At last year’s Concours de Machine event in France, Sebastien Klein won the Rookie award with his randonneur. He came home to establish Brevet Cycles and, fresh out of the blocks, his ‘V’ bike won two awards at the 2017 Bespoked UK Handmade Bicycle Show.
We’ve seen Sebastien’s work before, just not any of his frames. He photographs all of Caren Hartley’s bikes, but he’s also been wearing down his fingers, filing down some of the finest fillets on his own frames.
The ‘V’ is inspired by the French porteurs, but is very much a commuter for the English gentleperson. It’s a Columbus Zona-tubed work of elegance with a custom stem and a stainless bottle opener brazed to the rear dropout.
It’s equipped with the best drivetrain for the purpose: a Gates’ Carbon Belt and an 11-speed Shimano Alfine hub. The stainless front rack was built for a bag like the ILE Porteur bag and also holds the front light and routing for the Dynamo and mudguard.
Sebastien painted the frame in-house to match the leather reflective bar tape from Michaux Club, and mounted the rear light into the Brooks Cambium saddle. Gilles Berthoud stainless mudguards round out an ideal bike for London commuting.