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.
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.
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.
