Review: 2023 Commencal Tempo LTD
Commencal's best known for their downhill bikes and beefy enduro rigs, so it was a bit of a surprise when images started appearing of a short travel option at the end of last year. There were rumors that it was going to be a dedicated XC machine, an aluminum steed to take on the sea of carbon race bikes, but those speculations ended up being a little off the mark.
Instead, the Tempo is a trail bike through and through, with 29” wheels, 125mm of rear travel, and a 140mm fork. It's the first bike from the Andorran company to feature their new Virtual Contact System suspension design, a dual-link layout that's a departure from the linkage-driven single pivot that had long been used for their trail and enduro bikes.
Instead, the Tempo is a trail bike through and through, with 29” wheels, 125mm of rear travel, and a 140mm fork. It's the first bike from the Andorran company to feature their new Virtual Contact System suspension design, a dual-link layout that's a departure from the linkage-driven single pivot that had long been used for their trail and enduro bikes.
Tempo Details
• Wheel size: 29"
• Aluminum frame
• Travel: 125mm (r) / 140mm fork
• 65.5º head angle
• 76.6º seat tube angle
• 440mm chainstays (size L)
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Weight: 31.1 lb / 14.1 kg (size L)
• Price: $6,200 USD
• commencal.com
• Wheel size: 29"
• Aluminum frame
• Travel: 125mm (r) / 140mm fork
• 65.5º head angle
• 76.6º seat tube angle
• 440mm chainstays (size L)
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL
• Weight: 31.1 lb / 14.1 kg (size L)
• Price: $6,200 USD
• commencal.com
 | '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. |
Frame Details
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. 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.
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. 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. It also has a universal derailleur hanger, which means it’s compatible with SRAM’s recently released electronic drivetrain.
And then there's the thru-headset cable routing, which I'll get into more in the Technical Report of this review. That part of the routing aside, the housing runs through the downtube, with rubber foam sheaths installed to keep the noise down. 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.
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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. 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.
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. 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. It also has a universal derailleur hanger, which means it’s compatible with SRAM’s recently released electronic drivetrain.
And then there's the thru-headset cable routing, which I'll get into more in the Technical Report of this review. That part of the routing aside, the housing runs through the downtube, with rubber foam sheaths installed to keep the noise down. 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.
Geometry & Sizing
The Tempo's geometry numbers are fairly typical for a modern, short travel trail bike. If anything, the reach numbers are a tiny bit shorter than what's become the norm, measuring 470mm for a size large.
The head tube angle is 65.5-degrees, and the seat tube angle is 76.6-degrees; again, moderation rather than anything that would raise an eyebrow. The chainstay length varies depending on the size – it's 435mm on the small and medium bikes, and 440mm on the large and XL.
It's interesting to see that Commencal chose to spec forks with 51mm of offset, rather than going down the reduced offset path. Offset was the hot topic a few years ago, but more recently seems to have been relegated to the back burner. It turns out that it's not too hard to adapt to either 'regular' or 'reduced' offset – in my mind, it's not worth losing sleep over how much offset the fork on your current or future bike has.
![photo]()
The Tempo's geometry numbers are fairly typical for a modern, short travel trail bike. If anything, the reach numbers are a tiny bit shorter than what's become the norm, measuring 470mm for a size large.
The head tube angle is 65.5-degrees, and the seat tube angle is 76.6-degrees; again, moderation rather than anything that would raise an eyebrow. The chainstay length varies depending on the size – it's 435mm on the small and medium bikes, and 440mm on the large and XL.
It's interesting to see that Commencal chose to spec forks with 51mm of offset, rather than going down the reduced offset path. Offset was the hot topic a few years ago, but more recently seems to have been relegated to the back burner. It turns out that it's not too hard to adapt to either 'regular' or 'reduced' offset – in my mind, it's not worth losing sleep over how much offset the fork on your current or future bike has.
Suspension Design
The Tempo's leverage ratio is progressive until around the 105mm mark, at which point it becomes regressive for the remaining 20mm of travel. That makes it best suited to an air shock, where the amount of end stroke ramp up can be fined tune via different sized volume spacers.
