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Cleaning & CareLeather Bicycle Saddles
Cycling
A traditional saddle like a Brooks is a single piece of thick vegetable-tanned leather stretched and riveted over a steel or copper frame, which breaks in over weeks of riding as your weight and natural oils soften and mould it to shape. We re-tension the nose bolt as the leather stretches, re-rivet torn mounting points, replace snapped tension bolts or rails, and recondition leather that's dried out or started to sag - work that keeps a good saddle going for decades rather than one or two seasons.
Leather Sole Replacement
From £110 depending on item and complexity
We replace worn leather soles using traditional techniques and premium materials for durability and comfort.
Every repair is different, so the best way to see what we can do for yours is to send us a photo - we'll reply with an honest assessment and, where we can, examples of similar work.
Between professional repairs, a few habits keep cycling in good condition:
- Dry wet boots and gloves slowly at room temperature, never on a radiator or with a hairdryer - stuff them with newspaper or use a boot dryer on low heat instead. Direct heat cooks the leather, shrinks it out of shape, and can soften sole-bonding adhesive on cycling, motorcycle and hiking boots alike.
- Wipe off mud, salt and chalk after every ride, walk or session rather than letting it sit. Road salt and sea air corrode buckles and rivets fast, and dried mud left in the grain draws moisture out of the leather long after it's brushed away.
- Keep buckles, ratchets and levers moving freely with a light dry lubricant (PTFE or silicone, not oil) on the pivot points. Ski boot buckles, motorcycle boot clasps and weightlifting belt levers all seize with grit and corrosion if left dry over a season.
- Let a new leather bicycle saddle break in gradually rather than forcing it, and condition it sparingly with a proper leather proofing treatment at the recommended interval - over-conditioning softens and sags a saddle just as fast as neglect dries it out. Keep it covered in prolonged rain until it's fully broken in.
- Store boots and protective gear properly between seasons: clean them, dry fully first, leave buckles and straps loose rather than cinched tight to take tension off ladder straps and rivets, and keep everything somewhere free of damp and direct heat rather than a garage or loft.
- Manage sweat and odour on anything worn against the skin - gloves, dance shoes, wrist supports, cycling shoes - by airing them fully after every use and rotating pairs where you can. Leather-safe deodorising treatments are kinder to stitching and suede soles than powders or aerosol sprays.
Can you re-sole cycling shoes with cleats fitted?
Yes - we remove the cleats first, rebuild or replace the outsole to match the original stiffness and lug pattern, then reinstall the cleats in the same bolt pattern and position so your fit and pedal stroke don't change. On road shoes with a bonded carbon sole we assess whether the sole unit is genuinely repairable or needs replacing as a whole before we start.
Can you fix a broken ski boot buckle?
In most cases yes. The buckle mechanism, the ladder strap it hooks onto, and the rivets holding both to the shell are all replaceable individually, and we match new hardware to your boot as closely as possible. If a buckle model is long discontinued we'll tell you before starting so you're not left with two mismatched buckles on one boot.
Can a Brooks-style leather bicycle saddle be repaired?
Yes, though it's worth understanding what repair means for a saddle like this - it's one piece of leather stretched and tensioned over a frame, not a cover over padding, so we can re-tension a sagging top, re-rivet a torn mounting point and recondition dried-out leather. A top that's stretched beyond its rails or split through needs a full leather replacement rather than a patch, and we'll say so at assessment.
Can pointe shoes be repaired, or do they just need replacing?
Pointe shoes have genuinely limited repair scope - the hardened toe block and shank that support you en pointe soften with normal wear rather than failing at one fixable point, and once that's gone no outside repair restores proper support. We can restitch a torn ribbon or elastic, reinforce a platform, or firm up a softening box temporarily, but we'll always tell you honestly when a pair is past that point.
Do you repair golf gloves?
We can restitch seams, replace a Velcro closure tab or patch a high-wear grip area, but a golf glove's leather is chosen to be as thin as possible for feel, which means it's genuinely a wear item. Once the palm leather has worn through where you grip the club, replacement is usually the more sensible option than a patch, and we'll say so rather than charge for a repair that won't last.
Can a motorcycle jacket be repaired after a fall or road rash?
Often yes, but the priority is safety, not appearance - we assess whether an abraded panel is still structurally sound before restitching or replacing it, because a jacket's abrasion resistance depends on the leather itself, not just the seams. If a panel has worn through in an area that took the impact, we replace that panel rather than patch over compromised leather, so the jacket still does its job next time.