Terry leather saddle durability?

05-28-2004, 03:21 PM

Just got a Terry Liberator leather (Italian) saddle from Performance to
replace a two year old Cloud-9 lycra-covered saddle on which the lycra was
wearing through.

After one 17 mile ride on the Terry (dry conditions), the leather top on one
side was chaffing off (actually the surface coating on the leather was) over
a 2 sq. inch area. Looked like what happens to your skin after it has been
in water a long time and you rub it making the dead top layer chaff off.
Same thing was happening on the other side on a smaller scale.

I was utterly shocked. I bought leather because I thought it would be more
durable. (The leather seats on our 13 year old Toyota have never done this.)
Is this typical of the leather Terry uses? Is this typical of other leather
saddles? It can't be, I hope. Who would buy the things?

This crushes my favorable opinion of Terry.

- GRL

"It's good to want things."

Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist,
Visual Basic programmer)

05-28-2004, 04:13 PM

"GRL" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]:
> I was utterly shocked. I bought leather because I thought it would be
> more durable. (The leather seats on our 13 year old Toyota have never
> done this.) Is this typical of the leather Terry uses? Is this typical
> of other leather saddles? It can't be, I hope. Who would buy the things?

How heavy are you? Some bike saddles use a super-thin leather cover that can
wear out pretty quickly under a very heavy rider. Compare those to a thick
leather saddle like those made by Brooks.

05-28-2004, 04:13 PM

"GRL" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]:
> I was utterly shocked. I bought leather because I thought it would be
> more durable. (The leather seats on our 13 year old Toyota have never
> done this.) Is this typical of the leather Terry uses? Is this typical
> of other leather saddles? It can't be, I hope. Who would buy the things?

How heavy are you? Some bike saddles use a super-thin leather cover that can
wear out pretty quickly under a very heavy rider. Compare those to a thick
leather saddle like those made by Brooks.

05-28-2004, 04:13 PM

"GRL" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]:
> I was utterly shocked. I bought leather because I thought it would be
> more durable. (The leather seats on our 13 year old Toyota have never
> done this.) Is this typical of the leather Terry uses? Is this typical
> of other leather saddles? It can't be, I hope. Who would buy the things?

How heavy are you? Some bike saddles use a super-thin leather cover that can
wear out pretty quickly under a very heavy rider. Compare those to a thick
leather saddle like those made by Brooks.

05-28-2004, 04:13 PM

"GRL" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]:
> I was utterly shocked. I bought leather because I thought it would be
> more durable. (The leather seats on our 13 year old Toyota have never
> done this.) Is this typical of the leather Terry uses? Is this typical
> of other leather saddles? It can't be, I hope. Who would buy the things?

How heavy are you? Some bike saddles use a super-thin leather cover that can
wear out pretty quickly under a very heavy rider. Compare those to a thick
leather saddle like those made by Brooks.

05-28-2004, 04:13 PM

"GRL" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]:
> I was utterly shocked. I bought leather because I thought it would be
> more durable. (The leather seats on our 13 year old Toyota have never
> done this.) Is this typical of the leather Terry uses? Is this typical
> of other leather saddles? It can't be, I hope. Who would buy the things?

How heavy are you? Some bike saddles use a super-thin leather cover that can
wear out pretty quickly under a very heavy rider. Compare those to a thick
leather saddle like those made by Brooks.

05-28-2004, 04:23 PM

"GRL" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Just got a Terry Liberator leather (Italian) saddle from Performance to
> replace a two year old Cloud-9 lycra-covered saddle on which the lycra was
> wearing through.
>
> After one 17 mile ride on the Terry (dry conditions), the leather top on
one
> side was chaffing off (actually the surface coating on the leather was)
over
> a 2 sq. inch area. Looked like what happens to your skin after it has been
> in water a long time and you rub it making the dead top layer chaff off.
> Same thing was happening on the other side on a smaller scale.
>
> I was utterly shocked. I bought leather because I thought it would be more
> durable. (The leather seats on our 13 year old Toyota have never done
this.)
> Is this typical of the leather Terry uses? Is this typical of other
leather
> saddles? It can't be, I hope. Who would buy the things?
>
> This crushes my favorable opinion of Terry.

