![]() It feels very balanced, with an easy-to-find sweet spot that makes it extremely intuitive to ride, especially when it comes to cornering. The reach isn't too long, the chainstays aren't too short, and the head angle isn't too slack – instead, everything works together to create the 'just right' ride characteristics that make a trail bike shine on a wide variety of terrain. That zippy nature it exhibited on the climbs carries over to the descents, especially when it comes to cornering or jumping.Ĭommencal didn't try to totally change the recipe when it come to modern trail bike geometry, and in this case that tactic paid off. 'Fun' is obviously one of those characteristics that should be present every time you're out mountain biking, it's just that with the Tempo there seems to be more of it to go around. That pretty much sums up my sentiments about this aluminum machine. In other words, it wouldn't be an easy (or affordable) task to try to dramatically reduce the number on the scale. What about the weight? The Tempo didn't feel overly heavy to me, and I'd rather have those 4-piston brakes and a 200mm dropper post than a lighter bike, but keep in mind that the 31.1 pound weight is with an X01 drivetrain and relatively light sub-1600 gram carbon wheels. The 125mm headtube length on the size large puts the bars in a good position without needing to resort to a bunch of spacers under the stem, and the fact that the bike is spec'd with a 40mm stem and higher rise bars is another bonus, since that's my ideal setup on pretty much all mountain bikes. Sure, dedicated XC riders and racers may still seek out that hunched over, chest to stem position, but I've found that my back and neck are much happier if I'm sitting fairly upright. The Tempo's geometry creates a nice and upright pedaling position, which I found to be very comfortable for rides of any duration. In other words, while it'll take the edge off obstacles while climbing, don't expect it to totally erase every small bump and undulation – it mutes them rather than completely smothers them. The Tempo strikes a good balance between efficiency and traction, although the scales are tipped a little more toward the efficiency side of things. I'd be tempted to call it a trail bike for riders that place a priority on the climbs.except that it's a blast on the downhills too. Compared to longer, slacker bikes where you need to swing wide to navigate awkward switchbacks, the Tempo's happiest taking the inside line, following a tight, precise arc on its way upwards. It's also a very energetic climber, which will be a welcome trait to anyone coming off of a longer travel machine with more subdued pedaling manners. It has a satisfying snappiness that rewards hard pedaling efforts, especially on rolling terrain where the bike can be pumped and pushed to maintain that momentum. ![]() No matter which direction the trail points the Tempo is fast, or at least feels fast, my preferred characteristic in a bike like this. A rubber plug that's located in the middle of the downtube protector can be removed to gain access to the inside of the frame in order to make housing swaps easier. That part of the routing aside, the housing runs through the downtube, with rubber foam sheaths installed to keep the noise down. ![]() ![]() It also has a universal derailleur hanger, which means it’s compatible with SRAM’s recently released electronic drivetrain.Īnd then there's the thru-headset cable routing, which I'll get into more in the Technical Report of this review. ![]() There's also plenty of room for a long travel dropper post – the larger sizes come with posts with 200 mm of drop, the medium sizes receive a 175 mm post, and the small gets a 150 mm dropper. There's plenty of room for a water bottle, and two bolts on the underside of the top tube that can be used to secure a tube or tool holder. The one-piece swingarm is connected to the front triangle by two co-rotating links, and expanding collets are used at most of the pivot points to help keep everything snug and secure. The Tempo's aluminum frame has a low slung look to it, with a slight bend in the middle of the top tube that doesn't bother me, but might raise the hackles of fans of straight lines. ![]()
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