Anti-squat levels are on the higher side of things, remaining above 100% for the first 80mm of travel when the bike is in its easiest gear. When riding with the chain further down the cassette the amount of anti-squat increases for the first portion of the travel before dropping off deeper in the shock's stroke.
| Specifications | ||
| Release Date | 2023 | |
| Price | $6200 | |
| Travel | 125mm | |
| Rear Shock | Fox Factory Float DPS, 210 x 50 | |
| Fork | Fox 34 Factory, 140mm | |
| Headset | Acros ZS56 / ZS56 | |
| Cassette | SRAM XG1299 Eagle | |
| Crankarms | SRAM Descendant Carbon, 170mm | |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12 speed | |
| Chain | SRAM XX1 Eagle | |
| Shifter Pods | SRAM X01 Eagle | |
| Handlebar | Renthal Fatbar, 31.8 | |
| Stem | Renthal Apex, 40mm | |
| Grips | ODI Elite Motion | |
| Brakes | Shimano XT 4 piston | |
| Wheelset | DT Swiss XMC1501 | |
| Tires | Maxxis DHR II 2.4" | |
| Seat | Fizik Terra Alpaca X5 | |
| Seatpost | Fox Transfer Factory | |
Test Bike Setup
The Tempo's spec sheet shows it with a 2.4" Maxxis Dissector rear tire, but mine came with a DHRII, a swap that I would have likely made anyways due to the wet, slippery conditions that prevailed during testing. The Dissector's a good option for most of the year where I live, but when things get really slimy the more aggressive tread of the DHRII is a better bet.
170 psi in the Fox Float DPS shock put me at 28% sag, which worked well for the duration of the test period.
I did end up switching out the Shimano XT brakes' stock resin pads for a set of metallic ones, another change to help improve stopping power and pad life in the wet.
Mike Kazimer
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 160 lbs / 72.6 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mikekazimer
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 160 lbs / 72.6 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mikekazimer
Climbing
No matter which direction the trail points the Tempo is fast, or at least feels fast, my preferred characteristic in a bike like this. 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.
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. 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. 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. More on that in a bit.
The Tempo strikes a good balance between efficiency and traction, although the scales are tipped a little more toward the efficiency side of things. 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's geometry creates a nice and upright pedaling position, which I found to be very comfortable for rides of any duration. 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 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.
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. In other words, it wouldn't be an easy (or affordable) task to try to dramatically reduce the number on the scale.
![photo]()
No matter which direction the trail points the Tempo is fast, or at least feels fast, my preferred characteristic in a bike like this. 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.
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. 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. 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. More on that in a bit.
The Tempo strikes a good balance between efficiency and traction, although the scales are tipped a little more toward the efficiency side of things. 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's geometry creates a nice and upright pedaling position, which I found to be very comfortable for rides of any duration. 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 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.
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. In other words, it wouldn't be an easy (or affordable) task to try to dramatically reduce the number on the scale.
Descending
So. Much. Fun. That pretty much sums up my sentiments about this aluminum machine. '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 zippy nature it exhibited on the climbs carries over to the descents, especially when it comes to cornering or jumping.
Commencal didn't try to totally change the recipe when it come to modern trail bike geometry, and in this case that tactic paid off. 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.
It feels very balanced, with an easy-to-find sweet spot that makes it extremely intuitive to ride, especially when it comes to cornering. Put a few sequential turns in front of the Tempo and it'll gobble them up like a desperate mukbang presenter trying to beat the clock for YouTube clicks.
Not surprisingly, edges of the Tempo's abilities do start to show up at high speeds in rough terrain – that 125mm of travel is well managed, it's just there's only so much that it can do when things get really rowdy. It's kind of like driving a street car off-road into areas it wasn't meant to go – it'll work up to a point, at least until the oil pan starts scraping, or the exhaust gets torn off on a rock.
Even on those rougher trails the Fox 34 fork / Float DPS combo did a good job of taking the sting out of square-edged hits. The leverage curve has a regressive tail for the last bit of travel, but I didn't notice that out on the trail – the air spring provided enough ramp up to avoid any harsh bottom outs, and in the instances that I did use all the travel reaching the end of the travel was subtle rather than jarring.
When it comes to getting airborne, be prepared for at least a few overshoots, at least until you get accustomed to the Tempo's ability to absolutely fly. That poppiness is one of the reasons I became so enamored with its ride characteristics – it's the opposite of stuck to the ground, and it was extremely well suited to the berm- and jump-filled trails that are common in my local riding zone.
Commencal Tempo
Santa Cruz Tallboy
How does it compare?
The Santa Cruz Tallboy is probably the closest contemporary to the Tempo when it comes to geometry, and both use a variation of a dual link suspension layout, albeit the Tempo's links co-rotate and the Tallboy's counter rotate.
