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Submitted by
kbtahoe
a Cross Country Rider
from South Lake Tahoe, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: November 22, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Hole in the Ground | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | From Turner | | Strengths: | Love my new 5 Spot, it floats throught the corners, but handles technical downhill with cush. weighs in at 27 and half pounds and climbs like a champ. | | Weaknesses: | just got it about 6 weeks ago. | | Similar Products Used: | I have ridden a medium Turner XT for the last 5 years and wanted a little lighter and larger frame, moving up to the large 5 spot, I am 5'11', female with long legs and ride mostly cross country with technical sections here in Tahoe. I found only 1 inch longer top tube difference between the two. | | Bike Setup: | this is the 2010 5 spot with DW link,150 mm travel and the Fox RP23 | | Bottom Line: | I have ridden the heck out of my Turner XT buying it used and it has held up like a champ. It is probably the number one reason I sought out Turner again. It was hard giving up a bike I know so well and getting used to new geometry but it is worth it! Plus now my son who was recipeint of the Turner XT rides more, equals mom getting to ride more.
Thanks Lj and Christina at Turner.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Goat52
a Racer
from Canada
Date Reviewed: November 18, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Porcupine Rim | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2195.00 | | Purchased At: | 30LBS | | Strengths: | Reliabilty. Seviceability. Efficiency. | | Weaknesses: | Cable routing. Color choices. | | Similar Products Used: | Intense, Norco, Devinci, Santa Cruz, Ellsworth | | Bike Setup: | SRAM X9, Race Face Atlas, Maxic Crossmax SX, Kenda Nevegal 2.35 t/l. Fox 36 TALAS. Avid Elixir. | | Bottom Line: | 5.Spot
OK, first I’ll admit I do like Turner bikes. Enough to own more than one. But I’ve had Intense, Ellsworth, Jamis, Norco, etc. and liked them all for their own strengths. Fact number one is that Turner’s suspension pivots smoke all others for being smooth, rattle-free and low maintenance.
At the same time I’m also resistant to change and would rarely touch a first-year version of anything. But the hype on the new Spot lured me into buying one. That is, as long as I could keep my old one (2005). So I just had to sell off some other stuff. I got the frame late in the fall and built it up piece by piece over the winter, hand picking every component I wanted to use. Then I just had to wait for the snow to melt to see what I had created.
As I plunked down over the curb at the end of my driveway I knew I was on a whole new bike. The suspension compresses, rebounds and then sits high again. It’s like you can have less sag, a firm feeling platform, but just when you think it might be set up too stiff, it will react and absorb even the smallest of bumps. You might think it’s gonna “hardtail” over a root, but it will suck it right up. And it doesn’t matter if you are pedalling, braking or coasting. The result is the same. Awesome.
The rest of the bike feels like a very close relative of its predecessors. No big surprises, except maybe for a slightly shorter wheelbase. Thankfully DT is not a fadster and has not gone with curvy hydroformed frame tubing that will soon be as out of style as your wife’s (or girlfriend’s) shoulder pads.
Now I’ve ridden this thing for a number of months, and it’s even helped me elevate my riding skills. I’ve tackled a few obstacles that were on my “to do” list and nailed them all. The extra confidence this bike brings to the ride can really push you over the top. I even swapped some light wheels and tires on it for a tougher XC race and got better results than I did on my Flux.
The 5.Spot handles best with a 130-140mm travel front fork. I chose to take the one pound penalty for a Fox TALAS 36. It may be overkill but the confidence it gives is fun. It works great on 130 but when I set it to 160 it steers poorly by comparison. But 160 is great for steep descents and anytime you need that extra buffer. I don’t find any need to crank it down to 110 for climbing. And let me tell you... you can climb almost anything on this thing. It’s actually mind bending! The large volume Fox RP23 on the rear works great, and just like the magazines say, you don’t really have to bother with the Pro Pedal. This bike is efficient enough that you’ll find it hard to tell which setting you have the shock on.
As for the other components, I won’t bother to list mine. Everybody’s will be different and that’s just personal preference or what your budget will allow. The better the stuff you use, the more you’ll love the bike.
