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Dial Triple O: Sven Cycles’ Newton Trike

Dial Triple O: Sven Cycles' Newton Trike

The Sven Cycles team love a challenge — although they might only agree through gritted teeth. They’re intent on pushing the definition of what it means to be a custom frame builder. Just have a look at their latest accomplishment: a classy Newton trike.

Dial Triple O: Sven Cycles' Newton Trike

Commonly referred to as a tadpole trike, the formidable brief came from a customer that had limited use of the right-hand side of his body and poor balance. Others would’ve dismissed the order to the too-hard basket, but it was duly accepted by the Sven crew.

Dial Triple O: Sven Cycles' Newton Trike

In all, the order took twelve months and one day from placing the order to completion, which might seem like a long time but, like their Forager Bike and Swift eBike, it was truly excellently executed.

Dial Triple O: Sven Cycles' Newton Trike

Sven’s Andrew ‘Mog’ Mogford is a secret mathematical nerd and spent a solid three days holed up at his mum’s house over the 2017 Christmas season, studying Ackermann steering geometry; or: how to make two linked wheels trace two different radii.

Dial Triple O: Sven Cycles' Newton Trike

Once the design was nutted out, Steve fabricated the frame out of Reynolds 853 and 921 tubes, with cables for the Rohloff hub and Hope discs neatly routed internally. A pair of 650b wheels were laced up with custom Phil Wood wheelchair hubs and Compass tires.

Dial Triple O: Sven Cycles' Newton Trike

A local sailmaker made the front luggage compartment, and a custom carbon fender was created for the rear wheel. Sven created the front rack also. Lighting is courtesy of two helmet lights with custom brackets that handily turn with the wheels.

Dial Triple O: Sven Cycles' Newton Trike

The Sven team have had to repair and modify a few expensive specialized bikes over the years, all of them badly made with cheap components, but this would have to be the most supremely built specimen for individual needs.

Oh, the cranks have since been replaced with a pair of custom anodized Middleburn units, just to top it all off.

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Dial Triple O: Sven Cycles' Newton Trike