Submitted by
Mountain Bike Mike
a Racer
from SF, CA Date Reviewed: February 28, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Mt.Tam Everywhere
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
craigs list
Strengths:
Everything. This frame rocks. The frame is balanced, the suspension sucks everything up, makes going downhill a kick. Climbs like a bat out of hell. This is a total suprise. Ok, so everything so far.
Weaknesses:
Havn't found anything yet. I weight 165 lbs soaking wet and it climbs and descends better than any bike I have ever owned.
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Mt. Tam, Specialized M4, Cannondale Scalpel, Moongoose Titanium Hardtail, Santa Cruz Chameleon.
Bike Setup:
Bought the frame on Craigs List, built it up with all XT drivetrain, Mavic 717 with WTB hubs, Avid cable disc brakes, Fox 130 RLC, RP-3, Easton handlebars, WTB velocoraptors front and back.
Bottom Line:
Buy this bike if you can only afford one, are into Freeriding, and want to go fast all the time, especially downhill. If I had to get rid of all of my bikes, and could keep one, including the skinny tired asphalt runners and cross country racers, this would be it. Brings shear joy everytime I ride it. Totally forgiving on any trail. Frigging blasts downhill, sucks up everything, loose rocks, drops, logs, nothing matters anymore, brakes are now almost unnecessary. I will be racing this bike Super D this year, and looking forward to it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Darkside
a
from surrey, UK Date Reviewed: July 26, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
nirvana cycles
Strengths:
Geometry, weight, suspension design, mud clearance - the perfect trail/all mountain bike
Weaknesses:
Price (especially in the UK!), paint finish and decals could be better/more durable
Similar Products Used:
fsr 120 expert, 05 enduro expert
Bike Setup:
maverick sc32, mix of lx,xt groupset, rp3
Bottom Line:
Im 5'11 and demoed the medium frame for a long and wet ride around leith hill, UK. As soon as i sat on the bike it felt like it had been custom built for me! The fairly slack head angle and steepish seat tube makes you feel you are sitting in the bike rather than ontop of it. Climbing was great especially with the propedal rp3 shock, traction was amazing and the front never felt light on the steep stuff. The bike felt really manovurable in tight singletrack and downhills were such a blast with the 5inch front and rear taking care of pretty much anything the trail could throw at me. The rp3 shock felt super smooth and the propedal setting for climbing or road work really helped and was easy to adjust whilst riding. Mud clearance on the 5 spot is massive and seems to have been biult especially for the UK's climate. After the demo i had no aches or pains and felt that i could keep on riding all day (and night) which speaks volumes of the effectiveness of the suspension design. Demo one if you can but be warned - you WILL not want to hand it back afterwards!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kim
a Cross Country Rider
from Richmond, VA Date Reviewed: June 6, 2005
Marzocci Free Ride Z1 Fork, Romic D Rear Sock, Flat carbon bar, 70mm stem, Sun Rhino front rim with 2.3 tire, Mavic rear rim with 2.0 rear tire, terry liberator saddle, easton seatpost, hayes HFX9 disc brakes
Bottom Line:
Once I got the bike dialed in she has exceeded my expectations. I on the smaller side at 5'5" and 135, so it took some time to get the fork and shock set correctly. Finally settled on 10psi for the shock load and 100 for the rebound compression. The first week was brutal until I got that taken care of, more falls in 7 days than the last 7 years! But now that we have made friends, I am completely impressed with what one of my friends now calls "5 inches of pure pleasure".
The bike has great clearance and geometry to inspire confidence and can take tough terrain without weighing in too heavy. My second favorite part about this bike is the way it accelerates when you point it downhill. What a blast. It climbs well and seems to be very well balanced and intuitive to handle.
If you are looking for a great "heavy duty cross country bike" this is the ticket. Girls should not be afraid of the bike, sometimes I catch slack over the travel and why anyone would want or need that for cross country, but once you experience the comfort and the capability you will be laugh at them. The price is fair and the quality of the Frame is great. You won't be dissappointed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
corey martin
a Racer
from portland, oregon, usa Date Reviewed: January 4, 2005
Favorite Trail:
juniper ridge epic, randle, wa
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1900.00
Purchased At:
FTF
Strengths:
the perfectly slack head angle for descending without sacrificing climbability, durability, bushing design, balance, simple frame design, customer service, climbing, descending, cornering, verstility for many riding types
Weaknesses:
the same old thing here: logos could be more well considered and detailed.
I ride ultra distance xc to freeride. I have ridden FSR's in many iterations with travel increases and other modifications. I demo'd many bikes to get to this choice and I am very pleased.
