Back in the early-to-mid 1990s, the cycling industry saw a number of companies producing computer numerical control (CNC) machined components, often out of aluminum or titanium and anodized in some crazy colors. Consumers couldn’t get enough titanium on their bikes – think of the obsession today over carbon fiber. For whatever reason, the craze didn’t last. Many of those companies either faded away or were bought up by another company to ultimately just be produced in China. Then there were those companies that diversified and are still manufacturing a product today. There are far fewer examples of these companies that evolved, but they do exist. Boone Titanium Rings of Roswell, Georgia is one example of a company that started in the bike industry and is now manufacturing wedding and other types of fashion rings, out of titanium and still made in America.
The year was 1993 and the mountain biking industry was in full swing. A number of companies, including American Classic, Avid, Kooka, Paul Components, Grafton, and Hershey were cranking out these almost jewel-like components. Bruce Boone had a CNC machine in a basement and for fun, he started manufacturing bicycle cogs out of titanium. After a little bit of advertising and exhibiting at the industry tradeshow, Interbike, Boone Technologies took off. The Boone line of bicycle products grew to eventually include titanium chainrings, the Helixx bottom bracket, TWIST! crankset, nickel plated aluminum chainrings, and custom-size big chainrings for human powered vehicles (HPV). Along with bike components, Boone also manufactured titanium cog earrings, titanium chainring pendants, and titanium wedding rings. Toward the end of the 1990s, the craze had died, but Boone Technologies did not and they refocused on the wedding and fashion ring market. Today, Boone Titanium Rings is manufacturing a very unique line of rings and has vastly increased their product line since my wife purchased my Boone wedding ring back in 2000. From the basic Flat Profile to the futuristic Meteorite with Twin Carbon Fiber (a ring with real meteorite and carbon fiber inlay), these CNC-crafted rings offer a look that is much more modern than your parents’ gold and silver rings. If a gemstone is incorporated into the design, there are a number of tension or suspended stone settings to choose from. As a bonus, the durable 6AL/4V (6-percent aluminum and 4-percent vanadium) titanium used as the base material in most of the rings can be upgraded to 8Al/1Mo/1V (aluminum, molybdenum and vanadium) if the intended wearer is particularly hard on his or her jewelry.
Along with being a very durable material, titanium is more inert than other metals. This means that not only can it take more abuse than gold, those who have an allergic reaction to gold should not have an issue wearing titanium. The downside is that titanium cannot be resized like gold and silver, so ordering the correct size is extremely important. Boone Titanium Rings also offers engraving through the use of their in-house laser that is capable of producing highly detailed and deep etchings into titanium. In theory, not only can a titanium ring look fashionable or express your eternal love for your significant other, it could help save your life. You may have noticed the push in recent years for medical identification bracelets (we have written about the Nathan VITAband and Road ID), but the laser at Boone is so precise that a custom ring could be produced with your important medical information etched onto the surface.
The rings manufactured by Boone range in price from $95 to well over $1,000 depending on the style, inlay material, and gemstone. Most rings are shipped in a matter of days. Boone can inset your own gemstone if you send it to them first.
If you are in the market for a ring that you put on your bike, but not your finger, Boone titanium chainrings are still available. Even though they are not currently taking orders, Brett Brown, a former Boone Technologies employee, has taken over manufacturing the infamous titanium chainrings. The sizes are now limited to the mountain bike standard, mountain bike compact, and road bike standard bolt patterns and teeth count, but they can be had for those who are patient.
Whether the ring is for a finger or chain, it is still possible to get it out of titanium and know that it is made in America. The CNC bike components market may have turned out to be a bust for some manufacturers, but through some evolution and ingenuity, it turned into a boon for Boone.
Boone Titanium Rings Official Website
Boone Titanium Rings Facebook Site