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Photo: Li Yi Da (Composite)
Riding a bicycle can be a healthier, more fun, and definitely greener alternative to hopping behind the wheel of a car as you go about your daily chores, but cycling can also be a pain in the butt. Take that in the most literal sense.
Cycling is a sum of great things, which we assume hardly need laying out if you're reading this. Going out for a ride can be a means to socialize with like-minded people, to explore the city and the great outdoors, to get in a workout without having to go to the gym, to make the daily commute more fun and time-efficient, to run errands, and to actively do your part for the environment.
Cycling also has downsides, for sure. Few will be rushing to do it in a downpour or freezing temperatures, on their way to an important business meeting (unless they ride electric), or for the weekly grocery run (unless they ride cargo bikes). Many will find that extended rides end in a sore butt because, no matter the frame, the suspension on the bike, the type of saddle used, or the brand of cycling padded pants used, vibrations will STILL be felt where it matters the most. In their butt.
It's from this painful reality that the Air Seat was born more than a decade ago. It's the brainchild of Peter Hsu, founder and CEO of Li Yi Da, and the inventor of the Air Seat, which he describes as the world's first full-floating saddle suspension system designed for bicycles. Not just that, but it's compatible with any bike and any seatpost, though there's a teeny-tiny asterisk that comes with that statement.
Photo: Li Yi Da
Peter Hsu came up with the idea for a saddle suspension system unlike others on the market after a few extended rides with his daughter. She complained of pain in the hips and in the wrists from the vibrations on the road, and Hsu began looking into suspension saddles.
He soon realized that, while suspension systems and suspension saddles did (and do) exist, they only allow for movement up and down, which is inadequate for real-life riding. In real life, bumps and uneven terrains cause vibrations from all sides and there was no system to mitigate them.
The Air Seat does just that. The product's official description boasts that this is the suspension system that can turn absolutely any ride into a smooth one. It doesn't matter if you ride in the city or outside of it, over bumps or on gravel, or a traditional pedal bike or any of the newer e-bikes: the Air Seat will keep you floating in cushy comfort.
Photo: Li Yi Da
The Air Seat is a saddle suspension system, not a saddle with integrated suspension. It fits on the seatpost and attaches to the underside of any saddle, and is compatible with most seatposts – and saddles. The company lists as exceptions plain seat posts and some mast seat posts, and there are also some limitations regarding the size of the saddle.
The Air Seat integrates a stainless steel spring in the rear, which absorbs shocks on a vertical axis, and a horizontal spring in the front that mitigates forward and backward movements. The latter also tips the saddle lightly to the sides, while silicone bumpers prevent the saddle from bottoming out. This makes the Air Seat a "full-floating suspension system" that guarantees 360-degree shock absorption.
The Air Seat in various "sizes" according to maximum rider weight, 80, 100, 120 and 130 kg, and in two variants: solid steel (Air Seat 25) and zinc alloy and steel (Air Seat 35), in either silver or black. There shouldn't be too much focus here on aesthetic considerations, but the Air Seat still strikes a good balance between an appealing, unobtrusive design and ultimate functionality.
Photo: Li Yi Da
The saddle suspension system is particularly lightweight, at just 250 g/8.8 oz (or 350 g/12.3 oz for the zinc alloy version), compact, and easy to use. The Air Seat takes between two and five minutes to install without requiring a visit to the local bike shop. Detailed instructions accompany the product, but there are also a handful of video tutorials online to help out.
That last part is common these days with most e-bike companies out of Asia. What Air Seat has as an extra that will earn it more credibility is a patent for the floating suspension system and a certificate for 200,000 fatigue tests, as well as a handful of international awards, including the prestigious Red Dot Award 2024. It's also offering a one-year warranty.
The Air Seat has been around in one form or another for nearly a decade, including the early prototype stage when Hsu was still struggling to bring the product into mass production. In recent months, deliveries have expanded beyond Asia (Li Yi Da is based in Taiwan) to include many European countries, as well as the U.S.
Photo: Li Yi Da
The solid steel Air Seat 25 model costs NT$2,800 (US$86.5), while the zinc-alloy one retails for NT$1,400 (US$43), not including shipping. To paraphrase L'Oreal, your butt is worth it.