So what are the negatives? Very few. I’m not real keen on the cable routing. I run my brakes “moto” and that makes the routing even trickier. A size L or XL may not be so bad, but mine’s an M. The only other thing I can think of is a recurring squeak in the DW Link pivots. It is very easy to service but I’m surprised that it’s been so necessary. It may vary depending on your riding conditions. Using Anti-Seize here instead of normal grease has given me much longer service intervals, so I consider that pretty much solved.
Other than that? The price is normal for a premium frame. The longevity is likely unmatched in any suspension frame. The service from Turner is second to none. If you need a bit more bike, get an RFX. If you need a bit less bike, get a Flux. You will have no regrets. You really can’t go wrong.
The writer: A middle aged Canadian male who lives and breathes mountain bikes. I ride year-round in sun, rain, mud & snow. I compete in a little DH, some XC, some Short Track and Adventure Races. I ride at home, and I travel yearly to ride. The main thing is that I ride.
| Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
9 renin
a Cross Country Rider
from New York
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Lost Camp Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2400.00 | | Purchased At: | Turner directly | | Strengths: | Customer service. Climbs very well on most hills | | Weaknesses: | see below | | Similar Products Used: | Yeti 575 | | Bike Setup: | 2009 Fox Talas 32 w/15mm thru axle. SRAM X.O. shifters and rear derailleur, Middleburn cranks and rings, AMP adjustable seat post, Dave's Dream Wheels (Hadley hubs on Stan's ZTR355) | | Bottom Line: | I wanted to be a Homer, I really did, but it didn't work out. And here's why...
To start at the beginning, I'd been riding a 2008 Yeti 575 but really wanted to see what all the DW-link hype was about, so I ordered a 5-Spot directly from Turner. What they say about the customer service is true: it is great; but then again, at $2400 for the frame it should be.
Anyway, the frame arrived with about a half-inch of play in the rear triangle. I quickly realized the shock mount bolts were completely loose. Tightened 'em up and no big deal. Can't hold that against the bike. But once I got it built up, the bike just rode like crap. Extremely harsh. I called Turner, got advice from them, read all the Homer forums, played with every conceivable combination of settings but to no avail (BTW, I've been riding since 1990 and worked in a bike for 5 years). So, Turner sent me a new rear shock, thinking maybe that was the cause. In preparing the bike to mount the new shock i discovered the bolts on the DW-link were way too tight (wasn't me. it came that way). Once I loosened them the ride was far, far better.
Better, but NOWHERE near as plush as my 575. Besides being too taut, the suspension stalls and bucks when climbing really steep, really rocky trails. Places I can consistently clear on my Yeti I can rarely make on the 5-Spot. And rolling over logs etc, the rear end of the Turner just falls off whereas the 575 rolls over and tracks smoothly. Also, rock gardens seem to slow the 5-Spot down a lot more than the 575. To put it in a nutshell, the 5-Spot comes up short in every situation except smooth climbs.
Now, given the issues the frame had when I got it, perhaps the problems I described are unique to this particular frame. Either that, or the 575 is simply a vastly superior bike. To me, the 575 feels like a race car and the 5-Spot like a Ford F150. I read the rave reviews here and scratch my head. My 5-Spot is nothing like that.
3 chilis because the bike is such an expensive disappointment. I just can't get myself to give it 4.
