We all want to reduce the impact we have on the natural environment, and it is the love of nature that so often inspires us to ride our bikes. Cycling as an activity is one of the least negatively impactful means of transport and sport, yet in the manufacturing of new products and in the recycling of discarded products, the cycling industry is often far from green.PRO Bikegear’s research shows that 91% of emissions associated with a saddle’s lifespan are directly linked to the raw materials each saddle is created from. To combat this, PRO is committed to using sustainable, environmentally friendly, and recycled materials wherever possible, as well as creating quality products that will give you hundreds of hours of riding pleasure. The RE:Bolt saddle project combines these goals to produce a more environmentally friendly saddle.
PRO is part of the Shimano family of companies and, as such, we aim to meet Shimano’s Sustainable Development Goals – of “Decent Work and Economic Growth, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Climate Action.” Our first step in this journey was to investigate the environmental impact of a PRO Saddle. The Life Cycle Analysis found that the production of raw materials into the component parts of a PRO Saddle accounts for the overwhelming majority of the emissions associated with a saddle’s lifespan. Dwarfing the electricity use linked to the saddle and even the end-of-life impacts of the discarded saddle. It is therefore clear that the best course of action for PRO is to source materials from the most conscientious suppliers and to ensure that our products are made to the best possible standards. Doing so will guarantee that they have a long lifespan. The RE:Bolt saddle project utilizes recycled materials and bioplastics to reduce the raw material impact on the environment and provides for both lifespan extension and end-of-life recycling with an innovative bolt-on rail design.
The first saddle to make use of this design is the PRO Condor Saddle. Built with a bio-based thermoplastic base, chromium-molybdenum rails from 35% recycled materials, and featuring PU padding from 23% recycled PU foams. The saddle’s raw materials go a significant way to reducing the environmental impact of the PRO Condor Saddle. The fact that the CrMo rails can be removed and replaced adds to the lifespan of the saddle. This feature also allows the saddle to be broken down more readily, into its component parts, to be recycled once it is discarded.
“The biggest problem with recycling bicycle components is the blend of raw materials most products are constructed from,” Mark Kikkert, Team Manager Product Development PRO, explained. “A saddle with INOX Stainless Steel rails set into a carbon base needs to be broken apart to recycle the carbon, steel, padding, and upper separately. The RE:Bolt design allows the CrMo rails to be detached from the thermoplastic base, allowing for each to be recycled efficiently. Only the padding and cover will need to be manually pulled from the base to complete the recycling of a PRO Condor Saddle.”
“We believe that producing the best possible product, which meets the needs of riders fully, is the best way to ensure a long lifespan for that product,” Kikkert continued. “Due to the environmental impact of the raw materials, the best way to honor that impact is to ensure each saddle remains on a rider’s bicycle for as long as possible. Reducing the need to purchase a new saddle is the most environmentally friendly solution. RE:Bolt then allows you to replace damaged rails, should you need to, to increase the lifespan of the PRO Condor Saddle, or to facilitate recycling when the saddle has reached the end of its usable life.”
Material technology has driven performance gains in cycling over the last two decades and will almost certainly continue to do so. Simultaneously, the desire for more environmentally friendly products by cyclists and product developers will inspire research and development of less harmful raw materials. As this process accelerates, you can look to PRO to continue its innovation, advancing on the RE:Bolt design and utilizing advanced materials to bring products that are not only more sustainable but also high-performance to market. Doing so will only further enable you to experience the liberating joy of cycling.