TallRider

I recently purchased a minimally-used Velo Orange leather saddle. This is the model 3, similar profile to a Brooks B17, but thicker leather and longer break-in based on other comments I've read about the saddle. This was fine by me since the B17 fit me well straightaway and only got more comfortable as I rode it more.

Upon receiving the saddle, I immediately noticed that the leather is lower/dipped under the left sit-bone. It's not just the shape of stiff leather; it's actually loose on the left side under the sit bone, while being tight through the center and under the right side of the sit bone. The saddle looks little-used, which is consistent with the seller's comments (he reported riding only 20-30 miles, along with yearly proofide treatment during the 3 years the saddle was on a bike in his garage). So I suspect the piece of leather was asymmetrical to start with, or became so during the production process.

The attached pictures only capture a slight curvature which you can see from reflected light on the saddle. But the leather is notably loose on that side, compared to the center and right side.

I'm curious whether this is still likely to break in okay for me. It already has a slight ass-hatchet profile on the left side, but since this happened for different reasons than through break-in, it may even out while riding. Of course the only adjustment point is at the nose, so there is no way to even out the tension beyond hoping it wears symmetrically. The V.O. saddle has two holes punched on each side and is laced, but that adjustment is also symmetrical.

gauvins

Difficult to tell from the picture.

I had an asymmetric B17. Endured it for the better part of 2 years, putting thousands of KMs on it. It never got comfortable. Eventually injured me. Anecdotal so not clear if your saddle is a dud or just atypical. Time will tell

Andrew R Stewart 

Seems to me that the saddle's leather will shape it's self to the rider's contours and pressures anyway.

Leather is not a perfectly consistent material. The grain, thickness and strength/stiffness will and does vary across the hide (and thus the saddle too). It is this aspect that drives Brookes to cut their higher grade saddles out of the hides with greater attention to this consistency. That a copy doesn't pay as much attention to this when making a lower cost saddle should be of no surprise. Andy

trailangel

Cannot see anything wrong from those pictures.

Wilfred Laurier

I see the difference left to right, and 'long term injury' is what I thought right away... although I have no specific experience with this problem.

To the OP: Can you easily ride no hands with this saddle? I know that if a plastic saddle or it's rails are sufficiently warped or bent it will make a bike behave like it has a misaligned frame or fork. I don't know if this is useful information to you, but might be something to check out.