Sorry, Homers. And sorry to the great crew at Turner. I really wish I had better things to say about the bike.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Downhiller
from Bozeman, MT, U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Rough and Gnar | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1595.00 | | Purchased At: | Turner | | Strengths: | Tracks well, ultra ground hugging which is good and bad. Farly light( mine is 30 pounds with high end group), Feels like a 6 inch bike in rock gardens, pedals awesome, and is pretty sweet going down. Very impressed with the fox rp23, this coming from a big strong guy who thought I would never be happy with air! Dave and the guys' build as nice of a bike as can be found, by the way the customr service is the best out there!!! | | Weaknesses: | No where near as active as horst or tnt!! Takes some getting used to going down, especially jumping, but through the rough stuff it excels! Preloading this bike is a different beast, and i'm not sure I love falling rate suspension for jibbing down trails! | | Similar Products Used: | All of them!! | | Bike Setup: | Can't list it or you'll break into my garage! | | Bottom Line: | Awesome bike, I love it a lot, but horst link is still superior to this design. The d-w climbs amazingly, an tracks awesome in rough stuff. But if you know how to spin the horst works just as well climbing and if you would rather jib and jump your way down a rough trail this may not be your bike!! I'm an extremely seasoned biker, and I am still getting used to this style of riding. For a cross country all mountain style rig it is a really fun and efficient bike, but if you turn your cross country rides into downhill courses like we do here in Montana, you are going to have to get used to the way this bike descends. Sam hill is a man who doesn't have a strong pedaling background and that is why he excelled so well on the dw, It tracks and hugs so well that his pedal inefficiency was well complimented by the dw.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shannon Hoole
a Weekend Warrior
from Murrieta, Ca USA
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | tower ride | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$4900.00 | | Strengths: | Climbing, descending, flat. Wherever you are riding. | | Weaknesses: | NONE | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale MOTO 2 | | Bottom Line: | This is THE best all around bike I have ever owned or ridden. I have been riding mountain bikes since 1985 and nothing compares to this machine. It climbs without bob or front end lift. I have never really liked to climb but with this bike I want to go on longer rides with greater elevation changes. When it comes to the reward of the downhill this bike handles so good all you can think about is your next ride. If you need a do-it-all bike then this is it. Before you buy a lesser bike (anything else) check out the TURNER 5 SPOT. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a Weekend Warrior
from Arizona
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Lateral rigidity, pedaling efficiency and climbing, soaking up square edged hits at very high speed, almost telepathic handling, works equally well with Fox RP23 or Romic D coil-over (I'm assuming any highly adjustable coil-over would work great) | | Weaknesses: | Nothing comes to mind. | | Similar Products Used: | Previous generations of Turner 4-bar bikes: 5-Spots, XCEs, and Burners | | Bike Setup: | Size XL, Romic D Coil-over, Fox Van 36, SRAM drivetrain, SRAM brakes, Thomson stem and post, Hadley hubs, blah, blah, blah | | Bottom Line: | I'm over 200lb, and this is the first Turner that I've ridden in over 13 years of riding Turner designs that does not have any lateral flex (and it wasn't from lack of trying). As a result the handling is absolutely amazing.
Turner's implementation of the DW Link has left me stunned in amazement with its ability to climb and pedaling efficiency. It gives you the impression that you're pedaling a bike with 3-4 inches of travel. Yet, when you point the bike down, it feels as if you have more than 6 inches of travel.
The rear end's ability to soak up square-edged hits at high speed is downright incredible. Vastly superior to any previous generation Turner 4-bar design.
Using an air shock or a coil-over does not seem to affect how the bike pedals or handles nasty terrain. Essentially, you can choose the rear shock of your choice and not worry about affecting the bike's performance. Observation: I found using the least amount of compression damping with my Romic seemed to work best with the bike.
SUMMARY: Incredible performance. I just can't imagine any other available trail bike performing better than what Turner has achieved with this DW Link design. Kudos to Dave Turner. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JTBAZ
a Weekend Warrior
from Arizona
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Turner has done an incredible job of using the DW link suspension. The frame construction is high quality and the customer service is awesome.
This bike is incredibly plush but pedals like a four inch travel cross country bike. It is the best climbing bike I have owned. The rear end of the bike digs into the terrain and does not let go. There is no wondering of the front end even on steep climbs. I have been really impressed by how well this bike climbs for a five and a half inch travel bike. I have a TALAS fork and I keep it set at 140mm of travel. I do not need lower the travel on steep climbs which I have had to do on other bikes. This bike is a climbing machine. I have been able to clear parts of trails that I have not been able to clear on my other bikes.
