Temple Adventure Disc 2 long-term review – update two

Temple's Adventure Disc 2 gravel bike is designed to be equally at home on transcontinentals, bikepacking holidays and weekend road rides. After testing the bike out on a 100km excursion to Dorset, this time Gary finds out how it copes with a gravel loop in the New Forest

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Having been sceptical about wider tyres, lower pressures and tubeless, I’m now an ardent convert to all three after an intoxicating woodland ride that saw the Temple Adventure Disc 2 at its brilliant, versatile best.

When I picked up the Temple on that first happy spring afternoon, it sported 35mm Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres – capable performers that I’ve never had any complaints about. 

However, when venturing off-road on my stylish steel-framed gravel steed, I found the ride too firm. I also nearly suffered the indignity of stacking it in a churchyard on my morning commute, leaning into a loose-stoned corner at white-knuckle velocity. 

BikeRadar deputy editor Jack Luke had been holding court about the new WTB Vulpine S – and I would trust his cycling opinion with my life, so I made a few calls and readied my tyre levers. 

WTB’s fastest gravel tyres sport a smooth-rolling centre line and tightly packed side knobs designed to provide enhanced cornering grip on all surfaces. 

Jack also volunteered to set them up for me, for the princely sum of one vegan sausage roll, and the 15-minute tubeless installation using WTB's own sealant was a breeze. 

Fun in the Forest

Eager to test out my new rubber, I packed the Temple into my van and headed for the New Forest's 40km Three Villages Circular gravel loop. 

The route mixed up the hardpacked stone and puddles of the old Southampton to Dorchester railway line, undulating forest trails that stirred memories of a previous ride through the Columbia River Gorge in America's Pacific Northwest and a few linking tarmac sections. 

With my new 40mm tubeless tyres dropped to 40psi, the Adventure Disc 2 made more sense than ever, smoothing the way when the terrain got hostile, yet sacrificing little to no speed on the road. 

Furthermore, the hand fatigue I'd felt through the bar had been banished by the lower pressures, wider tubeless tyres and Fizik gel inserts under my bar tape.

Immersed in the blissful quietude of the forest, flanked by towering oak and ash, with the occasional deer or pony for company, I felt I’d found the best version of this excellent bike. 

The ride is significantly more comfortable on gravel than when running the Schwalbes with inner tubes at 50psi. Meanwhile, the lower pressures – in tandem with that quality wide-range Shimano 105 gearing – helped drag me through deep shingle as I struggled up the few off-road climbs I encountered.

Emerging from this verdant paradise and onto some of the most pristine roads I’ve seen in the UK, I rolled contentedly between villages, marvelling again at how well the Temple gathers and maintains pace. The ride position felt ideally balanced between comfort and briskness and the Brooks saddle already seems to have moulded to the shape of my bony derrière.

I paused momentarily in the New Forest’s bucolic capital, Lynhdurst, to drain a cortado and pondered an impulse vinyl purchase from Black Star Records before reluctantly accepting it would be unlikely to survive the ride. I’ve added record-friendly bikepacking bags to my Christmas list.

Last days of summer

My escapade in the woods epitomised the purpose the Adventure Disc 2 is designed for – taking your time and enjoying the ride. This is a bike built for savouring your surroundings rather than hammering past them, head-down, before boring the will to live out of anyone who’ll listen to your Strava stats.    

Alas, that idyllic afternoon in Hampshire signalled the end of my summer with the Temple and it’s time for more mundane, sodden commuting duty.

In readiness, I’ve installed a set of 45mm SKS Bluemels mudguards and – with their sleek matt-black finish – they’ve done nothing to detract from the bike’s suave appearance.

They’ll be keeping me dry this winter while I cycle to work and dream up some new adventures for the Temple and I in 2025. 

Previous updates follow…

Temple Adventure Disc 2 – update one

Halfway up East Harptree, with Chew Lake sparkling invitingly far below, a satisfying thought crystalised: I was on the right bike for the job.

Having collected Temple’s Adventure Disc 2 gravel bike a week previously, its first test was a 110km ride from Bristol to Dorset, with my friend and fellow Temple owner Max. 

The 1,400 metres of climbing would include one of the toughest ascents in the Mendip Hills and we’d cross the flat expanses of the Somerset Levels before a final battle with Dorset’s foreboding topography. 

Showing no mercy to these two under-confident commuter cyclists, touring royalty Jack Luke had supplied an Expert-level Komoot route designed to avoid major roads. With energy gels, a banana and a puncture-repair kit loaded into my Temple bar bag and my phone sitting in a Quad Lock mount for navigation purposes, we headed towards Chew Valley. 