I think you got unlucky. I put over 4K miles on my leather Terry Butterfly
saddle just last year and it's going strong - no rubbed off places at all.
On my new bike I've ridden about 1200 miles on a different Terry Butterfly,
also leather, and same results. Also, my husband rides a leather Terry Fly
and put over 6K miles on last year with no problems.

I'd return your saddle for an exchange - sounds like it is defective.

Good luck!

05-28-2004, 04:23 PM

"GRL" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Just got a Terry Liberator leather (Italian) saddle from Performance to
> replace a two year old Cloud-9 lycra-covered saddle on which the lycra was
> wearing through.
>
> After one 17 mile ride on the Terry (dry conditions), the leather top on
one
> side was chaffing off (actually the surface coating on the leather was)
over
> a 2 sq. inch area. Looked like what happens to your skin after it has been
> in water a long time and you rub it making the dead top layer chaff off.
> Same thing was happening on the other side on a smaller scale.
>
> I was utterly shocked. I bought leather because I thought it would be more
> durable. (The leather seats on our 13 year old Toyota have never done
this.)
> Is this typical of the leather Terry uses? Is this typical of other
leather
> saddles? It can't be, I hope. Who would buy the things?
>
> This crushes my favorable opinion of Terry.

I think you got unlucky. I put over 4K miles on my leather Terry Butterfly
saddle just last year and it's going strong - no rubbed off places at all.
On my new bike I've ridden about 1200 miles on a different Terry Butterfly,
also leather, and same results. Also, my husband rides a leather Terry Fly
and put over 6K miles on last year with no problems.

I'd return your saddle for an exchange - sounds like it is defective.

Good luck!

05-28-2004, 04:23 PM

"GRL" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Just got a Terry Liberator leather (Italian) saddle from Performance to
> replace a two year old Cloud-9 lycra-covered saddle on which the lycra was
> wearing through.
>
> After one 17 mile ride on the Terry (dry conditions), the leather top on
one
> side was chaffing off (actually the surface coating on the leather was)
over
> a 2 sq. inch area. Looked like what happens to your skin after it has been
> in water a long time and you rub it making the dead top layer chaff off.
> Same thing was happening on the other side on a smaller scale.
>
> I was utterly shocked. I bought leather because I thought it would be more
> durable. (The leather seats on our 13 year old Toyota have never done
this.)
> Is this typical of the leather Terry uses? Is this typical of other
leather
> saddles? It can't be, I hope. Who would buy the things?
>
> This crushes my favorable opinion of Terry.

I think you got unlucky. I put over 4K miles on my leather Terry Butterfly
saddle just last year and it's going strong - no rubbed off places at all.
On my new bike I've ridden about 1200 miles on a different Terry Butterfly,
also leather, and same results. Also, my husband rides a leather Terry Fly
and put over 6K miles on last year with no problems.

I'd return your saddle for an exchange - sounds like it is defective.

Good luck!

05-28-2004, 04:23 PM

"GRL" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> Just got a Terry Liberator leather (Italian) saddle from Performance to
> replace a two year old Cloud-9 lycra-covered saddle on which the lycra was
> wearing through.
>
> After one 17 mile ride on the Terry (dry conditions), the leather top on
one
> side was chaffing off (actually the surface coating on the leather was)
over
> a 2 sq. inch area. Looked like what happens to your skin after it has been
> in water a long time and you rub it making the dead top layer chaff off.
> Same thing was happening on the other side on a smaller scale.
>
> I was utterly shocked. I bought leather because I thought it would be more
> durable. (The leather seats on our 13 year old Toyota have never done
this.)
> Is this typical of the leather Terry uses? Is this typical of other
leather
> saddles? It can't be, I hope. Who would buy the things?
>
> This crushes my favorable opinion of Terry.

I think you got unlucky. I put over 4K miles on my leather Terry Butterfly
saddle just last year and it's going strong - no rubbed off places at all.
On my new bike I've ridden about 1200 miles on a different Terry Butterfly,
also leather, and same results. Also, my husband rides a leather Terry Fly
and put over 6K miles on last year with no problems.

I'd return your saddle for an exchange - sounds like it is defective.

Good luck!