On the descents the bike is stable and plush. It tracks real nice in the rock gardens. It has snappy acceleration. It also has that "Turner balance feel".
| | Weaknesses: | The Hex bolts on the bottom rocker made a noise but this was fixed with some Loctite applied to the bolts. Although not a weakness I have noticed a little more pedal slap compared to my previous TNT Spot. Otherwise this bike is incredible. | | Similar Products Used: | Ellsworth, Santa Cruz, Titus, Pivot . . . | | Bike Setup: | Size large. Fox TALAS fork, Sram and Shimano drivetrain, some Thomson parts, Hope pro II hubs with DT 5.1 rims | | Bottom Line: | Turner has utilized the DW link suspension to create the best trail bike available today. It clearly stands out from all other trail bikes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dirtyskirt
a Cross Country Rider
from SF Bay Area
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Demo, UC, anything with dirt and rocks | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Passion Trail Bikes | | Strengths: | Handling, durability, reads my mind. Made in USA. Customer service. | | Weaknesses: | orange wasn't a stock color option? (oh.. ok. none then!) | | Similar Products Used: | Mojo, Titus FTM, Blur, Saphire Sworks, | | Bike Setup: | DW Spot in Iron Glimmer - expert build kit - XT, Fox Float RTC, upgrade to Stan 355 wheels, king headset and joplin seatpost. | | Bottom Line: | AWESOME. Seriously. This bike rocks. I probably spent more time than most testing lots of different choices but settled on the turner 5 spot for it's awesome sweet handling. It rides like a dream - the perfect combination of man, machine and trail, and inspires confidence. The first time I demo'd this bike, I dreamed about the ride all night and woke up thinking the ride was just as much fun the second time around!
Climbs well. Handles well. I love the way it handles on long swoopy trails and sharp switchbacks. It offers enough travel for technical, rocky descents but still climbs well. Mostly, it just wants to GO!!!! A great all purpose bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
roger1960
a Weekend Warrior
from Murrieta, CA
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Gooseberry Mesa | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$5000.00 | | Purchased At: | Local bike shop | | Strengths: | This bike is unbelieveable it climbs well with no bobbing, qualtiy in the mfg. of the frame, bushings and fit. | | Weaknesses: | None that I can think of | | Similar Products Used: | Sultan DW Link | | Bike Setup: | Fox float QR fork, Fox RP23 rear shock, ZTR355 rims with Chris King hubs built by Dave Thomas, SRAM XO shifters & X9 front and rear derailuer, AVID Elixir CR brakes, XTR Crankset, Easton E70 handlebars, Thomson stem and Chris King headset | | Bottom Line: | This bike rocks. My confidence in riding has gone up 10 fold since getting this bike. The silky smooth suspension absorbs everything that I can throw at it and it climbs like a goat. It is just a blast to ride. I now have a bike that I can basically ride anywhere in CA and in UT with my BOMB group. The build quality of Turner's bikes make it one of the elite bike makers in the U.S. It's also nice to know that they stand behind there product and it's made in the U.S.A. It might be more expensive than other bikes but you get what you pay for. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rider Mel
a Cross Country Rider
from Moab, UT & Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Enchilada (Hazard Down) | | Purchased At: | Turner Suspension Bi | | Strengths: | This bike really is good at everything. It climbs very well (even better than previous Turners - HL & TNT) and instills confidence on descents. The geometry is perfect for technical trail riding. The fabrication and finish are what you'd expect from a boutique manufacturer. Customer service is superb. | | Weaknesses: | The product hasn't helped me grow hair, attract women or complete my Tesla coil. | | Similar Products Used: | Turner XCE, 5-Spot (both HL & TNT), Specialized FSR, Intense 5.5, Santa Cruz Blur & Nomad, Ellsworth Truth, Moment & Epiphany. | | Bike Setup: | Turner XT build, Fox Float QR15, Fox RP23, Gravity Dropper, Kenda UST 2.4 Nevegals. | | Bottom Line: | The best bike I have owned (or ridden). I am a huge fan of Turner bikes but have always tried as many other bikes as possible. I was skeptical that anything would feel better than my old Horst Link Turner but this is clearly a faster climber and more plush on descents. This is certainly an expensive purchase but I'd rather put money into a bike than pretty much anything else (including cars, clothes, and all the other crap we fill our lives with). Despite the high price, I feel the value is excellent. The bike is made with quality in mind. Turner is singleminded in his focus on the ride. He uses high end bushings (that seem to last forever and perform really well) while bearings (that need to be replaced regularly) are the fashion among many competitors. In the end, try as many bikes as you can and buy the one you like the best. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mjlundy