Rode it in the Transrockies 7 day race and it was one of the few frames that didn't have bushing/bearing problems: I had to replace the entire drivetrain after the race...tons of mud and deep river crossings with power washing at the end of each day...but the Turner is like new..amazing. FTF tried to discourage the bushing design for our wet climate but now they are a Turner dealer! The key: Precise machining, spiral cut grooves for grease injection and rubber o-rings at the outside of the bushing. Grease injectors work too but the design is so tight I haven't really needed them yet.
I ride technical DH too and this bike is perfectly balanced. If you have to have 1 bike this could be the one..it does it all and can accept many variations in suspension components. If you want to do an ultra distance race one week and then head over to A-Line or some stunt riding the next day..this bike will not limit you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lou
a
from Freehold,NJ Date Reviewed: September 25, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
great all around bike. I am plus 240lbs. Balance on bike is incredible. Turner customer service is great. They sent me great new sticker for the bike. What more can you say. Just a great bike
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
giant, intense, Santa cruz
Bike Setup:
full xtr, Chris King wheelset. z-1SL zoke, hayes,race face crank
Bottom Line:
Just a do everything bike. Great for clydesdales. Bike inspires confidence and makes a better rider out of you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Weekend Warrior
from Saybrook, IL, USA Date Reviewed: September 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim, Moab, UT
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1849.00
Purchased At:
Over the Edge Sports, Fruita, CO
Strengths:
Perfect handling and great solid feel off drops.
Weaknesses:
(3 weeks late) Can't trust Turner to ship when they say, but that is not a product weakness really. It was a year ago and seems less important now anyway.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Bear DeeLux (also wonderful for plush big guy xc with a liking for the wild side)
Bike Setup:
19" 5-Spot Turner Frame Marzocchi Z-150 FR fork (after trying the Manitou Sherman Flick and the Fox Talas 125 RLC) 750x2.25 spring on the Romic (I'm 6'1" 250lbs) Sun Double Wides, King Hubs (ss freehub body) and King Steelset Headset, Tioga DH 2.3 ties. (true 2.3 not that crap some others have where you have to buy 2.5 to get one that measures 2.3) Thomson seatpost and stem, Easton EA70 bars and ODI lockon grips. Avid Mech 185 rear 203mm up front with the Avid Ultimate Levers. XT deraileurs, dura-ace chain, Sram cassette(fits on the stainless steel king freehub body better than xt).
Bottom Line:
Free ride, jumps, and log piles are great on this bike. The technical stuff is so much fun on the Turner. It goes up hills and on xc coarses too, but not race pace. With big rims, tubes and tires, skinnies and balancy stuff are nothing for the Turner. This thing has the feel of regaining control even when things go a miss. It took me a while to find the fork that felt right for my style, but once I did, it became my favorite of 6 mountain bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from So Cal Date Reviewed: May 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
any/all singletrack
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
geometry, durability, quality of build, plush riding, climbs very well, 4 bar Horst link rear, an unbelieveably balanced trail/all mountain bike!
Weaknesses:
None. Really, I have found no weaknesses in this bike.
Similar Products Used:
EW ID (demoed), Specialized FSR XC (former ride)
Bike Setup:
SRAM X.9 RD, SRAM X.9 triggers, SRAM cassette, SRAM chain (you see a trend here?), XTR FD (until the SRAM is released), FSA carbon riser bars, Hayes hydro discs, WTB laserdisc lite rims on WTB laserdisc hubs, WTB Pure saddle, FSA headset, FSA seatpost, FSA carbon pro cranks, Romic shock, Psylo SL fork, Eggbeaters = ~30 lbs.
Bottom Line:
All I can say is that this bike ROCKS!
Ascending: My 5 spot climbs better than my FSR did, hands down. It's about 4-5 lbs heavier, but I really don't notice it all that much. The rear tire sticks like glue, even when I start hammering out of the saddle. I am very impressed with it's overall climbing ability. I get virtually no bob from the Romic.
Descending: No question, the bike makes me a much better rider. The 5" of travel is awesome. It feels like so much more travel than it actually is. I used to go around tricky parts, now I just go right over them. Sometimes I have to remember that I have 2 kids and a wife at home so I have be careful, but the bike just wants to go.
General: The balance of this bike is unbelievable. It's like this thing was custom made for me. The BB is not too high so you feel much more stable and in control. Great center of gravity. The 69 degree head angle makes for a little slower response than did my FSR, but I just compensated a little by putting on a shorter stem. This bike is really built well. I am about 200# and I don't worry at all about breaking anything. It is really one solid bike!