The Tallboy has 120mm of travel and comes with a 130mm fork, while the Tempo has 125mm of travel and a 140mm fork, but the geometry numbers in those configurations are quite similar. Both share a 65.5-degree head angle, and moderate reach numbers of 473 mm for the Tallboy and 470 mm for the Tempo. The chainstay length for a size large is 438mm on a Tallboy, and 440mm on the Tempo.
What's all that mean on the trail? The Tempo's suspension is a little firmer off the top than the Tallboy, making it feel like it wants to really leap off the starting line. As far as outright handling and performance goes, both hold their own, although I'd put the Tempo ahead when it comes to overall liveliness, especially in the cornering and jumping departments. The Tallboy has a more calm, muted feel, while the Tempo feels like it's straining at the reins.
It's the price that really separates the Tallboy from the Tempo. There aren't any alloy models in the Tallboy lineup, which means the lowest priced option is $4,549, and that's for a the SRAM NX-equipped / RockShox Pike Base model.
YT's Izzo is another bike I'd put into the same category as the Tempo. The Izzo has a steeper head angle and shorter chainstays, which makes it feel even more compact than the Tempo. The Izzo isn't quite as surefooted on steeper descents, and it's not quite as snappy under power, but it does put up a very well-matched fight when it comes to technical climbing performance. It's also available in a much more attainable range of prices compared to the Santa Cruz Tallboy.
Which Model is the Best Value?
If the Tempo is on your short list, the next step for many riders is to determine which model delivers the best price-to-performance ratio. Commencal offers 4 different options, with prices ranging from $6,200 for the LTD model reviewed here, down to $3,200 for the Tempo Ride.
It's the $4,000 Tempo Essential that gets my vote. That price gets you a full Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain, TRP Trail Evo 4-piston brakes, and a Fox Performance 34 fork and DPX shock. They may not be the fanciest components, but they've all been proven to work very well for the price. In fact, I prefer TRP's brakes to almost all of Shimano's current offerings. There isn't anything that would need to be upgraded right out of the box; you're getting a well spec'd machine that should be ready to rip for years to come.
![photo]()
If the Tempo is on your short list, the next step for many riders is to determine which model delivers the best price-to-performance ratio. Commencal offers 4 different options, with prices ranging from $6,200 for the LTD model reviewed here, down to $3,200 for the Tempo Ride.
It's the $4,000 Tempo Essential that gets my vote. That price gets you a full Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain, TRP Trail Evo 4-piston brakes, and a Fox Performance 34 fork and DPX shock. They may not be the fanciest components, but they've all been proven to work very well for the price. In fact, I prefer TRP's brakes to almost all of Shimano's current offerings. There isn't anything that would need to be upgraded right out of the box; you're getting a well spec'd machine that should be ready to rip for years to come.
Technical Report
The Tempo's suspension layout gives it a clean look, but tucking those short links behind the swingarm does make it more of a hassle to work on compared to the aforementioned Santa Cruz Tallboy. On the Tallboy, the bearing are contained in the links, and the lower link has a grease gun fitting to make it easier to keep them lubed and running smooth.
With the Tempo, most of the bearings are pressed into the frame, and they're not that well sealed from the elements – I ended up pulling the frame apart to clean and grease the bearings after I noticed how gritty they'd become after just a couple months of riding. Granted, those rides took place during the wettest and muddiest part of the season, but it still seem sooner than I would have anticipated.
Even taking the shock off is a little more involved than I expected. In order to remove the rear shock bolt two additional bolts on the swing arm need to be undone, and in general no matter what bolt I wanted to reach on the linkage it always seemed like I needed to remove another one to move a frame member out of the way.
And of course, there's that thru-headset cable routing. Prototypes of the Tempo had ports in the downtube; it's unfortunate that Commencal decided to eliminate them for the production version. There's no getting around the fact that this style of headset allows more water to get in, especially in this configuration, where the housing enters ports in the top cap. When I pulled the stem to check, the bearing were spinning smoothly and had plenty of grease, but the inside of the top bearing, the steel portion that rests against the steerer tube, had developed a patina of rust due to water ingress. Now, I've had this happen on other bikes with standard headsets, so the water / rust isn't totally unusual, it's just that this design makes it more likely to occur, and requires more preventative maintenance, especially for riders in wet climates.
I wouldn't call it a deal breaker, especially considering how much fun this bike is to ride, but it is a shame that fashion took precedence over function in this instance. That said, the ZS56 headset does make it easy to drop in a reach or angle-adjusting headset. With some stick-on cable guides (and maybe some wireless components) it'd be possible to get rid of the headset woes and open up some experimental geometry potential.
