Inside the Look factory
- By Caley Fretz
- Published Jan. 30, 2012
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The Look factory
After showing off the KeO Power pedal-based powermeter, Look took us on a tour of their factory in Nevers, France. This factory is focused on KeO pedals, and also includes workspace for the company's engineers, R&D department, designers, and customer service. Look carbon frames are mostly built in a factory in Tunisia, but are finished in Nevers. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Look's charismatic GM Thierry Fournier (left) led our tour of the Look Factory. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Your KeO pedals were built here
Look builds every set of KeO pedals here in this room in Nevers, France. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Left and right
The room is split into left and right sides, which each work on one pedal side. This woman is putting the spring assembly on left pedals. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Skeletons
Pedal body skeletons await spring assemblies. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Axle assembly
Assembling axles, with a smile. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Grease squirter
Squirting grease into the axle assembly. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Completed pedals
Stacks of completed pedals in between the assembly stations and the packing stations. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Packing
Packing Quartz mountain bike pedals. Photo: Caley Fretz
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The KeO Power clean room
Obligatory blouses, even for the men. (Not really, it means you have to wear a white smock) Photo: Caley Fretz
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Clean room
While the rest of the factory floor is clean, the room in which the KeO Power pedals are assembled is immaculate. Each one is assembled by hand. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Pedal axles
The axles come to Look pre-assembled (Polar deals with the electronics), but the pedals are completed, tested for accuracy, and calibrated by Look. Photo: Caley Fretz
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A torque wrench tightens the axle to specifications. The KeO Power has an extra seal to protect the electronics, so they have a bit more drag at first, but Look says it goes away in a day or two of riding. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Testing
This device tests and calibrates every power pedal before it exits the factory. It must read within 1% to pass. Many fall outside that mark when they are first assembled, making calibration necessary. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Needs calibration
This particular pedal didn't pass due to "pedale non conforme." The 196.641 at the bottom needs to read at least 198. The calibration process is automated. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Making blades
The carbon blades used in the latest Look pedals are made in Nevers as well. Perfecting the blades was incredibly difficult, according to Look. Even now, about a quarter of the blades produced don't make it through the stringent quality control process. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Blade testing
Blades are fatigue tested on this machine, which bends them repeatedly for 2,000,000 cycles. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Olympic crank
The track cranks for the London Olympics are currently under development. We got a sneak peak of the Olympic track frames as well, but were forbidden to take photos. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Frames from Tunisia
Look builds most of their frames in a factory in Tunisia, rather than somewhere in Asia. They have their own factory there, about two days away by truck. The frames come from the Tunisian factory with a layer of clearcoat for protection and to make it easier to spot defects. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Sanding
The clearcoat is then sanded off, preparing the frames for finishing in Nevers. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Applying artwork
Workers apply decals and paint carefully. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Clearcoat
A matte clearcoat will go on the hanging 25th anniversary frame. Other paint work gets a shiny clearcoat. Photo: Caley Fretz
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25th anniversary
A numbered special edition frame is almost ready for clearcoat. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Minor assembly
Minor assembly of the frame, installing the headset and stem, and crankset, occurs in-house. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Look's top-tier 695 uses an enormous 65mm bottom bracket shell and proprietary crank, the Zed. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Forks
Forks await assembly. Photo: Caley Fretz
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BB assembly
The Zed crank assembly is like no other, so they are usually installed in the factory. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Final touchup
The final touchup work on a 695 frame. Photo: Caley Fretz
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Completed frames
Completed national frames. Photo: Caley Fretz
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American special edition
A special edition American paint job. Photo: Caley Fretz
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The graveyard
Fatigue tested and QC rejected pedals fill a dumpster outside. Photo: Caley Fretz
FILED UNDER: Gallery TAGS: Look
Caley Fretz
Caley came on board with the VN tech department in September 2010. Beyond his journalistic pursuits, Caley is a category 1 road, 'cross and track racer, and pro mountain biker.















