The stock Octane SL III, with Kristin’s graphics plan behindBen Delaney/BikeRadar
The soles of Kristin’s custom OctanesCourtesy
Pearl often does custom work for its athletes, whether in footwear or in clothingBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Pearl’s US office is a very serious, uptight place…Ben Delaney/BikeRadar
…especially when it’s somebody’s birthdayBen Delaney/BikeRadar
R&D is a daily processBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Custom and prototype clothing abounds for Pearl’s pro athletesBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Olympians, world champions, product testersBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Don’t let the boss know, but Pearl Izumi employees have a ping pong table and they’re not afraid to use itBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Pearl will be rearranging facilities soon, but much of the US supply is housed in the Louisville facilityBen Delaney/BikeRadar
The wall of shame/fame: Pearl’s recent ads have met with varying responses — some never saw the light of dayBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Don’t try this at homeBen Delaney/BikeRadar
The lower ad ran in a few publications; the upper did notBen Delaney/BikeRadar
A view of the prototyping area from the second-floor officesBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Nhu Tran working on a pair of shortsBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Deme Junio putting together a garment for Argos-ShimanoBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Lia Bybee, Pearl Izumi Speed Shop’s head of Advanced Development, lays out a pattern for cyclo-cross warm-up pants for Jannick Eckmann, son of Pearl Izumi president Juergen EckmannBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Bybee lays out Thermal Fleece material for Eckmann’s ’cross pantsBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Work 10 years, get a tiny jerseyBen Delaney/BikeRadar
A view of the prototyping area from the second-floor officesBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Diana Sibayan working on a pair of shortsBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Deme Junio putting together a garment for Argos-ShimanoBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Lia Bybee, Pearl Izumi Speed Shop’s head of Advanced Development, lays out a pattern for cyclo-cross warm-up pants for Yannick Eckmann, son of Pearl Izumi president Juergen EckmannBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Bybee lays out Thermal Fleece material for Eckmann’s ’cross pantsBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Work 10 years, get a tiny jerseyBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Pearl Izumi has a deep inventory of proprietary technical fabricsBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Pearl Izumi has taken many of its fabrics into wind tunnels for aerodynamic testingBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Pearl Izumi has recently ramped up its custom program, primarily for bike shops and eventsBen Delaney/BikeRadar
The USA Pro Cycling Challenge used Pearl Izumi for its leaders jerseys in 2012Ben Delaney/BikeRadar
Pearl Izumi president Juergen Eckmann doesn’t walk the talk – he runs or rides itBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Dozens of bikes pack the Pearl Izumi warehouseBen Delaney/BikeRadar
The noon hour at Pearl is for riding or running. Lunch can be eaten at the desks later…Ben Delaney/BikeRadar
On any given day there is a crew going out for a lunch ride at PearlBen Delaney/BikeRadar
Pearl Izumi sponsors Bermuda’s Olympic triathlete Flora DuffyCourtesy
Duffy’s custom Pearl running shoesCourtesy
Tejay van Garderen’s custom Octane SL IIICourtesy
Pearl Izumi has made cycling clothing for the top professionals dating back to the early US Postal Service squad. For the 2012 London Olympics, Americans Tejay van Garderen and Kristin Armstrong will be racing in Pearl’s Octane SL III shoes, each with their own graphics.
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The superlight shoes (195g for a single size 42) forgo any type of mechanical closure, and the mesh portions of the upper add noticeable ventilation.
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BikeRadar recently toured Pearl Izumi’s facility in Louisville, Colorado, where designing and refining shoes and clothing for top athletes and everyday riders is a daily process. Click through the gallery at right for your own tour.