Shimano XT brakes: It makes me happy to see that powerful 4-piston brakes are becoming more common on shorter travel trail bikes. I'd rather have the slight weight penalty and be able to stop rather than suffer with anemic braking power. The XT brakes have plenty of bite, although they did suffer from, you guessed it, a wandering bite point. I've had better luck with the consistency of XTR brakes lately; for some reason the XT models seem to act up more often.
Fox 34: I'm sure there are riders out there planning to run a beefier fork, like a 36, and maybe a piggyback shock in order to maximize the Tempo's downhill abilities. There's nothing wrong with going down that route, assuming you're fine with the weight penalty, but the 34's performance shouldn't be overlooked. I called it the 'short travel standout' when I last reviewed it, and that sentiment still holds true – it's a very good fork, and works well with the overall feel of the Tempo.
![photo]()
The Tempo's suspension layout gives it a clean look, but tucking those short links behind the swingarm does make it more of a hassle to work on compared to the aforementioned Santa Cruz Tallboy. On the Tallboy, the bearing are contained in the links, and the lower link has a grease gun fitting to make it easier to keep them lubed and running smooth.
With the Tempo, most of the bearings are pressed into the frame, and they're not that well sealed from the elements – I ended up pulling the frame apart to clean and grease the bearings after I noticed how gritty they'd become after just a couple months of riding. Granted, those rides took place during the wettest and muddiest part of the season, but it still seem sooner than I would have anticipated.
Even taking the shock off is a little more involved than I expected. In order to remove the rear shock bolt two additional bolts on the swing arm need to be undone, and in general no matter what bolt I wanted to reach on the linkage it always seemed like I needed to remove another one to move a frame member out of the way.
And of course, there's that thru-headset cable routing. Prototypes of the Tempo had ports in the downtube; it's unfortunate that Commencal decided to eliminate them for the production version. There's no getting around the fact that this style of headset allows more water to get in, especially in this configuration, where the housing enters ports in the top cap. When I pulled the stem to check, the bearing were spinning smoothly and had plenty of grease, but the inside of the top bearing, the steel portion that rests against the steerer tube, had developed a patina of rust due to water ingress. Now, I've had this happen on other bikes with standard headsets, so the water / rust isn't totally unusual, it's just that this design makes it more likely to occur, and requires more preventative maintenance, especially for riders in wet climates.
I wouldn't call it a deal breaker, especially considering how much fun this bike is to ride, but it is a shame that fashion took precedence over function in this instance. That said, the ZS56 headset does make it easy to drop in a reach or angle-adjusting headset. With some stick-on cable guides (and maybe some wireless components) it'd be possible to get rid of the headset woes and open up some experimental geometry potential.
Shimano XT brakes: It makes me happy to see that powerful 4-piston brakes are becoming more common on shorter travel trail bikes. I'd rather have the slight weight penalty and be able to stop rather than suffer with anemic braking power. The XT brakes have plenty of bite, although they did suffer from, you guessed it, a wandering bite point. I've had better luck with the consistency of XTR brakes lately; for some reason the XT models seem to act up more often.
Fox 34: I'm sure there are riders out there planning to run a beefier fork, like a 36, and maybe a piggyback shock in order to maximize the Tempo's downhill abilities. There's nothing wrong with going down that route, assuming you're fine with the weight penalty, but the 34's performance shouldn't be overlooked. I called it the 'short travel standout' when I last reviewed it, and that sentiment still holds true – it's a very good fork, and works well with the overall feel of the Tempo.
Pros
+ Quick & lively
+ Never met a jump or corner it didn't like
+ Balanced geometry should work well on a wide range of terrain
Cons
- Thru-headset cable routing
- Suspension layout makes it harder to get to rear shock bolt
- Riders searching for the lightest trail bike around will want to look elsewhere
Pinkbike's Take
| The Tempo is the type of bike that can breathe new life into mellower trails while also holding its own on the rowdier stuff. Modern mountain bike categories can be nebulous at times, but this is a trail bike in the truest sense of the term, well suited to spinning out the miles while also goofing off and hitting every lip and landing possible. Do I wish it didn't have thru-headset cable routing, and better sealed frame bearings? You bet, but I wouldn't consider either of those deal breakers. The overall ride characteristics of the Tempo are overwhelmingly positive, enough so that I'd be willing to deal with a little extra shop time in order to obtain them. |
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Let's stop this crap by calling it out as a Con until bike companies get the message.
