Temple Adventure Disc 1| £3,195| 10.3 kg

Ed Westrop puts this range-topping, continent-crossing, go-anywhere, load-lugging adventure bike through its paces

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Right from the get-go, it's very clear what the Adventure Disc l's intentions are. A steel frame, made from Reynolds 725 tubing for strength and durability, paired with a steel fork, bomb-proof tyres and a generous array of mounting points delivers a multi-talented tank of a bike.

Frame

Handbuilt in Bristol, the heat-treated, butted Reynolds tubing fashions a frame with the timeless, signature look that Temple bikes are so well recognised for. Unlike typical steel road frames, the geometry here is slackened slightly for a more endurance-focused ride thanks to the generous 1,023 mm wheelbase, 71.5° head angle and 45mm fork offset. The top tube is slanted by a few degrees, offering better standover clearance and a more responsive ride. The frame leaves little to be desired in terms of mounting points, with eyelets for a rear rack, mudguards, three bottle cages and two eyelets per fork leg.

There are five colour options available, and as much as a block finish might seem a bit unimaginative, the ornate head badge, lugged fork and seat clamp detailing result in bikes of understated beauty. My only bugbear is the sticker logos on the frame. It's only noticeable up close, but they do feel like a pretty flimsy feature of an otherwise indestructible bike.

Build