Keith Coppell Lo-Pro (80's content)

How 80’S is this! I purchased this direct from Keith’s daughter Paula some months ago. This was Keith’s lo-pro (K1389 frame number). One of a very limited number he made so in that regard and it’s paint-scheme, it’s a rare beast. Certainly gets lots of attention as would any bike that's pink & green. It had barely been ridden, no rim wear at all, brake blocks are brand new, freewheel is straight out the box.

I’ve changed the cables and brake outers from black to green and added my own pedals & bottle cage but apart from a clean it’s as I bought it. The tubulars are on their last breaths, cracked and don't hold air for more than 36 hours so they’ll get changed when I can find a matching 24” & 700c pair.

The saddle is a wreck – a San Marco Ergo in day-glow yellow. Not easy to find a replacement but as & when I find something suitably fluro i'll replace it.

The component list is real eclectic mix, but a lovely mix all the same. Highlights for me are the Royce Racing hubs, they are sublime. Rims are Mavic CX18’s. It has TA Tevano Strada cranks & rings with matching BB. Headset is Edco Competition with 3TTT Criterium stem & bars. Bars are simply upturned and cut. Brakes / Levers are Dia Compe AGC-300. Gearing is via Shimano 6400 Tricolor but with a Suntour Cyclone MK2 front. Block is Sachs Maillard 7-speed. An eclectic mix that’s for sure, covering a decade (late 70’s to 80’s) and that’s all part of its charm I reckon.

Ride is superb, although for obvious reasons this isn’t an all-day rider! No idea what the tubing is but it’s super light and noticeably thin – the width of the tubing at the seat lugs is ridiculously thin. Great fun to ride and surprisingly comfy, when I fancy a quick spin somewhere this bike generally gets the nod.

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Love it. I would stick with single colour pink or green bar tape (sam for the saddle), but that's just me. It's a great looking bike.

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Must admit it's the first time i'd seen a bike with two different colours applied to a set of bars, but then again there can't be too many bikes that are different colours dependent on which side of it you happen to be standing!

Reckon a green concor saddle might be the ticket, the saddle at the moment rather ruins it me thinks. Not so happy to shell out £60+ on a re-issue saddle though :facepalm:

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Mercian have done it recently with the Paul Smith range. Yours looks better with the white in between though

Cripes, that's got a really wild drop on it!

Everything about it is so over the top, even for a lo-pro - I love it! The tape is great in my eyes too (just proving what we all know - you can't please all the people... )

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Weird as hell, but lovely!

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Looks really nice, truly a bike from the 80's. White Tape & Saddle I think Its plenty loud enough but looks great.

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Just looked up the Mercian Paul Smith - seems Mr Coppell was 30 years ahead of the game on that one.

The angle of the toptube does appear to be quite savage, but it's magnified by the 24" front wheel / forks. I think it would be extremely difficult to ride with, say, Mavic bullhorns or similar.

It is very OTT (much brighter in the flesh) but I think lo-pros are just great fun and stem from a time when frame builders had licence to go a bit bonkers. A trait somewhat lost on today's offerings.

I'm used to 70's short wheelbase TT bikes but I think I'd have a problem with keeping that straight on the A1 at Boroughbridge LOL

Shaun