Back in the early 2000s, when the Boombang brain trust decided to launch a new company around a bicycle seat, it was considered a bold choice. Up to that point, saddles were essentially considered an afterthought in the $50 billion bicycle product category since they basically hadn’t changed in 100 years. And, whether the seat was made of leather or plastic, had gel inserts or cut-out holes, they were notoriously uncomfortable, causing chafing and numbness in all those sensitive areas. But instead of an afterthought, we recognized it as an opportunity to fill a real need for a better bike saddle that incorporated state-of-the-art materials, engineering, and design thinking. So Boombang hit the road to solve this challenge.
For inspiration, we looked to one of the world’s most comfortable and admired office products: the Herman Miller Aeron chair. We cross-pollinated the Aeron’s ergonomic, hammock-inspired “suspension” backrest with an innovative fabric flexible enough to adapt to a shifting body yet strong enough to handle the unique stresses of a bicycle. The result was the world’s first cycling suspension seat featuring a breathable mesh surface that spread the load over a wider area, allowing for greatly enhanced airflow and all-day chafe-free riding.
When it debuted as Boombang's first product in 2002, the Saddleco Flow suspension bike seat was a revolutionary concept, serving to establish the paradigm that is at the heart of our DNA today: Combine a unique new design approach with cutting-edge materials to provide a radical improvement for consumers.
Industry reaction to the Saddleco Flow was overwhelmingly positive. Awarded with a runner-up “Product of the Show” award at the 2002 Interbike trade fair, dozens of magazine reviews, and strong consumer demand, the Flow put Boombang on the map—giving us the confidence to share our unique problem-solving approach to product design with the world.
The SaddleCo Flow was unique for many reasons. In addition to being Boombang's first official product to market, it also became our first venture project. So confident were we in its potential, we invested revenue, assembled a crack management team, and set up shop as SaddleCo Inc. in Los Angeles to make and market the Flow and other subsequent SaddleCo models.