Rainbow warrior

Javier Valiente of Amapola Cycles tells us about his multicoloured custom race machine

- Paddy Maddison

Variety, they say, is the spice of life. The world would be a boring place if we were all exactly alike, and if no two people are identical then why should any two bicycles be?

It’s this line of thinking that inspires Javier Valiente of Amapola Cycles to create his fully custom high-end steel bikes. Together with his partner Elena, he has spent the past six years creating stunning, one-of-a-kind machines for his customers and building a respected brand in the process. 

Created in Spain (Madrid to be precise), Amapola takes its name from the Spanish word for the poppy flower. Every spring, millions of them sprout across the Spanish countryside, and Valiente says they represent the resilience, refinement and brightness he wants his bikes to embody. 

Despite strong ties to Spain, the couple moved to the Netherlands in 2020 to give them greater international reach. Since then, Amapola has sold bikes in seven countries across Europe and North America.

Blending old and new

‘Bicycles have always been present in my life,’ says Valiente. ‘Since I was a child I have been repairing and customising bikes myself. I used to ride BMX and mountain bikes, which allowed me to explore all kinds of terrain. Back then, the most important quality in bikes for me was that they were tough enough to withstand the use I gave them, which was quite extreme. I think this is partly why nowadays I choose to make steel bicycles with a strong focus on durability.’