Bike test: Bombtrack Tempest AL

Bombtrack pitches its Tempest AL as an all-road bike for long days in the saddle, fast commutes and weekend escapes. I think the German company’s marketing team has got it just about right.

It’s at the racier end for a bike with touring and gravel ambitions. The geometry isn’t that stretched out, but this is a machine that covers a lot of bases – and it does so well.

Frame and fork

It’s a great-looking, two-tone frameset (‘desert rust’, apparently) that pairs a chunky-ish aluminium frame with a full-carbon fork. All the familiar features are there: large down tube, flattish top tube and dropped, slimline seatstays.

More unusual is the T47 bottom bracket shell, a large-diameter, threaded standard that will accommodate bottom brackets with a wide range of different diameter spindles. You can buy the Tempest AL as a frameset, which would allow you to fit one of your favourites.

The frame has two pairs of bottle bosses, fittings (and clearance) for front and rear mudguards, and for a front rack. There are no upper mounts for a rear rack. While you could fit a seatpost clamp with integral eyelets to overcome this, I’d prefer to have seen a full set of rack mounts. The fork is internally routed for hub dynamo wiring, which is an added bonus for fast touring, long audaxes and more.

Bombtrack says the maximum tyre clearance is 35mm. I’d happily go a above that, especially at the front, and I reckon that up to 40mm might fit at the rear. The rims are wide enough for tyres that wide.

Components

The 10−speed setup is a combination of Shimano GRX and Tiagra, with GRX levers and hydraulic disc brakes accompanied by a Tiagra compact chainset and front and rear derailleurs. It all works very well.

The 27in bottom gear is low enough for gravel, credit-card touring and all my local hills, some of which are pretty steep. You’d need lower gears for loaded touring, of course. On my former commute, 16 miles each way, largely along the Bristol-Bath bike path, the Bombtrack was an absolute treat. The drivetrain is virtually silent when you’re pedalling; when you’re freewheeling you’re accompanied by the sound of buzzing insects, thankfully not chainsaw loud.

The 30mm Schwalbe One TLE (tubeless easy) tyres are a good call, rolling efficiently and smoothly on tarmac. They also cope with the sort of light gravel and towpaths on which I do much of my riding; the Sustrans Two Tunnels route and Kennet and Avon Canal towpath are both within a few miles. It’s good to see that both the rims and tyres are tubeless ready, making it easier and cheaper to dispense with tubes if you choose to go down that route.

But even running tubes, the tyres, which plump up to 32mm on these rims, contribute to a comfortable ride. A 32mm width is my go-to for day-to-day riding, offering enough air volume for comfort but without being overly weighty.

Ride

Super smooth, super silent and pretty lively (but that’s enough about me…), the Bombtrack excels on tarmac, with enough road-bike-like handling for fast commutes and brisk training rides.

It climbs well, both in and out of the saddle. It’s not touring-bike heavy, and the gearing and braking are both first rate, which helps on both climbs and descents. It descends quickly and surely.

The braking is as controlled and powerful as you’d expect from good-quality hydraulic discs. The front brake’s power is boosted further by a 180mm rotor.

While aluminium may not be everybody’s first choice for long rides, frames built from it can be stiff and strong, not just light. The Bombtrack comes with a healthy 120kg limit (although the wheels are restricted to 110kg). Get out of the saddle, which even I do occasionally, and the stiffness and efficiency of the Tempest’s frameset come to the fore.

As for the contact points: I’m a big fan of shorter saddles and got on very well with the Seido, although I might pick a longer saddle for extended touring for the facility to move around more. I particularly like the Seido bar and Bombtrack tape pairing, which helps with front-end comfort. The rubbery tape is thick, plush and grippy, and the the slightly ovalised bar is gently swept back so you’re not stretched out. I’d have preferred a bit more flare than the 2° it delivers, for the extra control that would offer on poorer surfaces.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a single bike to encompass fast commuting, year-round training, light touring and big days out, the Bombtrack Tempest AL is well worth considering. I think it looks great, and it rides equally well. Braking and gearing are very good, you can add mudguards for off-season use and group riding, and the rims and tyres are both tubeless ready.

In fact, the only real criticism I have about the Bombtrack Tempest AL is the price. While it looks smart and has a nice ride, I feel it’s somewhat expensive for what you’re getting.

Other options

DOLAN GXA ALUMINIUM DISC GRAVEL BIKE - £1,899.98

Available with Shimano GRX in either 1×12 or 2×12 configurations, the GXA comes in five sizes, and you can choose from loads of kit and colour options. dolan-bikes.com

KINESIS G2 - £1,700

The British company’s aluminium adventurer comes with SRAM Apex, Novatec wheels and Schwalbe tyres. kinesisbikes.co.uk

First published in Cycle magazine, February/March 2026 issue. All information correct at time of publishing.