2 of 0 people found this review useful:

My Pearson, 24th Nov 2010

Reviewer: Jim McCarthy

I collected my Touche the weekend before last and have been out on it every day since. It really is a joy to ride. The service was excellent and many thanks for sorting out my other road bike there and then. Being able to get the bike from you on the Bike to Work Scheme has made it a real bargain.

Touche Review, 30th Nov 2010

Reviewer: Dr Phil Stringer

Just to say I collected the Touche on Saturday and managed a ride out yesterday -wonderful. It is all that I was led to believe by Cycling Plus, by Martin and Will in the shop, and by reading about the fixed gear experience. Why has it taken me so long?

Touche Review, 8th Dec 2010

Reviewer: Pete McGettigan

Many thanks Alan et al for the great service, the cup of tea and the speedy build and dispatch last week. The packing was great, nothing bent or scratched. The bike arrived on Monday and has done 60 miles so far without any problems. I'm really pleased with it. Off up some bigger hills on Saturday I think - my club mates will want to make me suffer for ditching the gear box.

The best bike I have ever owned, 2nd Mar 2012

Reviewer: Tim Edmunds

Ok, my Pearson Touche has now clocked up its 12,000th mile and I thought it was high time I wrote up a long term road test of this beloved machine.

I bought my Touche three years or so ago, primarily to use as a year round commuter. It came in the nice metallic blue colour, not now available, and with bull horn bars, SKS full silver mudguards, Halo Aerorage wheels, Conti Gatorskin tyres, carbon seat pin and Shimano brakes. Over the years I’ve upgraded the chainset to a Miche Advanced 49t, the freewheel to a White Industries ENO 18t and the brake blocks to Koolstop Salmons. Brown Charge Saddle and bar tape + several tyre changes and a new back wheel (all replaced like for like). My commute is from Portishead in North Somerset to Bristol, 8-10 miles each way (depending on route) and with a lot of big hills, including a 3 mile ascent/descent. For this reason I run a single speed rather than a fixed, to save spinning away beyond endurance on a 3 mile, 35 mile an hour drop.

I came to the Touche from a decent road bike, with no mudguards and which had struggled with the salt on the roads in the winter. The attraction of the single speed was its durability and consistency in all weathers and I went for the Touche because I liked the look of it.

There is nothing that has disappointed me about this bike. First of all, it is just such a sorted frame. The bike feels very quick, yet its handling is hugely confidence inspiring. You can come down a hill on this bike at real speed (40mph+)but always it feels like you could push it further. It’s the same story in traffic and in the wet; the bike just feels stable and flows when you ride it. The single speed option works perfectly as a commuter. I run it on a 49x18 which can barrel along on the flat but is not so big I can’t get up the big long hill climb I have on the way in in the mornings.

There are three other big advantages to the SS. First, and perhaps most importantly, it is marvellously predictable. You are