Look (company) - History

History

Established in Nevers, France in 1951, Look was originally a ski equipment manufacturer. The company produced bindings under its own name and others such as Rossignol and Dynastar. The partnership with Rossignol (which later merged with Dynastar) made Look a leading binding manufacturer along with the Marker brand. Look pioneered a new binding, that set it apart from Marker in freestyle. This was branded with the pivot system (FKS for Rossignol). Following a change in ownership, it was replaced in 2008 with the px series.

In the 1980s Look introduced a clipless pedal for cycling based on equipment for ski bindings. A spring-loaded latch on the top of the pedal held a cleat that was bolted to the sole of a shoe, a twist of the foot releasing the hold. They are called pédales automatiques (automatic pedals) in French. They were sold from 1984, and in 1985 Bernard Hinault used them to win the Tour de France. They were said to be safer and more comfortable than toe-clips. By 2000 the pedal was in widespread use on road bikes ("racing" bikes), track bikes, and mountain bikes, especially among experienced riders.

In 1986 Greg Lemond won the Tour de France on the first Look carbon frame, the KG 86. It was completely handmade and combined Kevlar with carbon for increased rigidity. In the early nineties, Look designed the revolutionary KG 196, the company's the first single-piece, monocoque carbon frame made of carbon, kevlar, ceramic and aluminum. Being years ahead of its time, the KG186/KG196 featured an integrated fork, an adjustable stem, limited front suspension, and was designed for both road and track racing. This series has since evolved into the venerable KG x96 (KG 296, KG 396, KG 496, and 596) series of track bikes, used by numerous national teams around the world.

In the 1980s Look had been acquired by the Tapie group, which sponsored the professional La Vie Claire cycling team that included Hinault. Look pioneered bicycle frames from carbon fiber. In 1994, the ski binding division was sold to Skis Rossignol, and the cycle division became Look Cycle. In 1998, Look was sold by Bernard Tapie for 260 million francs.

Dominique Bergin bought the company with Look's management. Early in the 21st century, pro cycling sponsorship included up to three Tour de France teams. The name is now Look Cycle International. Laurent Jalabert, a French professional in the 1990s, is a consultant.