[1] In a 2014 interview with Feel Desain, a Brooks spokesperson stated that according to family legend, the company began when founder John Boultbee Brooks, a horse saddle manufacturer, tried to use a bicycle after his horse died but found the wooden seat very uncomfortable.

John Godfrey Macnaughtan and Adrien Williams were able to buy the company and keep production in England.

[4] Leather saddles absorb and are affected by water, unlike synthetic materials.

The composition of Proofide is mainly tallow, and includes some citronella oil,[5] which gives it a characteristic smell.

Leather saddles are two or three times heavier than plastic or carbon-fibre designs (although the titanium versions of the Team Pro, Swift and Swallow race saddles are lighter) but, for some riders, the traditional appearance and long-distance comfort make this a worthwhile trade-off.