Temple's Spin on the E-Bike Brings Classic Styling to Modern Standards but Isn't Cheap

Ladies and gents, we've all seen neighborhoods flooded with e-bikes that look the same, even though they're from different brands: we'll talk more about that in a later article. And so, in the spirit of finding something that stands apart from all others on the market, I've arrived at Temple Cycles.

If this name sounds familiar, it might be because we've covered their work before, but this time around, it's their e-bike lineup that we'll be diving into, and for a good reason: these babies come across with a classic and timeless look but are powered by some of the best tech on the market. Just be warned, they are not cheap, with both the step-through and step-over versions coming in with a price tag starting at £3,985, so a tad over $5,000 (at current exchange rates).

Now, both machines you see in the image gallery are fitted with the same components, and the only real difference is the frame style. But even the step-through isn't a full step-through; it still has a top tube, albeit sitting much lower on the seat tube. I do like how the top tube has a slight MTB look to it.

Personally, I'm not a big step-through fan, although I understand their safety and comfort appeal. So, I'll be focusing the rest of this article's attention on the step-over version. Be sure to compare and contrast both of these bikes with the images in the gallery.

Overall, Temple has chosen nothing more than 6061 aluminum to bring these two bikes to life, which, if you know how this crew typically rolls, is a divergence from the Reynolds steel they typically use. Why the change? While the manufacturer doesn't tell us why, it could be because of the presence of the mid-mounted motor and battery integrated into the downtube.

The presence of these systems changes the dynamics of a frame depending on the building block (base material) used to bring it to life. Aluminum is also a way to reduce a bike's overall weight, an important aspect to consider when building an e-bike. After all, these are urban bikes, and as such, need to be maneuverable.

Speaking of weight, the heaviest of the two versions is the step-over, coming in with a weight of around 19 kg (42 lbs), which, if we consider that there's a mid-mounted motor added to this thing, and a battery pack, not to mention wires and gearing, that's not bad at all.

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 toss out the window. No, they chose to create a frame with a mid-drive; it's what you want if you're looking for power, durability, and control.

As for the manufacturer that Temple chose to go with, Bafang is the crew, and before you start losing your cookies over that name, do consider that Bafang is one of the grandfathers of this industry, and since I've tested their gear before, I can safely say that you should have no issues with the M420 motor. It is, however, limited to a top speed of just 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 climb whatever your city throws at you, and it won't require that you recharge your battery after every ride. A battery with 504 Wh is provided by Samsung and, together with the motor, can attain a peak range of up to 120 km (75 mi). That's huge!

Now, cities are rarely perfect, and one important feature to note about these bikes is that they're tuned to run 38 mm tires. This, for me, is one of those tire sizes that isn't too big, nor too small, but just right. It's small enough to let you catch some serious speed, but it's also large enough to reduce some of the bumps the road throws your way. You might even be able to hit the occasional hard-pack dirt road.

Finally, my favorite part of these two bikes is their ability to accommodate cargo racks. Why is this so important? Well, first of all, with cargo racks, you'll be able to leave the car at home for light trips to the grocery store or pharmacy, even to work, but come the weekend, everything changes.

On Saturday morning, before the sun even breaks the horizon, you load up your EV with things like water, snacks, and food, and after meeting up with the rest of the gang, aim for the outskirts of town, camping out overnight and getting away from the quotidian. Oh, and you did it all without a drop of gas being used and looking damn stylish. I think it's time to get a new e-bike.