Who is BOB anyway?
In 1991, in San Luis Obispo,
California, Roger Malinowski, a bicycle industry maven, met
Philip Novotny, an airline mechanic, who had turned a decrepit
beach cruiser bike into a versatile, lightweight, single-track
bike trailer, called the YAK, and was rolling them out of his
machine shop on a small scale. Roger knew a great idea when he
saw it, and together they took Philip’s invention and turned
it into a revolution.
Funny and
easier to spell
Originally, the name of the company was
Beast of Burden, which many thought was a burden unto itself.
However, in typical California fashion, that mouthful was soon
shortened to its acronym BOB. “BOB was easier to spell, funny,
and simple,” Roger explains. “A lot like us and the stuff we
produce.”
Part of the BOB trailer’s genius was
how it attached to the bike: the patented BOB QR attachment
system, a revolutionary mechanism that even to this day takes
advantage of one simple fact: all bikes have a rear axle. What
better place to attach a bike trailer? It provides optimal
towing performance, excellent aerodynamics, the lowest possible
center of gravity, compatibility with virtually every bike on
the road, and excellent handling characteristics. The YAK
trailer literally revolutionized the way bikes transport gear.
As a result, it has become the world standard for cycle
tourists.
Running with
baby
Soon, Roger and Philip were introducing
something else to the world: children. This inspired them
to design and build the best looking, best performing, highest
quality jogging stroller in the world. A “few” more hours in
the machine shop produced the BOB Sport Utility Stroller,
complete with state-of-the-art suspension system, tough polymer
wheels; folding frame; reclining, padded seat; and several other
features no one had ever put on a jogging stroller before. “We
wanted the best of a bunch of worlds,” says Roger. “A
lightweight, high-quality stroller that you could still take
running, hiking, or off road and would still fold up easily and
compactly. The fact we could put all of these elements in one
stroller is what really attracted people to it.”
Of course, no successful product can be
introduced without going through rigorous laboratory testing.
Says Roger, “We used our kids. Out on the driveway. They
squeaked, burped, cried, hurled, scratched, ripped, kicked,
tripped, clawed, and jumped on the prototypes we gave them. It
was great. Those kids helped us raise the performance levels and
quality of the stroller farther and faster than we may have been
able to otherwise.”
It wasn’t long before they had a
successful product and the resources they needed to expand their
features and product line. Soon after the Sport Utility Stroller
hit the streets, customers started asking for a two-seater
stroller, which led to the introduction of the Duallie in 2001.
Two years later, the Ironman people were looking for a steely
stroller worthy of being associated with their world-famous
endurance race. Not surprisingly they turned to BOB. The Ironman,
with its light weight, high-pressure tires, stiff shock
absorbers, and close association with the grueling, high-profile
event, raised the company’s visibility and awareness among
serious athlete/parents.
Turning on a
dime
The next revolutionary BOB innovation -
the swiveling front wheel - was introduced in 2005 and became
the trademark feature of the new Revolution stroller. No longer
would mothers have to tip their strollers backwards to make a
sharp turn - or a turn of any kind, for that matter. The
Revolution’s rotating front wheel allowed them to maneuver
their stroller around tight corners, crowded sidewalks, and
narrow aisles with ease. With the wheel locked in place, it
could also be used for off-road runs or walks.
In 2006, attracted by a favorable
business climate and a lifestyle conducive to its philosophy,
BOB moved its corporate offices to Boise, Idaho. As in
California, most of the employees ride their bikes to work,
sometimes taking new stroller or trailer ideas home for a little
product testing.