The mix of gruelling climbs, scintillating descents and craggy gravel seemed the ideal workout for a bike designed to exist closer to the bikepacking and touring corner of the gravel universe than the racing one.

My only previous 100km ride was two years ago, on an urban hybrid. While I reached my destination, I spent plenty of time out of the saddle or pushing my way up climbs and would struggle to say I enjoyed the experience. I wanted to see how much difference a quality gravel bike could make.

Fools on the hill

An hour into this merciless endurance test, we were staring up at East Harptree. By the top, panting like Spaniels on the beach, it was clear how well-equipped the Temple is for long-distance adventures. 

While the climb was the hardest I’ve encountered, the Temple excelled, its smooth-shifting Shimano 105 groupset – with a sub-1:1 low gear – enabling me to stay almost entirely seated and spin to the top.

Soon, we were rolling past the towering redwoods of Stockhill Woods before arrowing down Bristol Hill towards the imposing Gothic splendour of Wells Cathedral. With freehubs singing and eyes watering in the wind, our grins broadened as the Adventure 2 flexed its muscles. 

Approaching 40mph, the connection with the road felt rock-solid, the steering calm and assured. Shimano’s powerful brakes encouraged me to transcend the comfort zone of someone who spends 90 per cent of his time on a bike riding to work or the pub. 

After lunch in Glastonbury, where we declined a mystic named Taurus Eagle Blue Cloud’s offer to realign our chakras, the Somerset Levels posed a different challenge. As the early-summer heat intensified, the flat-tarmac monotony threatened to sap our stamina. 

However, with Glastonbury Tor shrinking in our wake, the Temple ploughed on. Sitting on this well-specced gravel bike, the step up from anything I’d ridden previously seemed huge. I began to believe I could turn the pedals all day – and I'd need to.

Welcome to Dorset 

A brief encounter with the fumes and fury of the A37 dented morale, but as we passed the beatific Sutton Bingham reservoir, cormorants and a lone sailboat bobbing on the surface, all was well in our world. 

As slumbering villages and enticing pubs welcomed us to Dorset, the Temple gobbled up further opportunities to demonstrate its climbing prowess. 

Even after six hours of sweaty graft, the Brooks saddle remained comfortable. My only minor gripe concerns the bar tape, which left my hands feeling a little beaten-up. 

Rather than throwing away barely used tape, though, I’ve since fitted a set of Fizik Performance Bar Grip gel inserts. These squishy bananas sit beneath the leather bar tape, providing a little bump-taming cushioning.

Those inserts would have been handy as we smashed through the rock garden of the Bridport Branch gravel route, nearing our destination. 

However, my decision to drop the tyre pressures to 50psi for the ride damped the initial harshness I’d felt from the steel frame and fork, and seemed a good compromise for the balance of road and gravel we covered.

It was still a slightly rattly ride over the most aggressive terrain, but then the 35mm Schwalbe G-One Allround lies at the road-going end of the gravel tyres spectrum and something wider would no doubt help here. Further tyre experiments will follow.

Back on the tarmac, we crossed the gently babbling River Asker, a couple more comely pubs issued their siren songs, and at last, we were freewheeling joyously down the final stretch towards the campsite.

Watches stopped, hugs exchanged and frosty pints in hand, we’d made it, and I'd learnt why for so many people the one bike to do it all is a well-built gravel bike.

Cooling off in the shade, the versatile, retro-cool Adventure Disc 2 had proved itself over 110 arduous kilometres – it was the right bike for the job.

Temple Adventure Disc 2 specification and details

While Temple’s Classic touring bikes are manufactured from Reynolds 520 steel, the Adventure Disc range gets an upgrade to higher-tier 725 tubes.

Bikes are built to order and hand-assembled in Bristol, with the frames powder-coated 40 miles away in Cardiff and the ornate Temple badge that adorns the head tube hand-crafted by Geoff Moorhouse.

Temple has recently switched the Adventure Disc 2 from 11-speed to 12-speed Shimano 105. It gets a 50-34 crankset and a wide-range 11-36 cassette designed to make tackling even the steepest climbs manageable – fun, even.

Hunt provides its hand-built 4 Season All-Road wheelset, with the British brand saying the 700c wheels are optimised for tyres between 25mm and 35mm, but able to accommodate up to 50mm. The Adventure Disc 2 has clearance for up to 45mm tyres.

My bike came supplied with 35mm Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres, with inner tubes, although tubeless is an option at purchase. An upgrade to 38mm Panaracer GravelKings with tanwalls, as fitted on the Adventure Disc 1, is also available. A full list of spec options is available on the brand's website.

