When I got the call from Matt at Temple Cycles, asking me if I would like to review one of their bikes, my brain was playing hopscotch to try and figure out if it was logistically possible. We’ve recently had some structural changes here at Cyclechic, moved offices and I am pregnant, so things have been a little chaotic.
However, Matt, Temple’s founder, seemed like a jolly nice chap and as soon as I had seen a photo of the bike in question, The Ladies Lightweight, my busy schedule and chaotic goings on paled into insignificance – this was a bike I wanted to give a spin.
It arrived promptly at my door and with a little help from our dog walker, Sam, also a trained mechanic, we got the front wheel, saddle and pedals on. If you are not terribly handy with a spanner, I would advise a bit of help assembling. You can call Matt and the team at Temple and they will give you plenty of step by step advice but sometimes getting a bike shop to do it and paying a small fee is worth it for the peace of mind.
The bike I am sent is light grey, the colour is sublime. It is also available in light green, slate blue or cream. A Farrow & Ball spectrum of beautiful, subtle shades. It retails at £695, not cheap but not silly money, and when you see it in the flesh/metal it very much feels worth that amount.
After I had finished admiring the bicycle in my garden, I decide to take it for a spin around my home town of Faversham, Kent. We moved here, out from London, a couple of years ago and have fallen in love with this Kentish gem of a market town. And despite the cobbles, it’s a beautiful town to cycle around, lots of quirky shops and historic buildings and more than its fair share of pubs.
Like many people, I don’t have the luxury of a secure place to park my bike outside my house. I live in a Victorian terrace so my bike has to come right through the house to be kept safe at night. So a key thing for me is how maneuverable a bike is and how easy to hoist it is in and out of my front door. This is where the Ladies Lightweight (the clue is in the name) wins massive brownie points. It is SO LIGHT. Temple pride themselves on this attribute and have got the weight down to 10kg without the quality of the components suffering a jot.
When I first got back into cycling (about 10 years ago) there was a trend toward the heavier Dutch-style bike but Temple Cycles seem to be part of a far more practical breed of bicycles, that still have vintage style and glamour, but are streamlined, lightweight and much easier to ride and get about the place.
The ride, like bike bike itself, is smooth. The wheels and tyres are very good quality and this counts for a lot, especially when you’re six months pregnant and those lumps and bumps on the road feel a little less forgiving. I don’t know what other cycling ladies feel but I am an advocate for cycling when pregnant. It’s often less strain than walking and carrying bags, or the awkward maneuver of getting in and out of the car, and the exercise can only be a good thing. With my first pregnancy I stopped at about eight months when I could feel my balance was going, but other than that I would say the bicycle is a pregnant lady’s friend. And the fact that the Ladies Lightweight has nine gears is a blessing. They are super-easy to adjust with a lever on the handlebar and the range and easy adjustment allows me to take on the hills without exhausting myself.
At Cyclechic we don’t get too technical when we review bikes. The big thing for us is how the bike makes you feel and I can safely say that cruising around town with this bike felt wonderful. Not only did it ride well but I met lots of people and the bike got more than it’s fair share of attention.
The first stop was the Faversham Hat shop. The bike looked rather delightful propped up outside so I took a quick snap and popped in for a look at the sumer hats. Nicky, who works in the shop, was admiring the bike and we were chatting away when a couple of customers came in. They perused the hats and then came over to ask how much the bike out the front was. A fanbase already and we’d only been out 10 minutes!
Next stop was my favourite florist in Faversham, Lotty’s Flowers. Charlotte who runs the shop is a keen cyclist herself and came out to admire the bike; Another photo opportunity as Charlotte and I have a quick chat about adding a dash of pink to my bridal bouquet. Charlotte, as always, comes up with the perfect flower choice and suggests some pink Gypsophila.
We then pootled along to the Yarn Dispensary. I have often enjoyed the wonderful window displays in this shop but as I don’t knit (yet) had never been in. I popped my head in to ask if I could take a quick pic, and Gillian, the owner, came out and immediately fell in love with the bike. You only have to set foot in this beautiful shop to see Gillian has a keen eye for colour, style and design. So I took it to be a complement indeed that her eyes lit up when she saw my new set of wheels. I couldn’t resist a photo against her gorgeous colourful yarns. Note to self: must start knitting so I can go in this shop more often.
Next stop, a couple of antique shops, a quick coffee and then back home. Getting my bike back in my house often results in some huffing and puffing but with the the super useful addition of a leather carry handle, you can lift the bike with very little strain. So I get the bike in the house really easily and couldn’t resist another quick photo as it seems this bike even goes with my sofa!
The only thing I missed was a kickstand but you can add this, along with a rear rack when you order the bike online at The Temple Cycles website.
So all in all, it’s fair to say I like this bike very muchly. The lightness is such an asset and the style and colour will literally have people stopping you in the street. Temple Cycles are a small, up-and-coming company based in Bristol and all the bikes are made in their workshop. If you are looking for a new set of wheels, and vintage style and ease are important to you, then this could be the bike for you.
You can buy the Temple Cycles Ladies Lightweight directly form their website or give them a call on 0117 403 2314.
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