Building bikes and customer relationships since 1860.

Pearson is officially recognised as the world’s oldest bicycle business. Now run by the fifth generation of the Pearson family, who strive to maintain the hard-won reputation established by our predecessors.

From our origins in a blacksmith’s forge to Pearson Performance, our state-of-the-art premises, that reputation has been earned by offering the highest quality products and service and by building long-lasting customer relationships.

At Pearson, we also believe cycling should be fun, a balm for body and soul. So, while we take cycling seriously, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. For all the precision and expertise that goes into creating our bikes and apparel, we give our products distinctive names, that in turn celebrate the quirks of our national character. By drawing on a diverse cast of characters, from William Shakespeare to 10cc, we hope to imbue Pearson products not just with quality and performance but with personality.

OUR HERITAGE

Lots of brands talk about heritage. At Pearson 1860, we have the pedigree to back it up. Since Pearson first opened for business, the world has certainly changed; two world wars; revolution in Russia; splitting the atom; female suffrage; the invention of penicillin and landing on the Moon. Pearson has seen plenty of change, too; where once we repaired penny farthings, today Pearson House Design (PhD) offers the very best in precision bike-fitting and building. So, it’s reassuring to know that, after a century and a half, discerning cyclists continue to put their trust in Pearson.

WILLIAM PEARSON

GUY PEARSON

THE PEARSON TIMELINE

1860

Tom Pearson, a blacksmith, sets up a shop in Sutton, south-east England. Ideally situated for passing trade en route from London to the south coast, Tom’s metalworking skills soon prove invaluable for an increasingly popular mode of transport: bicycles.

1889

Tom is succeeded by his son, Harry, who makes the switch into full-time bike manufacture. Pictured here with the first-ever Pearson bike, the Endeavour.

1939

By the outbreak of World War II, the business is in the hands of Harry’s sons, Arthur and Len. Both are exempted from the draft in order to produce bikes for the Home Front.

1965

Now steered by Arthur’s son, Roger, the Pearson brand diversifies into ‘racers and randonneurs’. In the 1980s, the shop is awarded ‘5-star Raleigh’ status.

1994

The latest generation of Pearsons, Roger’s sons Guy and Will, join the business.

2012

TODAY

A new-look Pearson introduces high-performance bikes and apparel, part of three new capsule collections that reflect the full range of the Pearson cycling experience: Road, Adventure, and Urban.

The collections are named in recognition of our founding father: Pearson 1860.

Since Tom Pearson first fired up the forge, Guy and Will have launched Pearson Performance in west London. Ideally situated for the cycling mecca of Richmond Park, it offers precision bike fitting, workshop services, and an in-house coffee shop.

Read next: Ride The Rose Pearson's Proud Hallmark