I would never buy it there either, but still kind of get it on road bikes, where all the cables are hidden entirely, but on mountain bikes headset routing really is a (bad) joke.
www.jensonusa.com/Jagwire-Stick-On-C-Clip-Housing-Guides-Black-Alloy-3-PACK?loc=usa&gclid=CjwKCAjw_YShBhAiEiwAMomsELrdddXlqNFhowxj1UdERMswuzl7fh1BzDm4eqXnQFrEIu9jQnILEBoCu-MQAvD_BwE
Fixed that for you.
Maybe that's overstating it for a aluminium steerer, but the thought of slicing into a carbon steerer is terrifying - I had a friend sheer his steerer tube on a road bike coming into a corner at 30mph.. The image of his bars turning one way and his front wheel going the other is indelibly etched on my brain!
Is there something in there that ensures the hoses don't end up rubbing against the steerer?
Having seen comments from brand reps here, often senior ones, and how many of them have historically genuinely considered opinions about their products, I think it's fair to say this medium isn't insignificant to them. It's condensed customer feedback. As an example, I don't think it's coincidence that the Transition Relay doesn't have headset cable routing and I will bet a 6-pack that the next update of the Repeater won't have it either.
Scott for example was able to make the headtube area of the Spark 20% stronger compared to the last-gen model while saving 60 grams of weight in just the head tube area. Love it or hate it, but switching to headset routing enabled a frame design that is simultaneously stronger and lighter. That might not be relevant to Trail- or DH bikes, but it certainly is a factor for high-end XC bikes.
Personally, I'm not super fond of headset routing either, but I think it's really not a consideration for anyone except us (comparatively few) enthusiasts who work on our bikes ourselves.
Another factor could be that product dev can take place years before any outlets or commenters have a chance to put in their two cents. It can then take a few years for companies to course correct. There's definitely a point of no return when it comes to production and I'm sure some product managers would have changed their mind if they hadn't have already invested "x" amount of overhead into a certain product.
Just seems weird to complain because there is too much seat post exposed. The key thing is that you can get the longest dropper to use its full range and have it at the correct hight for seated pedalling. If you can then loosen the seat clamp and drop it even further if you ever need to, bonus.
cheaper (to make) stronger frame is lighter (less holes less reinforcement), one less frame QC point.
weird headset cost frame cost savings
On aero bikes or high end XC bikes, it makes total sense.
I still hate it on commuters and entry level bikes/midrange bikes, time consuming and ugly imo, but that's where the cost savings are mattering for the manufacturers
But the new rise's headset is objectively uglier than the old one.
And explaining cable housing replacement will be even more $$$ unless done as part of an overhaul with fork drop is always fun.
@FuzzyL: I'm very aware of the variation in leg length, I'm on the far end of the spectrum. Like @WillW123 I'm also 6'1 (1m86 ) and the seat tube on the XL is plenty short enough for me. In fact, for me they could make it 40 mm longer and I'd be happy. I think something around 450,460 is a good compromise on a 490 reach / 640 stack bike.
There is also a diminishing return for longer drop lengths with short legs. You can see that the rear tire is already around the same height as the top of the seat tube on the picture above. This is on flat ground with no sag, so in the situations where you want the long drop, that becomes a lot worse. At some point the saddle just isn't the limiting factor anymore.
And last but not least, to mount a long dropper you also need enough insertion length. That's the reason I ride a 210 dropper on my current frame, which has a seattube that is 508mm, which for me is short enough for the 240. But I couldn't fit the 337 mm of insert length. I don't see the max insertion listed but it might be a limit here as well.
@mikekazimer: @brianpark we need you to supply us these kind of numbers with reviews. We can all look up the geo charts on manuf websites but they don't all supply all the numbers we need. Actual seat angles, max insertion length are two examples. It would really add to the value of the review.
I don’t even think this makes a ‘stronger’ or ‘lighter’ head tube. Seems more like cost cutting to me since it looks easier to manufacture- problem is it’s clear the savings aren’t being passed on.
And yeah the Essential TEMPO is within $500 of the Izzo Core 3 which has a very comparable build but carbon frame. So definitely a direct competitor, just depends on availability and interest in carbon (or not).
Yeah that might be true if you're riding somewhere chill like BC, but let me assure you that you ain't getting round the blue trail at Swinley on anything less than 170mm with at least DD tyres.
Or at least I assume that's the case from the number of bikes I see with that spec.
And yeah, of course you can slap a regular headset on. I think some brands (including Hope iirc) allow you to only buy the top part of the headset so that you're not wasting too much.
