At the end of the my shoe rack, there will always be a place for my little red Look shoes. Overshadowed by all the carbon, the stiffened heel cups, anti-bacterial material, moulded soles, buckles and rackets. It will always be there, because the Look pedal system and shoe were there before them all. 

I was digging through a box of bits today to try and find a spare pair of cleats. I came across this really heavy Time Pedal box, I looked inside and found my first pedals. These abusive things have a culmulative weight of 475g. Celeste and bolt blue with a hint of sparkle.

In the opposite corner of my bedroom is my pair of Look shoes. Original, dusty, still functional and not a retro  remake.

Two thin leather fastening straps

Padded ankle cuff

Perforated leather upper

Cardboard feeling ankle section covered  with grey mesh fabric

There is a three bolt fixing underneath with some reminents of glue 

No real reinforced toe section to speak off

No real cushy sole, no instep padding

Small peice of elastic that helps the shoe stretch  and open as you put your feet in

Quite lightweight 

Plastic moulded sole for grip

These arent the first version of the Look shoe, as Look didn't make the first version and the pair seen on Hinaults feet in 1985 were blue, made by Patrick.

According to the latest Rouleur, photographed by my dear friend Gerard Brown, the first pedals are heavier than mine topping out at over 500g. They are squarer and white. 

My pedals are much rounder and use an allen key to make the adjustment. Both I inherited, shoes were new and the pedals well used. I took them as my first.

NB. Excuse the poor quality iPhone images. I'll take them to the studio (one day) and photograph it properly on a white background, rather than my cream carpet.