Pearson Cycles: Looking after cyclists since 1860

Welcome to the world’s oldest bike shop

In 1860, local Blacksmith, Tom Pearson thought that he’d use his metal working skills to help to fix the numerous new bicycles that were appearing in Sutton, south-east England. His premises were ideally situated for passing trade en-route from London to the south coast, and Tom’s metalworking skills soon proved invaluable for an increasingly popular mode of transport: the bicycle. Now, over 165 years later, the Pearson family still run their family shop, Forge 1860; and, instead of shoeing horses as Blacksmith’s,they’re now helping to shoe cyclists, as one of our oldest Lake retail partners in the U.K...

From their state-of-the-art cycle fit studio and retail hub situated in the centre of Sheen, close to Richmond Park and the Surrey Hills; Guy, Nas and the team are kept busy, working closely within the vibrant London and south-east cycling community, and building on a reputation that is unequalled across the cycling world. Their bike-fitting database alone has over 3000 rider profiles within it, allowing this team of detailed specialists to bring a wealth of expertise and knowledge to all riders looking to get their own perfectly fitted bike and cycling accessories.

Creating the bike that fits the person

It’s not only fitting the bike to the person where Forge 1860 and the team excel. The family are renowned for creating some of the best hand-built bikes in the U.K., utilising the knowledge gained over generations of interactions with cyclists, to produce performance orientated bikes that carry riders forward with a badge of distinction. Talking with Nas, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of rider issues from his years of fitting bikes for so many cyclists, he tells me how he and Guy worked together recently, using their database of detailed information from the thousands of bike fittings to research and create the current Pearson Forge performance bike model – a road bike that stands out in any peloton across the cycling world, as a work of engineering innovation and excellence.

Using the same analytical skills that define both Guy and Nas, the process started with looking at the wealth of collected back data held on bike fitting. They wanted to create a proper lightweight race bike, but one that gave a good ride for everyone; a bike that could support the rider on a fast and dynamic 2-hour chase across the hills, and on an all-day endurance epic. To achieve this goal, they subverted the usual frame design definitions, reverse engineering the Forge model so that it supported the needs that they’d identified in riderstime and time again – and it’s this attention to detail that has stood the Forge 1860 team in good stead since... well, 1860! Longer than any other bike shop in the world – just check the Guiness Book of Records.

From bikes to bike fittings and all things cycling

Far too often, cyclists buy the wrong bike or the wrong cycling shoes – frequently online and from well-known brands – only to find that neither the bike nor the cycling shoes fit them properly. As Guy says during our chat, shoes that are designed for the small mediterranean foot shape will obviously limit riders from elsewhere. However, when cyclists see the numerous online offers, they tend to flock to them, only to suffer afterwards with pain and discomfort which can lead to health issues. Thankfully, the wiser one’s eventually realise their error and seek assistance from Guy, Nas and team at Forge 1860. The bike fitting process at Forge 1860 is simple but effective, and it’s evolved over many years – it’s called communication, and it starts by sitting down with the cyclist and simply talking with them, listening to themand then creating a plan that is built around the rider, taking the bike to them and not the other way around.In terms of the all-important shoe fitting, they measure and look at how the rider activates their pedal action and then tell the rider which shoe suits their individual needs, accepting that there’s no perfect cycling shoe, whilst understanding from experience that Lake has such a varied range of cycling shoe options. In Guy’s own words, there’s a Lake cycling shoe to fit the feet of most riders.

Finding the perfect fit

It’s ironic, says Guy, that too many people don’t know the true size of their feet and haven’t had them measured for many years – if at all. They’ve struggled on for many years in cycling shoes with the cleat position too far forward, and the shoe last itself being too narrow in many cases. Thankfully, as both Guy and Nas tell me, Lake have the cleat options set further back, matching the pedal actions of riders, and the shoes generally have a shaped forefoot to allow the shoe and the foot to sit flatter. In their extensive work with riders – where Nas says he’s looked at more feet than a podiatrist - during the thousands of bike-fitting sessions carried out, it’s easier to make a rider comfortable and to give them the correct pedal action in Lake cycling shoes – and, this coming from the world’s oldest bike shop; well, that’s something we’re extremely proud of.

Even when the customer arrives back at Forge 1860 to collect their newly constructed custom bike, it’s not simply handed to them. Nas goes on to tell me about the handover process, which includes the confirmation analysis of the fit to the bike and the cycling shoes, before the new rider is released into cycling dreamland, onboard a Pearson’s bike and with Lake cycling shoes wrapping their feet in that perfect balance between comfort and performance.

It’s fair to say that this cycling centre of excellence, tucked neatly away in the Surrey Hills, has evolved into a community hub and meeting place for riders – and that’s discluding the cyclists who travel from across the U.K. to benefit from the Forge’s reputation, expertise and professionalism. They recently worked with 100 riders from the local school introducing them to bike fitting and everything else on offer at this state-of-the-art studio. They work closely with local cycling clubs and elite riders alike, becoming a beacon for knowledge in this renowned cycling region.

Lake cycling shoe favourites

In terms of the cycling shoes that seem to be the most common choice for riders at Forge 1860, there’s afondness for the classic Lake CX238. Talking with Guy, he relates to me how it offers riders a wider last fitting and the option for different width fittings too – including, as Nas says, shoes of different sizes where the feet are of differing lengths and shapes. It’s a stylish cycling shoe, too, and popular for road cyclists and the growing band of gravel bike riders, looking for that balance between comfort, performance and style. And, for the newcomers to cycling, Nas tells me how the Lake CX177 is a popular choice of cycling shoe, being well-shaped and having lots to offer the leisure rider.

In the words of both Guy and Nas, there’s a huge difference between cyclist's feet, how they ride and how their body performs on a bike. The Pearson family and the team at Forge 1860 have been collating this information since 1860, and are still doing so, as one of the most respected cycle shops and bike fitting studios in the U.K. and further afield.

Riders working with riders always bring something extra to the party

Talking with Guy and Nas is one of those moments when you just want time to continue onwards and leave you with a lasting memory, filled with a new-found enthusiasm for cycling, based on riding bikes that fit you properly and cycling shoes that feel like a second skin. Their knowledge and experience come not only from fitting out so many riders, but also from their own cycling. Guy tells me how he rides up to 4 times a week; with his favourite ride being the Thursday morning social ride from Hampton Court Palace to Windsor where coffee and Cinnamon buns are taken at the famed Cinnamon Cafe, before the carnage-filled return leg home!

For Nas, he recalls rides from Nice in France as one of his favourites, heading to the Italian border, before returning to climb the famed Col d'Èze and dropping at speed back into Nice.

What’s certain from speaking with both Guy and Nas, is that they both live and breathe cycling and share a passion for excellence in all that they do. Along that long road from 1860 to 2025, the Pearson team have developed not only the oldest bike shop in the world; they've also been creating something that you can’tmeasure – thousands of happy cyclists with happy feet. Yes, they may have started off by shoeing horses, but they’re now one of the most respected cycling shoes fitting studios in the U.K. and a valued member of the Lake cycling shoes family.