Temple Cycles' Adventure Disc marries classic looks with huge versatility
Reynolds steel framed do-it-all drop bar bike
Temple Cycles new Adventure Disc is a classically styled, skinny steel tubed machine that's been designed to be as versatile as possible, with the intention of letting you tackle many surfaces and situations, whether that's touring, gravel, bikepacking or just plain old riding about.
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Based out of London and Bristol, Temple is a relative newcomer to the bike world, using a direct sales model that allows them to keep prices reasonable while still offering a personal touch and semi-custom spec options. This Adventure Disc is the product of two year's work with the end goal of creating a machine that can take you pretty much anywhere you want it to.
The bike uses Reynolds 725 steel tubing with a rather lovely straight bladed lugged steel fork to match. Temple has avoided using a carbon fibre fork on both aesthetic, practical and environmental reasons.
For a start, having a straight 1.125" steerer with conventional external cups means parts will be easy to find for years to come, no matter where you might be in the world. Not having a big tapered steerer and fat-legged carbon fork also means the front end is much more in keeping with the delicate tubing on the rest of the bike - and of course, steel is infinitely recyclable, unlike carbon fibre.
Temple-Cycles-Adventure-Disc-first-look-review-106.jpg, by Jon Woodhouse
Elsewhere, the bike is covered in rack, guard and bottle cage mounts, meaning it'll be happy doing full laden touring as it would be on a rough-road or towpath commute. It's a nice touch that there's even a mount that allows you to run a full-length guard while giving mech clearance for a triple chainset, just in case you want some serious low ratios for touring.
Temple are big on adaptability and versatility too, which is why their base spec choices include TRP Spyre cable discs - easy to repair, no matter where you are - and they also spec Brooks leather saddles which, they readily admit take more time to break in, but are likely to last a lifetime.
With clearance for 45mm tyres on a 700c rim or over 47mm on a 650b setup, it's also possible to tailor your rolling kit to what you might want to do, though 700c wheels shod in 35mm Schwalbe G-One All Round rubber is standard.
Fellow small British brand Hunt supply the 4 Seasons Gravel Disc wheelsets too, while 11-speed Shimano 105 is the base choice for drivetrains. You can spec guards, racks or even a Restrap or Brooks bag from stock and there are three different paint finishes and four sizes too.
As pictured, the Adventure Disc costs £1,650. For more details, head to the Temple Cycles site.
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