a Weekend Warrior
from SoCal, USA
Date Reviewed: June 6, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2200.00 | | Purchased At: | The Path | | Strengths: | Fast, stiff, well made, everything has a purpose and nothing was added for the sake of asthetic. It's a top notch performer. | | Weaknesses: | Cable routing, $$ | | Bike Setup: | Mavic Crossmax ST, XT/XTR/SRAM9 groupo, 2010 Talas 32 15 QR, Thompson stem and post | | Bottom Line: | This bike climes so well, and decends with precision. It's the only bike I'll need, regardless of how/what I'm riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
YO
a Weekend Warrior
from Québec,Canada
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Mont saint-Anne | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$6700.00 | | Strengths: | Turner quality,right angle, robust frame,smoth suspension system, Dave Weagle and Dave Turner on the same team said at all, best suspension right now, faster than most xc racing machine | | Weaknesses: | delay of delivering custom color | | Similar Products Used: | Turner 5spot HL, spécialized carbon stupjumper, kona,rockymountain, | | Bike Setup: | DT 190 ceramic hub's, aerolight spoke,mavic 819 rim, sram méchanic, thomson component, xtr and avid brake | | Bottom Line: | best all mountain bike, fast and safe everywhere, incredible suspension system that realy work, the traction is extraordinary, just push the pedal and let the bike and suspension do their thing,easy maintenance, just lube the journal bearing occasionally, great cable routing, just look at the weld. DREAMBIKE | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
winerdiner29er
a Weekend Warrior
from Southern Cal
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | Some guy off of the | | Strengths: | Turner strength, build quality, greaseable pivots, Etc, Etc. | | Weaknesses: | I don't like that you have to alter the FD to keep the suspension from hitting it. Pretty expensive if you pay full pop. | | Similar Products Used: | Intense Tarcer VP, Santa Cruz BLT2, Titus ML, Maverick ML8, Ibis Mojo, Trek Ex9.0, Pivot Mach5, TNT Spot. | | Bike Setup: | Iron glimmer spot with a Rock shox Revelation 20mm maxle light fork, XO triggers, XO rear der, Avid Elixr CR brakes, XTR cranks, Thomson stem and post, Mavic 819 hoops laced to Dt swiss 240 hubs, Maxxis cross mark 2.25 tires, Selle Italia SLR Xc saddle. | | Bottom Line: | My bike weighs 28 1/2 pounds wirh the build above. I'm a big fan of the Dw link suspension designs, So I was stoked to hear that Dave Turner was jumping on board. My first ride impressions on the bike we're very positive. It climbed so well, better then what I was expecting. And as for the DH it was what I was expecting from Turner. Very solid, stable at speed, no flex in the corners, the bike just handles so well. I even raced this at a local XC race and got fourth place in the sport category. The bike just does everything well. There are no weakness in the design, it blows through rock gardens with ease and can climb any hill that your legs can take. In my opinion Turner knocked it out of the park with the new spot. The spot was already a top three trailbike before the Dw link introduction. Now it is #1 in my opinion. If you want a no compromise, all day climb up anything and go down anything bike look no further then the Turner Spot. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
rgeniec
a Weekend Warrior
from stevenson ranch, ca usa
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Chileao, Upper Merrill | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2500.00 | | Purchased At: | california | | Strengths: | climbing ability, overall plush feel, super strong build quality and rear end has zero flex. Easy to grease bushings and will never again have to hunt down and pay for expensive bearings. | | Weaknesses: | When standing must weight rear wheel on steep climbs as suspension does not move nearly as much as bikes I have previously ridden. Must get used to this. | | Similar Products Used: | Yeti 575, Niner RIP 9, Santa Cruz Heckler | | Bike Setup: | 5'10" 175lb
Raw color
Medium size
Avid Elixr Cr 160mm
80mm sunline stem
Crossmax SL wheels.
Kenda Nevegal 2.1 dtc tires
Dropper seatpost
Easton Carbon bars
Odi Grips
Specialized saddle
XO shifters and rear Der.
X9 front der. per Turner website recommendation | | Bottom Line: | MY FIRST TURNER BUILD . I have seen this forum many times and wondered how so many people can be as passionate as I am for my Yeti?