The handmade Brooks B17 leather saddle comes with a 10-year guarantee and is designed to mould to your unique derrière over time.

Temple’s own polished alloy handlebar, stem and seatpost complete the timeless aesthetic. The Adventure Disc 2 is certainly a looker.

There are mounts for mudguards and a pannier rack, as well as on the fork, down tube and seat tube, but not for a top tube bag. My bike came with two bottle cages and biodegradable Temple-branded bottles.

It was also supplied with a Temple bar bag, in black, although other suitably urbane colours such as Burnt Orange and Aegean Blue are available. Temple also sells pannier bags, saddle bags and snack bags for your bikepacking delectation.

The Adventure Disc 2 is available in Lichen Green, Racing Green, Slate Blue and Lunar Sand. All are tastefully understated and, after substantial deliberation, I opted for Lichen Green.

My size-medium bike has a claimed weight of 10.6kg, without pedals.

A panel on the down tube, near the junction with the seat tube, tells me my bike was assembled in Bristol, by Paul. Thanks Paul.

Temple Adventure Disc 2 full specification

• Weight: 10.6kg (no pedals, Temple Bristol Saddle & foam bar wrap; Brooks B17 and leather bar wrap adds 400g)
• Frame: Temple Adventure Disc Reynolds 725 
• Fork: Temple Adventure Disc Fork 4130
• Headset: Temple Sealed Cartridge 
• Shifter: Shimano 105 R7170 12-speed
• Rear derailleur: Shimano 105 R7100 12-speed
• Front derailleur: Shimano 105 R7100
• Crankset: Shimano 105 R7100 50-34
• Cassette: Shimano 105 11-36T 12-speed
• Wheelset: Hunt 4 Season All-Road Disc
• Tyres: Schwalbe G-One AllRound TLE 700x35
• Brakes: Shimano 105 Hydraulic
• Bar/stem: Temple Polished
• Seatpost: Temple Polished
• Saddle: Brooks B17 Leather

Temple Adventure Disc 2 geometry

Temple’s aim with the Adventure Disc 2 was to “combine the best of classic and contemporary” geometry, producing a bike that can handle the conflicting demands of road and gravel riding.

The road groupset provides a hint about where in the wide gravel universe it pitches its tent and the geometry has been considered accordingly. The Adventure Disc 2 is designed to inspire confidence when you head off road, while steering clear of lumpen sluggishness on the asphalt for multi-day touring adventures.   

My size-medium bike has a wheelbase of 1,023mm, a relatively racy 71.5-degree head tube angle and 73-degree seat tube angle. The stack and reach are 571mm and 384mm respectively.

“We consider the Adventure Disc to be modern but tastefully restrained from excess, providing a bike that is confident but sharp-handling and equally happy on gravel or tarmac,” says Temple product manager Tom Bugler.

The Adventure Disc 2 comes in five sizes, from XS-XL, with my size-medium bike recommended for riders between 172 and 184cm.

Why did I choose this bike?

As the least experienced cyclist on the BikeRadar team, I don’t have the resources – or space in my kitchen – for multiple bikes. Oh, how I suffer. 

Therefore, I’m looking for one bike that can do everything I need, with as few compromises as possible. 

Most of the steeds I’ve swung a leg over have been urban hybrids or electric bikes and my first attempt at answering the above conundrum was the excellent Ribble Hybrid AL Leisure, which I spent more than a year riding as my long-term test bike.

However, while that stylish, well-equipped hybrid made my commuting life easy, its upright ride position, chunky tubes and SRAM NX Eagle groupset understandably saw me struggling to maintain the pace on longer road rides. I found the going particularly tough on the lung-shredding climbs we’re abundantly blessed with in the South West of England.

With one eye on finally making my bikepacking debut, I considered a touring bike. But if a do-it-all hybrid was my cycling gateway drug, a gravel bike seemed like the logical next step in developing my habit. 

High-quality wide-range gearing, hand-built 700c wheels, a robust steel frame and plentiful mounts, coupled with Temple’s refined aesthetic, made the Adventure Disc 2 feel like a natural fit.

And I don’t mind saying, as a child of the 80s who likes records, newspapers and other analogue treasures, I found Temple’s ‘timeless vintage’ ethos alluring.

No doubt there are gravel bikes with carbon forks that would meet my needs at a lower price point, or with a lighter weight than the Temple’s 10.6kg. But I think there's more to life than those black-and-white considerations.

Just as I’ll willingly pay more for a craft quencher at one of Bristol’s burgeoning independent breweries than a pint of mass-produced lager, I’m sold on the notion of a bike for life, hand-assembled by the company down the road. 

