E-bikes are growing in popularity, but often, they are carbon copies of each other. Well, a crew from the UK, Temple Cycles, is here to show off their classic spin on a modern machine.
Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve all seen neighborhoods flooded with e-bikes that look the same, even if they’re from different brands: talk more about it in a later article. And so, in the spirit of finding something that stood out from everyone else on the market, I came to Temple Cycles.
If this name sounds familiar, it could be because we have covered their work before, but this time, it is their line of e-bikes that we are going to dive into, and for good reason: these babies come with a classic. and a timeless look, but they are powered by some of the best technologies on the market. Just be warned, they are not cheap, with the step-through and step-over versions coming with a price starting at £3,985, so a little over $5,000 (at current exchange rates).
Now, the two machines you see in the image gallery are equipped with the same components, and the only real difference is the frame style. But even the step through is not a complete step; it still has a top tube, although it sits much lower on the seat tube. I like how the top tube it has a slight MTB look.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of steps, although I understand their safety and comfort appeal. So, I will focus the rest of this article’s attention on the step-over version. Be sure to compare and contrast the two bikes with the images in the gallery.
In general, Temple chose nothing more than 6061 aluminum to give life to these two bikes, which, if you know how to roll in general, this equipment is a divergence from the Reynolds steel that they usually use. Why the change? While the manufacturer does not tell us why, it could be due to the presence of the mid-mounted motor and the battery integrated in the downtube.
The presence of these systems changes the dynamics of a frame depending on the building block (basic material) used to bring it to life. Aluminum is also a way to reduce the overall weight of a bike, an important aspect to consider when building an electric bike. After all, these are urban bikes, and as such, they must be manoeuvrable.
Speaking of weight, the heaviest of the two versions is the step-over, which comes with a weight of about 19 kg (42 lbs), which, if we consider that there is a mid-mounted engine added to this thing, and a battery. pack, not to mention the wires and gears, which is not bad.
Photo: Temple Cycles
As for those precious electronics, I loved the fact that Temple didn’t just want to offer the general public an e-bike that they could use for a year or two and then throw out the window. No, they chose to create a frame with a mid-drive; It’s what you want if you’re looking for it power, durability and control.
As for the manufacturer that Temple chose to go with, Bafang is the equipment, and before you start losing your cookies for that name, consider that Bafang is one of the grandfathers of this industry, and since I have tried his first gear, I can say for sure that you will not have problems with the M420 engine. However, it is limited to a top speed of only 25 kph (15.5 mph).
It spits out a peak of 80 Nm (59 lb-ft) of torque and runs under 250 W, so there’s power to take on everything your city throws at you, and you don’t need to recharge your battery after every journey A battery with 504 Wh is provided by Samsung and, with the engine, can reach a peak range up to 120 km (75 mi). That’s huge!
Photo: Temple Cycles
Now, cities are rarely perfect, and an important feature to note about these bikes is that they are tuned to run 38mm tires. This, for me, is one of those tire sizes that is not too big, not too small, but just right. It’s small enough to let you pick up some serious speed, but it’s also big enough to smooth out some of the bumps the road throws at you. You might even be able to hit the occasional hard dirt road.
Finally, my favorite part of these two bikes is their ability to accommodate cargo racks. Why is it so important? Well, first of all, with charging racks, you can leave the car at home for light trips to the grocery or pharmacy, even to work, but come the weekend, everything changes.
On Saturday morning, before the sun even breaks the horizon, load yours EV with things like water, snacks and food, and after reuniting with the rest of the gang, aim for the outskirts of the city, camp out at night and get away from the day. Oh, and you did it all without a drop of gas being used and it looked damn stylish. I think it’s time to get a new e-bike.
