Wife and I plan for the mixed tandem 100 Hour Record, gotta keep my stoker engaged, lol.

since6

noglider, maybe they could incorporate seat fitment into the annual prostate examination...wonder what billing code they would use....

repechage

The Buffalo #3 saddles were what was sometimes referred to a nubuck finish. essentially lightly sanded.
Some had a secondary embossed grain- if it was vinyl I would call it "rawhide" grain.
The leather often polished out with use. getting a bit of a luster.
the leather is thinner than automotive leather- almost dress glove thickness- .035-.040" when I measured.

Now, what to do... Oil? no. will soak through and you will end up with a mess.
I have just left is as is and ride them.I have a few decades old, like 30 or 40 years +.

The saddle I never liked was the #2 - Suede finish. use matted down the major wear regions fast, the saddle then looked really bad.
Some guys liked the feeling of being planted on the saddle, the suede finish kept you in place when new.

repechage

I rode a plain plastic Unicanitor for years- my club mates really pushed for me to get a #3 as it made them hurt seeing me on the bare plastic saddle.
Small semi known fact- the early leather covered Cinelli saddles used the same basic shell.
Around 1972 Cinelli changed the base form of the saddles that got leather and or padding and leather covering.
The raw plastic saddle remained the same.
Saddles marked with an L suffix received added padding thickness. "Lux"

since6

Thanks repechage I will look for the "L" when the bike arrives and I can inspect the saddle, where would the "L" most likely be the nose or at the back? Also thanks for background information about this saddle. Hope to have it all here next week so I can look things over, clean up the bike and then post some pictures.