Pearson offers a new take on how a bike should fit
Words JOSEPH DELVES
The Pearson Forge is a bike that wants to fit in. It’s the first machine exclusively designed by south London bike shop Pearson, which has previously relied on working with open-mould suppliers to deliver its range. It forms half of a pair of new models intended for the road bike market, with the Forge embracing the general side of things, and the soon-to-be-released Shift aimed more at racers.
Both new bikes are informed by data collected by the company through its customer fittings, which Pearson claims means the frame geometry matches a broader proportion of the population than most manufacturers.
‘The Forge has been designed as the product our staff wished existed when conducting our bike-fits,’ says owner Will Pearson. ‘Looking at over 13 years’ worth of data and 2,000-plus fits, we’ve come to two main conclusions. One is that most bikemakers fail to account for the fact that the average rider’s upper and lower halves don’t lengthen equally as height increases, and the other is that most bike brands don’t leave enough crossover between sizes to allow them to be fitted correctly.’
Consequently, the Forge is available in five sizes labelled 1 to 5, with the middle three overlapping heavily. This is fewer sizes in total than most big brands offer but should still give fitters a greater chance of lining you up with a well-matched bike without resorting to weird stem lengths or funky saddle positions. Speaking more cynically, it probably also saves some cash in mould creation and stock holding too, but as someone who perennially falls between a medium and a large, I was all ears.
Looks can be deceptive
A further design criterion for the Forge was to offer the aesthetics of a racing bike while providing a riding position attainable by the average rider. These flattering tactics can be seen all over the frameset. Take the fork crown – it’s slightly extended to keep the front end up. The head tube doesn’t look too tall, but the way the flattened top tube sweeps upwards to meet it adds a centimetre to its length. The effect is a racy look with a comfortable fit.
The tubes are slender, with aero-looking profiles, while the rear wheel is tucked into the frame via a cut-away in the seat tube. Frame and fork both provide clearance for tyres up to 32mm, complemented by almost unnoticeable mudguard mounts. There’s also an additional bottle or storage cage mount on the underside of the frame for even more
