If you like 1960’s era retro styling, Canada’s Tempus is the newest player in the ‘resto-rod’ electric bicycle market, joining others like Oto Cycles who we’ve checked out in the past. Seeking to combine the best elements of motorcycles and bikes, Tempus added today’s technology to a classic look to create their debut model, called the CR-T1.
Tempus was founded by young entrepreneurs Ikenna Ofoha and Xavier Chan, who are both just 19 years old. But while young, they’re not inexperienced- at the age of 15, Ofoha built an electric bike that could go 75kph!
The CR-T1 can reach up to 50kph, cover a range of up to 60kms and offers nine levels of pedal assist. At least this one is geared towards the streets…
The CR-T1’s frame is built in Canada with chromoly steel, and the faux gas tank is aluminum. Up front an alloy dual crown fork smooths the bumps and complements the overall aesthetic of this retro racer. The CR-T1 rides on 26” rims outfitted with slick 2.5” Maxxis Hookworm tires, and the big leather motorcycle seat should keep you cruising comfortably. There’s only one frame size, but Tempus says the CR-T1 will fit a very wide cross-section of riders.
While the suspension keeps this bike true to it’s moto inspiration, the components sound a bit budget- the fork is described as an ‘Alloy Dual Crown Suspension Fork’, and the rear shocks are ‘Aluminum Air Shock Absorbers’. I wouldn’t expect these no-name parts to perform like anything from an established brand, but at least you don’t have to shy away from crossing a field or riding a dirt road.
With heavy e-bikes brakes are a key component, so Tempus set up the CR-T1 with Clarks M2 hydraulic disc brakes squeezing 180mm front and 160mm rear rotors. The bike also has an integrated LED tail light, a large motorcycle style headlight and a kickstand.
The CR-T1 is powered by a 3-phase brushless DC hub motor putting out up to 1000W of power, which can be limited to 500W to meet local regulations. The bike boasts a 40-60km range depending on how much you pedal, and a top speed of 50kph which like the wattage, can be limited where necessary.
The 48V, 17aH Lithium ion battery locks to the frame for riding and its charger plugs into a standard wall socket. A full charge takes 3.5-4 hours, the battery has a life span of about 1000 charge cycles, and it can supply power to your mobile devices via a USB connection. While the bike’s electrical wiring is hidden and the connectors are waterproof, Tempus warns to protect the battery from excess water.
An LCD display unit mounted on top of the stem shows you speedometer and odometer readings, plus displays your battery life and throttle mode. The display screen and a three button control pad allow you to choose between 3, 5 and 9 pedal assist modes. Once you’re in your preferred mode, a thumb throttle controls the power output.
The CR-T1 is certainly not light at 75 lbs. but with its powerful motor it can handle a lot of weight. The maximum load is 350 lbs, which is pure overkill- this thing is clearly not a cargo hauler! The creators do plan to develop rear pannier racks for the bike.
The CR-T1 can be pre-ordered from Tempus’ website for an introductory price of $3035 USD and delivery is expected for September 2017. Frames are warrantied against manufacturing defects for five years, and non-wearable components are covered for one year.
