Man of steel
‘A lot of the time people are trying to reinvent the bicycle when it was pretty well sorted in the early 20th century,’ says Darron Coppin, founder and owner of Sven Cycles. Sven only does classic. If you take a look at past builds on the company’s website, or peek inside its Weymouth workshop, or talk to the man behind the operation, it’s clear where the inspiration comes from. And for a custom builder, identity is essential.
‘Not everyone needs an F1 car,’ Coppin says. ‘I’ll build anything but my real passion is utilitarian touring and gravel bikes. That’s where my roots are and I’ve stuck to my guns.’
That choice has paid off. Since he started Sven 12 years ago, tastes have shifted very much in his favour. He may have got confused looks when he first aired his Pathfinder randonneur at bike shows, but now he is shipping to customers all over the globe.
‘I’ve got a customer in Singapore with three bikes and his