For example, Bike24 currently has that brilliant Norco Fluid FS on sale. The Fluid FS A2 goes for the same price as the base-model Commencal Tempo. Easy choice, really.
Regarding headset routing, seems like the mob has spoken.
I'm not a weight weenie, or at least I try to not be, but bikes are getting pretty heavy these days.
That sounds like fun
You could make this bike weigh 45 lbs and it would never feel like an enduro bike.
I'm curious if bike companies are making headset routing because buyers are asking for it; ie roadies.
I would never ask for this ^ PITA!
I re built a Canfield Lithium over the weekend, and as much as I love how a Canfield rides, the rear brake mounting through the frame is just dumb; esp. on an enduro bike.
So yeah, no internal routing of hydraulic line!
The broped crowd is only going to make this worse.
I see the TEMPO has a bit longer wheelbase than the AF, but seems similar in ride characteristics that this review provides.
And if your toolkit is old enough-the now useless headset press you might already have works juuust fine for press fit bbs.
Crummy headset and pivot bearings on the other hand……
The FSA BB diameter is half a 1/10mm smaller then the Shimano plastic PF BB.
Also the plastic seems to make up for small imperfections in the carbon BB shell of the frame.
So we hope that using that bigger plastic BB will help cure that problem.
I had a conversation with someone working for a brand that went PF for their bottom brackets; he tried rationalizing it as being in service to the consumer (some spiel about how that way, you don't run the risk of the BB thread on your frame getting messed up and causing a really expensive repair), but in the end admitted that it's mostly about cost (threading is an extra step, plus tolerances need to be tight for that to work whereas there can be a little slop with PF because there's always threadlocker to fill that). I think it's one of those shortsighted, stupid things that we'll keep looking at and eradicating over time - but in terms of low hanging fruit in the bike industry, it's probably outweighed by all the single use petroleum based packaging.
If I just go buy whatever bike I want, I know that if the BB starts creaking (which is not guaranteed) there's a solution out there. In any case, I've owned 2 PF frames and neither of them had any issues (I actually bought the Wheels BB because of a crank compatibility issue, not because I had BB problems). But anyway, I guess I *slightly* prefer threaded, but not enough that I would compromise basically anything else on my bike purchase for it (because I know a thread-together PF conversion is available to fix any issues).
Tallboy R is $4549 USD
I'd love to see a ~$4k trail bike shoot-out:
Smuggler v. Tempo v. Fluid v. Izzo v. Hugene v. Stumpy
Not sure on geo but pretty sure the travel matches 140F/125R ?
never ever
Haha, good one!
No magazine talks about how after 2 years all Shimano brakes have significant vapor loss of mineral oil and Shimano doesn’t offer seal kits.
Codes are good enough, and serviceable enough I may switch…….and I’ve been a SRAM/Avid hater (and Shimano brake user) for a LOT of years.
I am also interested @mikekazimer whats the comparison?
With the Tempo, you've got more travel to get you out of a jam, and running a 36 or piggyback shock wouldn't be unreasonable.
It really depends on what type of riding you'll be doing the most - the Spur's an excellent aggressive XC rig, but its limits will show up before the Tempo's do. There's also no alloy Spur, or carbon Tempo for that matter if frame material matters at all to you.
The Tempo's geometry is closer to the Optic. I prefer the pedaling position of the Tempo - the steeper seat tube and shorter front center made it a little more comfortable for me. Both bikes have a very similar wheelbase, although I'd say the Tempo has a little bit more snappiness to its handling. They're both great examples of how versatile bikes in this travel bracket can be.
- More surefooted
- Better power transfer
- Overall probably a better bike for most
Izzo:
- No headset cable routing
Izzo it is.
I’ll pay a little more (or not any more for my Ripmo AF) and just do an annual tear down.
I attribute it to the conservative reach and head angle creating a more reasonable / manageable (~1,200mm in large) wheelbase than most of the sleds coming out today.
More bikes like this please! Focus on fun instead of fast…creates a playful bike even with 29” wheels
I don’t see the use of these bikes when they weigh the same as an enduro bike with 170mm….
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D6hA_4mEAc
Surely the engineers at Cane Creek, Hope, etc are already done designing properly sealed headsets for all these new bikes that need replacements soon?
I bleed brakes every few months. I replace headsets every few years. I don't see the problem really.
With modern geometry, the trail bike segment is the most under rated segment in the market today. This Commencal will be a great everyday bike for people that have regular trails to ride on.