I have 2008 Yeti 575 as my primary bike but now I have just made this my back up bike behind the Turner for a few reasons. I now have five rides on the bike and it took me a while to get the hang of the setup as these seem like similar bikes but they are really different to me. I first off have to say that I have never had a bike that truly did not need a pro pedal or platform of any kind. I had a Niner RIP 9 and people kept saying you can run it with no platform...but it just moved up and down like a jack in the box. The Turner is solid...I read the threads here on setup and ran between 12-15 mm sag on the rear and you can truly set it and forget it. The 575 I am always approaching a hill switching levers and dialing forks up and down. IMO I found setup on the fork to make a huge difference. With the Yeti I ran the fork softer...With the Turner I needed more air to put pressure on the rear. I found myself putting nearly 20 psi more in the fork to balance the bike out. The odd thing about the Turner is that when you look down there is no motion on the rear...but you hit a bump and it moves. I have never had a DW , VPP or any other bike so I did not know what to expect. I thought the rear end was skipping around on the Turner but I had too little air in the fork and the rebound was too slow making the rear end un-weight and skip around. Once I corrected the fork it held up higher in the travel and the rear on the Turner began to feel plush like the Yeti. The main difference IMO between the two on first impression is that you truly can enjoy the ride and not have to think about the rear end once you get it set up. I have read where most people ride mainly in the 130mm mode on the 36 TALAS but for me it seems to feel better in the 160mm mode when doing anything but climbing | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kphmeikle@optonline.net
a Cross Country Rider
from jackson w.y. u.s.a.
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | to many to list | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | turner bikes | | Strengths: | Ive had Turners for 15 yrs and they are pretty bombproof. | | Weaknesses: | none, other than the riders it takes for rides. | | Similar Products Used: | nomad ,c-dale, intense [very good also],niner | | Bike Setup: | fox , hope brakes&wheels, shimano xtr -xt,Race Face next LP | | Bottom Line: | Every turner ive owned or ridden has been awesome ,ive only just started riding the d-w and it is every thing they say so far, i have no doubt D.T. has a hit with the new bikes, cant wait to see the rest of the line come out. way to go Dave. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dmar123
a Cross Country Rider
from ut
Date Reviewed: March 29, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | solid, climbs like no other, descends great, made in usa | | Weaknesses: | would like to see the logos painted on instead of stickers... not really a weakness more of a preference | | Similar Products Used: | had a specialized stumpjumper fsr 120 expert ...the turner with dw link is simply amazing when climbing and pedaling there is no comparing to the specialized...turner just blows it away, havent used the pro pedal yet, dont need to | | Bike Setup: | turner 5.spot medium, chris king hubs and headset, mavic 819 wheels, xt cranks, xtr rear and xt front derailers, thomson seatpost and stem, deity bars, avid juicy brakes, fox talas fork | | Bottom Line: | couldnt be happier with this bike, it does everything well | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Diegobustillos
a Weekend Warrior
from Caracas,Miranda,Venezuela
Date Reviewed: March 12, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | El Volcán | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$4300.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycleprogressions | | Strengths: | The Bike is amazing! It climbs like a hardtail and descends like a freeride bike. Just point it where you want to go and it will go. Seriously, on ganrly descends I would think the bike was going to cave but the handling just makes it go and keep going. The bike is silent as well, no squeaking o chain noise | | Weaknesses: | decals came off preety soon | | Similar Products Used: | Merida Am 500, Giant | | Bike Setup: | Slx crankset, Marzochi 55 eta, race face evolve stem and seatpost, wtv pure race saddle, code 5 203 185 breaks, mallet c pedals, aleksupra bh rims | | Bottom Line: | THE BEST BIKE EVER!!! Seriously everyone I know who's ridden it wants to get irid of their bike and get on the spot! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dusty Bottoms
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Monica, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: December 26, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Backbone Trail, Santa Monica | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | I've been on a HL Spot for about 3 years, and a TNT HL for about a year.
A few weeks ago, I took a DW Spot from the factory for a demo week and got 5 rides in. The new design is JUST BETTER. That's all I kept saying to myself over and over during every ride. "It just feels better, it just feels better, it just feels better."
To quantify that, I mean that small to medium trail features are just "soaked up" far better. Much less hang up on each feature sets you up better for the next feature. Far less vibration resonates to the rider which results in much quieter, much more enjoyable riding experience.
