A NEW ANGLE
The humble chevron features across the Pearson range. From bikes to apparel, this centuries-old design is sure to have you heading in the right direction.
If you’re looking for the origins of the word ‘chevron’ you won’t get much help from Google. The top-ranking results can leave you feeling a bit like Jack Malik, lead character in the Richard Curtis film Yesterday. Waking one morning to discover The Beatles have never existed, the internet confirms it is simply the name of an insect. When googling chevrons, the top responses are almost exclusively for Chevron Corporation, the American fuel giant. (And by responses we mean the first six pages.) Yet the unassuming chevron, that oh-so familiar, v-shaped stripe, has a long and illustrious history.
To cyclists, it is a friend out on the road, usually white on a black background and warning of an approaching bend. Here at Pearson, we know a piece of timeless design when we see it. That’s why we’ve incorporated chevrons across the range. For example, it adorns the seat tubes of road bikes such as Hammerandtongs, a lightweight, carbon marvel. A highly responsive machine, it’s ideal for long days in the saddle but just as comfortable pottering about town. Now in its sixth iteration, updates include aero tubing, as well as a carbon seat post and forks. The longer seat stays dampen road vibration, making this Hammer the most comfortable edition to date.
The word chevron is actually derived from the Latin, capreoli, meaning a pair of rafters. (The ever-helpful Google translates it, variously, as ‘goats’, or ‘odour of the armpits’). In medieval times chevrons were used in heraldry, to indicate superior rank, but down the centuries they’ve popped up in all sorts of places. To the zoological fraternity, for instance, a chevron-like bone is located in the spines of numerous reptiles and mammals. Shaped like an arrowhead, its official name is the ‘haemal arch’.
Another Pearson bike to sport the famous stripe is Minegoestoeleven, named in honour of those mock-rock gods, Spinal Tap. Built for speed, and with aspiring racers in mind, its geometry also benefits from Pearson House Design (Phd), our in-house fitting system. Hand built in the UK, the optimum riding position will help you clock up the miles effortlessly. (Well, almost.)
Last but not least is Objects in Motion, our flagship titanium road bike. Its wealth of features includes direct disc mounts for exceptional braking and 12mm thru-axles to minimise flex. Inspired by Sir Isaac Newton’s ‘first law’ (that objects in motion will remain so until acted upon by an external force), OIM is graced by truly gorgeous details, such as Shimano’s Di2 disc group-set. Paired with a supremely efficient titanium frame, the riding experience is second to none.
Chevrons, historically, formed the basis of herringbone, a pattern still widely used in tailoring and first popularised in 17th-century France. The French aristocracy were so enamoured of the design they used it in their grand houses; the earliest example of ‘parquet’ flooring, at the Chateau de Fontainebleau near Paris, was installed in 1539. A house so grand it makes Buckingham Palace look like a fixed caravan, these days you’re more likely to find a parquet floor on your average suburban driveway. Something Nicky Haslam would almost certainly call ‘common’. (France’s enduring love of the chevron is apparent in the logo of the Citroën motor company, which features two of them.)
Being common is not a charge that could ever be levelled at Bryter Layter, our waterproof jacket inspired by the singular Nick Drake, and which features a bold chevron design on the chest. Made from 100% recycled nylon, this lightweight, breathable garment marries protection against the elements with exceptional comfort. A chevron also appears on the front of Sunrise, our merino road jersey for everyday riding. One of three jerseys marking special moments in your cycling life (its stablemates are named Flow State and At One With Nature), the jersey benefits from merino’s natural performance properties. It keeps you cool in the heat, warm in the cold, wicks moisture and is naturally antibacterial and odour-resistant. Enough said.
Three rear pockets mean ample room for cargo and, now the seasons are finally turning, we humbly recommend another chevron-bearing product to fill one of them. Our Ins and Outs gilet is the perfect windproof for changeable conditions and is made from a ‘mechanical stretch’ fabric. It offers a contoured, comfortable fit when seated, without restricting movement when you want to get up the ante. So, saddle up and let the humble chevron point the way.
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