Pearson Cycles On and On Race: a British entry into the gravel arms race.

Words by James Ion - Photography provided by Pearson Cycles

Press Release Response - 24 September 2024, London, United Kingdom

Gravel has never stood still. From its early reputation as a spirited escape from tarmac and traffic to its current incarnation as a global race discipline with its own world championships, the bikes have had to evolve as quickly as the riders. Frames once designed to shoulder bags for week-long adventures are now expected to toe the line at UCI-sanctioned events, where seconds, grams, and tyre choice can be decisive. Into this fast-changing landscape steps London’s Pearson Cycles with the On and On Race — their first purpose-built gravel racing machine.

Pearson — a family business dating back to 1860 — claims the On and On Race is 20% lighter than its stablemate, the On and On Adventure. Where the Adventure was a capable all-rounder, the Race is, as the name suggests, a refinement with singular intent: speed. A UCI-approved frame, stripped of anything superfluous, tuned to the demands of modern gravel competition.

From the Pearson lab to the start line

The frame itself is built from a blend of Toray T1000 and MJ04B carbon fibres. Pearson claims this recipe strikes the elusive balance between stiffness and weight, and they’ve employed EPS/latex construction to maintain consistency across tube walls and deliver a cleaner internal finish. For riders, this translates to sharper responsiveness and fewer watts lost when power meets pedal.

That lab work has already been validated on the racecourse. DAS–Hutchinson rider Lizi Brooke tested the bike at the UCI Gravel World Series in Sweden. “It’s a super responsive ride,” she said. “The handling gives me more confidence on technical sections. I’ve had the privilege to test several bikes and this one feels like it’s built for racing — balancing speed and agility without compromising comfort.”

Brooke’s verdict isn’t a one-off endorsement. The On and On platform has already carried Xan Crees to victory at the 2025 British Cyclocross National Championships and Team Spectra’s Kim Baptista to a top-10 at the British Gravel Nationals. If the Adventure could already handle elite-level racing, Pearson hopes that the Race will sharpen that edge further.

Pearson Cycles' design choices that speak the race language

Every detail of the On and On Race reinforces its competitive leanings. Gone are the luggage mounts, a nod to both aerodynamics and weight savings. The frame is optimised for wireless groupsets but still compatible with 1x and 2x mechanical drivetrains — a pragmatic concession for privateers who may not yet be ready to abandon cables.

The build kits mirror what you’d expect at the sharp end of a gravel race. ERE’s Tenaci GA40 aero set handles wheel duties, while a Fizik Vento Argo X1 saddle takes care of the contact point most prone to suffering on long races. A CeramicSpeed T47 bottom bracket rounds out the drivetrain efficiency package.

Pearson offers riders the choice between SRAM RED XPLR or Shimano GRX 827 Di2. For those fine-tuning their gearing to course profiles, there’s an upgrade option via Alugear with 44T or 46T aero chainrings. Tyres are Vittoria T50s, 40c straight out of the box but with clearance up to 45mm — a sweet spot for most gravel race terrain, from European dirt roads to the chunky Kansas Flint Hills.

Complete builds weigh in at a claimed 7.88kg, a competitive number in this category. Paint choices are restrained but purposeful: Racing White or Dawn Blue. Pricing starts at £6,100 for the Shimano build and tops out at £7,750 with SRAM.

British roots, global ambitions

Pearson’s claim to fame is their heritage — over 160 years of building bikes in London — but with the On and On Race, they’re clearly chasing a different conversation. Gravel’s growth has been defined in no small part by American and European brands with deep roots in racing: Specialized with its Crux, Cervélo with the Áspero, Canyon with the Grail. For a British brand like Pearson, releasing a UCI-approved gravel race frame is a statement of intent, a way of saying: we belong in this space too.

It also speaks to a larger trend in gravel: the professionalisation of equipment. Five years ago, a rider lining up at Unbound on a steel or alloy do-it-all bike wasn’t out of place. Now, at both grassroots and elite levels, lighter carbon frames, aerodynamic tube profiles, and race-specific geometry are increasingly the norm. The On and On Race enters this arms race not as a niche curiosity, but as a competitive option backed by proven results.

The rider-first pitch

One area where Pearson continues to differentiate itself is the buying experience. They claim every bike is delivered ready-to-ride and comes with a £200 cashback voucher for a professional bike fit. Riders can either order directly or through a small network of hand-picked retailers. In an era when online direct sales dominate, adding a fit-first ethos could be a meaningful way to stand out — especially in gravel, where comfort over long hours is every bit as critical as speed.

What does it mean for gravel?

So what does this bike represent? On one level, it’s another carbon gravel racer added to an increasingly crowded marketplace. But on another, it’s proof of gravel’s trajectory: the casual blurring of lines between road and cyclocross, the influx of high-end engineering once reserved for WorldTour-level kit, and the recognition that riders expect as much from their gravel bikes as they do from their road machines.

Pearson may not yet be a household name on the international scene, but their On and On Race feels like a serious step into that conversation. They claim it’s lighter, stiffer, and sharper than what came before. Riders like Lizi Brooke seem to agree. And as the gravel calendar continues to swell with national championships, continental titles, and the UCI Worlds, the Race will be tested in more arenas soon enough.

For now, what’s clear is this: gravel’s identity is no longer confined to dusty bikepacking epics. It is racing. And bikes like the On and On Race are built for that reality.

Hopefully, we can get our hands on this machine to see if it really has the race pedigree it claims! Until then, for more information, visit: pearsoncycles.com

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