Call me an insufferable hipster, if you like, I’m fine with it.

Temple Adventure Disc 2 initial setup

Temple’s Ashton Vale facility is only a couple of miles from my house, so I jumped at the chance to visit the place where the brand’s bikes are assembled.

My Adventure Disc 2 was ready to collect, with Matt and the team performing a few last-minute micro-adjustments to my preferences.

The size-medium bike was a good fit for my 5ft 10in height, although I’ve since dropped the saddle slightly to eradicate some initial minor back aches.

I opted for flat pedals because I still live in fear of clipping in and my bike needs to perform plenty of commuting and taproom-touring duties.

I also chose to have the Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres fitted with inner tubes despite the compelling argument in favour of tubeless tyres on a gravel bike. 

I continue to run scared of tubeless after a disastrous, fleeting experiment last Christmas. I will overcome my fear at some point, I promise.

Two bottle cages had already been mounted and Temple threw in a pair of its 0.5-litre bottles, made from biodegradable plastic.

The supplied Temple bar bag was strapped to the handlebar using its magnetic fastenings and ready to house a spare inner tube, tyre levers, multi-tool and copious quantities of flapjack.

I opted to wait to install mudguards until after a long, hilly road ride I’ve got planned. It has since become clear that I am inherently foolish.

Temple Adventure Disc 2 ride impressions

My early rides on the Adventure Disc 2 have been revelatory. While I enjoy the simplicity of a flat-bar hybrid, longer, undulating rides had started to feel like spirit–sapping chores.

Step forward my first gravel bike. 

The Temple’s ride position feels well pitched between comfortable and purposeful. Generating and maintaining momentum is so much easier than I’m accustomed to, with quality wheels and a top-class road groupset on my side.

Shifting is of the highest quality, even under duress, and the 105 levers feel smooth and sleek in my hands.

Aside from my daily rumble to work, which comprises around 70 per cent tarmac and 30 per cent broken glass, my first meaningful sojourn on the handsome Temple was a 30km blast around the rolling Chew Valley, south of Bristol. 

The bike’s speed on the flat, the minimal fuss with which it dispatched climbs and the reassuring power of the 105 braking left me with the smug feeling I was on a bike a level above anything I’d ridden before. 

On a brief gravel ride that took in a craggy towpath and as much mud (but fewer fragrant cigarettes) as my first Glastonbury in the 90s, the Temple remained largely confident. The 35mm tyres were only ever out of their depth in the slippery gloop.

When barrelling over loose gravel and hitting bigger bumps, the ride from the steel frame and fork felt on the firm side. However, I’ve since dropped my tyre pressures slightly with positive results and will continue experimenting until I find a sweet spot.

I was warned the Brooks saddle might give me a rough ride until it had been ‘worn in’, but thus far I’ve found it a comfortable place to sit and spin. I look forward to seeing its patina shift as it weathers and ages more gracefully than I do.

My only issue of note is the bar tape. While an attractive deep chestnut shade, it's pretty unforgiving and has left the heels of my delicate editing hands a little fatigued. 

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Temple Adventure Disc 2 upgrades 

One of the most pressing upgrades I plan is wrapping the Temple handlebar in something more comfortable. I’ve begun studying BikeRadar’s list of the best bar tape in earnest.

As a relentlessly wet spring has segued into an only slightly less sodden early summer in the UK, my decision to wait until autumn to install a set of mudguards on the Adventure Disc 2 has looked increasingly naïve. 

I’ve already splattered the Temple’s handsome paintjob, my backpack, the bar bag and my clothes with several litres of fetid puddle water. So mudguards are incoming.

While I’m there, a rack for pannier bags is a must as I test the Temple’s commuting credentials more thoroughly.

I’ll also be considering my tyre options. I’ve got plenty of experience with the dependable Schwalbes from my previous long-termer, so I'm keen to try some alternatives. The conflicting priorities of puncture resistance and quicker rolling speed are jostling for my attention as ever.

Temple founder Matt swears by the Panaracer Pasela and I’ll be perusing our list of the best gravel tyres for the elusive answer. Having revealed my hipster tendencies above, they will of course have to be tanwall tyres, too (sorry Oscar).

Dare I return to the world of tubeless after my previous ill-fated experiment? My head and heart both say no, but we shall see.

Finally, inspired by the sanity-questioning escapades of my BikeRadar comrades, I feel confident this is the bike to help me give bikepacking a go. A lightweight tent that I can strap to the Temple’s top tube goes on the list.

• Buy the Temple Adventure Disc 2 direct from Temple Cycles