Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

Based in southeast London, Saffron Frameworks was started by Matthew Sowter — who learned his trade at Enigma Bikes.

Sowter was born in Cape Town and worked as a fine dining chef before switching careers. He now specializes in custom builds, with each machine tailored to client specifications and physiology.

It’s an approach that has paid off for Saffron, with multiple awards from the Bespoked Handmade Bike Show — considered to be Europe’s premier bike show dedicated to custom bicycles.

Saffron Frameworks Superlight XCR Road

Moveable Feast: Saffron Frameworks’ XCr Road

Matthew Sowter’s former career as a chef is remembered on the head tube of the frames he builds and his workshop’s name: Saffron Frameworks. Crocus Sativus was an often-used ingredient but these days he serves up light and tight dishes of Columbus XCr.

Fade To White: Saffron Frameworks Gradient Racer

Fade To White: Saffron Frameworks Gradient Racer

Spend more than a few years at something and you’ll inevitably start infusing it with your individual flavour — no matter how subtle — even if you’re producing the same product as everyone else. Since establishing Saffron Frameworks in 2009, Matthew Sowter’s portfolio has developed a distinctive personal style of excellent craftsmanship and distinct finishes,…

Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

Saffron Frameworks XV Vulcan

The 2016 The Spoken Custom Bicycle Calendar became available for sale yesterday. The cover is adorned with a photo of an inside fork leg, painted…

Saffron Frameworks Polychromie

The Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier was once quoted as saying “The house is a machine for living” — an insight into his somewhat totalitarian philosophies.…

Saffron Frameworks Welsh Road

When it comes to bicycle design and fabrication, Matthew Sowter of London’s Saffron Frameworks is definitely a free thinker. He produces some of the most…