Temple Light Tourer build project, winter 2023.

[All uphill]

This started a year ago when I realised that my two beloved bikes are both heavy and steady, and that I was missing something nimble and light.

In December 2022 I bought a lightly used Felt F75 which is properly light but never gets used. I guess it's an image thing - I don't feel comfortable as an older man on a sporty black bike.

So the original plan was to use some of the good bits from the Felt (105, carbon fork and seatpost) to build a modern bike on an old steel frame.

Hours on ebay yielded lots of temptation, but nothing quite right.

Then along came @wafter with details of Temple's 30% off deal. An additional £25 voucher from Temple had me ordering a British Racing Green lightweight frame and fork yesterday for £343.

Lots of thinking and I have a plan. Sell the Felt complete - it's too good to break. Build the Temple with bar end shifters, use lots of parts I already have, using silver components throughout to end up with a 10 to 11kg bike suitable for days out locally, including ventures into hilly Devon.

Let's see how that plan works out.

 

[EltonFrog]

I shall be following this thread with interest.

 

[wafter]

Excellent work

FWIW I'd concur with your choices; shame to break the Felt and IMO placcy forks have no place on a steel frame. I too went through a similar thought process about building something else up with bar end shifters, although I think given a blank sheet I'd still be looking at an STI-based setup.

Have you considered R7000 105? Being the outgoing model there are some reasonable deals about (although nothing as cheap as the £300ish I recall it bottoming out at some time ago, currently) and the build could be a nice swansong for the last rim-brake-equipped mid-tier groupset.

Will be watching with interest regardless

 

[All uphill]

Excellent work

FWIW I'd concur with your choices; shame to break the Felt and IMO placcy forks have no place on a steel frame. I too went through a similar thought process about building something else up with bar end shifters, although I think given a blank sheet I'd still be looking at an STI-based setup.

Have you considered R7000 105? Being the outgoing model there are some reasonable deals about (although nothing as cheap as the £300ish I recall it bottoming out at some time ago, currently) and the build could be a nice swansong for the last rim-brake-equipped mid-tier groupset.

Will be watching with interest regardless

R7000 is a good idea subject to three things - Temple recommend deep drop brakes, I'd need to find the rare silver version and I'd need long cage to achieve "Devon" gears. (Or maybe its just my weak legs).

 

[ianrauk]

Love these type of posts. Lots of pics please when you undertake the build.

 

[T4tomo]

R7000 is a good idea subject to three things - Temple recommend deep drop brakes, I'd need to find the rare silver version and I'd need long cage to achieve "Devon" gears. (Or maybe its just my weak legs).

Temple have suitable brakes in their component sale and also a nice silver triple crankset? find yourself some dura ace bar end shifters and your getting there. A triple will be better for hills as you can get a low climbing gears for Devon hills without ridiculous (and expensive) cassette that needs a high capacity RD.

 

[All uphill]

Temple have suitable brakes in their component sale and also a nice silver triple crankset? find yourself some dura ace bar end shifters and your getting there. A triple will be better for hills as you can get a low climbing gears for Devon hills without ridiculous (and expensive) cassette that needs a high capacity RD.

They do have some lovely shiny stuff at great prices. Once I have the frame I can start buying bits; I have a Spa triple that may work.

 

[raleighnut]

As @ianrauk says we need piccies.

 

[All uphill]

As @ianrauk says we need piccies.

Your command is my wish.

Frame's only just been ordered, so not here yet.

Digging around in the garage I have found this lot.

Some barely used silver wheels.
A Madison brown saddle.
A pair of ordinary pedals.
A Spa triple 48/38/28, outer ring is black
Spare silver rings 42 and 22.
An Acera derailleur.
A 27.2 silver seatpost.

I have a Brooks B17 spare, but that's too heavy for this build. I also have a 9 speed 11-34 cassette.

Bids are in on some bar end shifters.

Still need bars, bar tape, bottom bracket, front derailleur, maybe a better RD, tyres (this bike is not having the spare pair of Marathons).

 

[All uphill]

Oh and I suppose I should have brake calipers and levers.

 

[All uphill]

Brake calipers and levers ordered from Temple. The Tektro 341 levers were £15 the pair in their sale with free delivery!

As usual with my builds I am going a bit too fast, perhaps missing some ideas; so far I haven't fallen into the trap of making this bike like my two others - big heavy tyres, big heavy saddle, too much baggage. There's still plenty of time

 

[All uphill]

Had some luck today with this project.

I popped into our local bicycle recycling project and lots of digging through boxes of shifters resulted in a scruffy pair of dura ace bar end shifters for £5.

I checked if that was enough and was told they had been there for a couple of years.

Now I just need the frame to arrive.

 

[wafter]

Nice to see this is coming on; I see they still have a healthy stock of Adventure Disc frames...

 

[All uphill]

Nice to see this is coming on; I see they still have a healthy stock of Adventure Disc frames...

Dealing with Temple in Bristol is a bit of an adjustment after getting used to the blokes at Spa in Yorkshire.

Can you guess which is which?

A You don't want that, you want this.
B Yes
C No

A Want to explore the world? We strongly recommend the outstanding features of xxx.
B I'm delighted to let you know that this will be our pleasure.
C We know how eager you are and I'm genuinely sorry that, due to the incredibly high volume of sales you will have to wait a little longer.

 

[All uphill]

The frame and fork arrived today!

I've given it a close inspection and it appears to be perfect. Communication has been good and the packaging was excellent. It was noticeable that almost no plastic was used.

I Inow have lots of little jobs to do while I wait for my son to complete his respray of his Carrera ebike in the garage.

Green spoke nipples are on their way which will bring up the silver wheels a bit.