LOOK, established at Nevers, France in 1951, was originally a ski equipment manufacturer. They produce bindings both under their own name, Rossignol, and Dynastar. This partnership with Rossignol (which later merged with Dynastar) makes LOOK one of the leading binding manufacturers in the world with Marker. 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 "pédales automatique" as it was easier to release. Nevers is a commune of central France, the préfecture (capital) of the Nièvre département, in the former province of Nivernais. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... A twin-tip shaped downhill ski. ... Rossignol is a sports equipment company based in Isère, France. ... Dynastar is a French company that manufactures skis, snowboards, and related equipment. ... Marker may refer to: A felt-tipped marker pen. ... MacGyver is one of the symbols of the 1980s in America The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... A bicycle pedal provides the connection between the cyclists foot or shoe and the crankarm allowing the leg to be used to turn the crank. ... Cycling is a recreation, a sport and a means of transport across land. ... In skiing, a ski binding is an attachment which anchors the ski boot to the ski. ...

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 crash that he suffered in the middle of the race, and today the same idea is in widespread use in road cycling, track cycling and mountain biking. 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Bernard Hinault (born 14 November 1954) is a French cyclist best known for his five victories in the Tour de France. ... The Tour de France (French for Tour of France), often referred to as La Grande Boucle, Le Tour or The Tour, is a long-distance road bicycle racing competition for professionals held over three weeks in July in and around France and occasionally nearby countries. ... Road bicycle racing is a popular bicycle racing sport held on the road (following the geography of the area), using racing bicycles. ... Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially-built banked tracks or velodromes (but many events are held at older velodromes where the track banking is relatively shallow) using track bicycles. ... Mountain biker riding in the Arizona desert. ...

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 fibre, and is considered a pioneer in this area. In 1994, the ski attachment division was sold to Skis Rossignol, and the cycle division was spun off as an independent company, Look Cycle S.A.. In 1998, Dominique Bergin purchased the company in association with LOOK management. The name of the company is now LOOK CYCLE INTERNATIONAL S.A., and is identified closely with Laurent Jalabert, a French cyclist who in the 1990s rode LOOK frames to many victories and is currently a consultant for LOOK. Bernard Tapie (born 26 January 1943 in Paris) is a French businessman, politician and, occasionally, actor, singer, rapper record breaking yachtsman and TV host. ... A cycling team is a group of cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle races of any kind, whether they are recreational or professional. ... Greg LeMond (born June 26, 1961 in Lakewood, California) is a former professional road bicycle racer from the United States. ... A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, onto which wheels and other components are fitted. ... Graphite-reinforced plastic or carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP or CRP), is a strong, light and very expensive composite material or fibre reinforced plastic. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... Skis Rossignol S.A., also known as the Rossignol Group, is a sports equipment company based in Isère, France. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Photograph of Laurent Jalabert, present at the arrival of the Tour dAlsace at the Ballon dAlsace, France, 2005 // Biography Laurent Jalabert was born in France in 1968, a professional cyclist from 1989-2002. ...

External links

• LOOK international site
• LOOK USA site