The abililty to run about 30-40psi LESS than older models is also an immediately noticeable. The frame hits it's sag point with less resistance, soaks up bumps, and the linkage design then ramps up providing a bottomless feel.
The new rear end is far stiffer laterally, and the elevated chainstays contribute further to a quiet ride. All of the qualities that help forge the Turner brand are still present...the fit and finish, the welds, the grease fittings, the snappy geometry, and of course the customer service.
| | Weaknesses: | I'm not in love with this years stock colors, but you can always go custom. | | Similar Products Used: | 06 Turner 5spot(current ride), Santa Cruz Nomad, Specialized Enduro s-works, Intense 5.5 | | Bike Setup: | XT level build, Fox Float 140, around 28 pounds | | Bottom Line: | If you are an experienced/knowledgable rider looking for the next step in suspension design innovation, look no further.
This bike just feels better. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
1soulrider
a Racer
from Norcal
Date Reviewed: December 11, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything rugged | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Turner | | Strengths: | The new DW 5 Spot pedals like a 4" xc bike and descends like a 6+" rig. Truly an amazing ride, the quality of suspension is hard to believe until you are in the saddle. This is by far the smoothest riding air sprung trailbike I have spent time on, very coil like in the rough yet firm pedaling at the same time. I have ridden VPP bikes that climbed well, but lost a lot of traction due to the stiffening of the suspension under power. The DW Spot manages quite a feat; it separates pedal (rider) induced suspension motion from terrain induced suspension motion. It is a beautiful thing, firm at the pedals while eating up trail chatter with no skipping or bouncing around.
The DW Spot has a very rigid rear triangle without any detectable flex, this combined with the weigh of the frame being carried down low make for a bike that corners like it is on rails. I like the nice rising rate suspension as well, the bike lands softly and never runs out of travel abruptly.
The frame construction is impressive to say the least. The CNC work is extensive and the attention to detail is apparent everywhere you look. Every pivot has a threaded in grease zerk so in just a few minutes you can freshen up the lube in all the pivots without any disassembly. I like the post mount rear bakes tabs as well, one less adapter to bolt onto the bike. Turner was thoughtful enough to use steel threaded barrel inserts in the brake mounts so stripping them out is not a potential issue.
I like that Turner used bushing at the pivots, the VPP bikes I have owned have eaten bearings like crazy. The Turners I have owned in the past have needed very minimal pivot maintenance while providing a great ride (never squeaky or notchy). | | Weaknesses: | There is a minor mod that needs to be done to some XT deraillures (see Turner website) to avoid contact with the rear triangle. | | Similar Products Used: | Turner 5 Spot (06), Santa Cruz Nomad, Intense 6.6, Specialized Enduro, 07 Turner RFX | | Bike Setup: | XO drivetrain, Fox 36 Talas, King/819 wheelset, Formula Mega brakes, Thompson post & stem, WTB Laser V, etc | | Bottom Line: | I have ridden a lot of different all mountain/ trailbikes, the DW Spot is head and shoulders above the rest. On a recent ride I let a friend ride the new Spot for a while, when he got back on his '08 Specialized Enduro he said “ this feels like crap compared to your Spot".
I was riding a 07 Turner RFX before the DW Spot, and really like it. I had spent several years riding VPP frames and had grown tired of the constant bearing replacement, loose squeaky pivots, and weird pedal induced suspension feedback. The 07 RFX was nice in that it had a stiff rear triangle (the Intense 6.6 was so flexy it would rub the tire inside the swingarm when cornered hard), an active suspension design, and was made by a manufacturer that stood behind it’s products. The new Spot is a step up from the 07 RFX. The DW design isolates pedaling better, and the quality of suspension travel is better. I was concerned at first that the new Spot may have some of the VPP traits that I couldn’t stand. On the contrary, the DW Spot behaves extremely well in all circumstances without any of the VPP’s bad habits.
I was happy enough with Turner and the RFX that I felt confident in buying the DW Spot. I’m glad I did, this bike rocks. Super fun bike, great suspension design, made in the US quality, and a company that has a reputation for the best customer service in the industry.
Get one, you won’t regret it.
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