LOOK

LOOK was originally a ski equipment manufacturer in France. In the 1980s they pioneered the use of "clipless pedals" for cycling applications, based on the equipment originally developed for ski binding. Essentially they used a spring-loaded device on the top of the pedal to hold a "cleat" which is bolted to the soles of a cycling shoe, requiring the user to twist their foot to force the device to release the hold. This is an improvement to the prior method which is to use clips to bind one's foot onto the pedal, and was touted as a safety improvement, called "pedales automatique" as it was easier to release.

This design was released to the market in 1984, and in 1985 Bernard Hinault used it to his victory in Tour de France. He credited the pedals for preventing further injuries in a gnarly crash that he suffered in the middle of the race, and today the same idea is in widespread use in both road cycling and MTB|mountain cycling.

In the 1980s LOOK was acquired by the Tapie group, who also sponsored the La Vie Claire professional cycling team which had Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond in its roster. It started producing bicycle frames made from carbon fiber, and is considered a pioneer in this area at the time when other manufacturers did not consider carbon fiber. LOOK is now synonymous with Laurent Jalabert, a French cyclist who in the 1990s rode LOOK frames to many victories and is currently a consultant for LOOK.