How did the seat colorway come about? Was it your idea?
Basically, Dave Paterson messaged me one day asking me if I'd be into the idea of doing a design for a seat. It wasn't my idea but I think it came around just after I had a commissioned art piece in my hometown Warrington. Maybe that factored into the decision but I'm not sure, haha
Were you in charge of the design? How did you come up with it?
Yeah, I was in full control of the design. I was given the blueprints to the Wethepeople team seat and I drew my designs onto that. I had a couple drafts that were pretty mental, haha. Not even Dave has seen them because they were too crazy! I was taking inspiration from the art piece i had just done in Warrington. Once I had the madness out of my system I was able to channel a more finalised outcome.
Was it difficult deciding on how it would look? Did you go back and forth much?
We had one late alteration to the design that came about after some good feedback. Basically we removed some text that I had put on it. I'm glad we did that because it looks way slicker now! Once I had the design down it wasn't too hard finalising how it would look. The main thing we discussed back and forth was fabrics, colours and stitching. As we are doing two versions we needed to discuss what fabric might work best. Mainly because I wanted the seat to be durable. I fall off a lot so my seat gets battered.
It seems like there’s a party version and a serious version. How do you pick which one to ride?
There are definitely two versions to this seat, haha. I personally love a plain seat because it doesn't cause too much chaos to the overall look of the bike. A plain seat will work with pretty much most bike setups. That's why there is a black version. It's simple and stealth but it's not boring! It has enough funky elements that draws the two seats together. The blue version is just wild! It doesn't necessarily work with every set up of bike but you could definitely make a sick bike with that seat as part of it. You'd just need to spend a bit more time fitting it in with the other colours you've got going on, haha. I have personally ran both versions on my current bike and they both work. I feel like both seats kinda represent me. I can be quiet and unsuspecting but I can also be a bit crazy and wild, haha. Hopefully one of the colours is cool to someone.
When it comes to planting you butt upon a bicycle, what’s important to you in regards to seat design?
Over the years I've dabbled in different seat styles but I always come back to the fat seat! It's just comfy and safe, haha. I'm not worried that if I land too hard on my arse that my seat is not gonna break my arse. I also run my seat fairly high so fat seats just look sicker with a higher seat post. It deffo helps for the slingers! And I do love a slinger, haha
Did anything inspire the design?
Not really, haha. Actually, maybe the white stitching - that was because I liked it on a pair of my jeans. I made the decision to not look at other seats and just start from there.
What are you going to do with the millions you make off this?
I'm gonna buy my own island, haha! Then I'll shape it into a mug and have a volcano that erupts tea every now and then. In reality I'll probably take the royalties and go straight to the corner shop and get a fresh box of the finest Yorkshire gold tea bags, haha. One can dream though!
Will you be replacing every seat in your house with a Dan Banks seat?
Hahaha, maybe! Only time will tell.