Summary: If you're thinking about a trail/all mountain bike, this is just what you should be looking at. If your LBS doesn't have a built 5 spot that you can ride, find a friend, or anyone for that matter, that has a spot and ask them to try it out. Turner owners are some of the friendliest people I have run across and I'm sure they'd let you take a spin on their bike. You will be impressed.
I'm giving it 5 for value - you get what you pay for! And 5 for overall - I would rate it higher if I could.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from CdA, ID Date Reviewed: May 19, 2004
Favorite Trail:
dirt
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
Vertical Earth
Strengths:
Beefy frame, 5" plush active travel, not everyone has one, MADE IN USA!
This is a followup almost one year after purchasing the bike. I bought the frame from Jenson and all the components from Vertical Earth in CdA. I took the stickers off the bike because they were peeling. I flat out love this bike. For a heavier trail rider I don't think this bike can be beat. No complaints, as it does what it was made to do. Thank you Turner!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Elfstrom
a Cross Country Rider
from Anchorage Alaska Date Reviewed: April 22, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Dome Trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3131.00
Purchased At:
RTR Bikes-Anchorage
Strengths:
If you have the legs, it will climb stairs, icy hills, steep technical rooty terrain, granular hills, and anything else you would ever want to ride up. The bike feels as if it has a motor when going downhill soaking up every root, rock, and hazard never missing a beat and keeping you on step down anything. Most of my riding was done this winter, and with a pair of studs on this bike, you can do anything you would in the summer.
Weaknesses:
None. It's expensive, but you get what you pay for. It's not just another chunk of aluminum thrown off of an assembly line.
Similar Products Used:
Other bikes, never as cool as this one
Bike Setup:
Same as before
Bottom Line:
This is a follow up review from a review I wrote a month after I had the bike. I was stoked about the bike the day I bought it, and still just as happy about it now. I used to look at the Chugach Mountains to find lines to ski, now I look for lines to bike up and down. I highly reccommend this bike to anyone who will ride it like it was meant to be rode. Aggressively everywhere.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Travis Zettel
a Weekend Warrior
from Bellevue, Washginton Date Reviewed: April 6, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2800.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
Solid quality with flawless welds. Climbs almost as well as it decends. It has been said that a bike does not make the rider. That may be true, but this bike definetely makes me a better rider. It is the most forgiving bike that I have ever ridden.
Weaknesses:
Stickers
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Blur, Specialized FSR, Jekyl 1000, Giant VT1
Bike Setup:
XT drivetrain, Crossmax XL's, Hope mini disc, Talas Fork, Romic shock with ti 550# spring, Maxxis 2.1 (62a) highrollers 2.1 with Stan's, Candy Ti pedals = an actual 26.5 lbs
Bottom Line:
I owned a Cannondale Jekyl 1000 and then decided to buy a Blur after testing riding it. Before I laid my cash down, my buddy advised me to check out the 5-spot and I am glad I did. This is possibly the smoothest most forgiving bike out there. Test ride one and see for yourself.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rico
a
from Austin, TX Date Reviewed: April 1, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Hammerheadbikes.com
Strengths:
Does everything great, predictable handling, Turner quality
Weaknesses:
Stickers
Similar Products Used:
Turner 02, Titus Swithblade & Racer-X
Bike Setup:
King, Thompson, XTR/XT/Raceface drivetrain, Talas RLC, 959s, 2.4 Kenda Cortez, Fox Air AVA rear shock ect... durable stuff thats not too heavy
Bottom Line:
This bike really blew me away. I had a 3" Turner 02 and was a little hesitant on the way it might pedal w/2 more inches and the slacker head angle. The stuff I ride is very rocky, lots of drops and pretty tight. Bottom line is that it does everything better than my 02 and I left the fork @ full travel. It climbs like a billy goat, descends like monkey w/his tail on fire and pedals better than my 02. It eats up rock gardens and has very neutral handling. I have never had so much fun on a bike before. 2 guys outside of Hammerheadbikes.com have ridden it and both now own a 5 Spot.... Check out Hammerheadbikes.com, nothing but quality.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Oregon Date Reviewed: March 19, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1895.00
Purchased At:
123bikes.com
Strengths:
Its a turner, five inches of coil sprung plushness front and back, well balanced, plenty of standover, etc
Weaknesses:
flimsy stickers. pretty expensive when you think about it.
Similar Products Used:
heckler, test rode lots of bikes
Bike Setup:
race face, chris king, shimano, mavic, maxis, avid, fox, romic
Bottom Line:
was flying down this steep trail, stopped to change directions and was able to trackstand on this slope while i made up my mind which way i wanted to go. unreal. i like the durability of the coil, no need to worry about air presure just set and ride. i have 2.1 swampthings on there now and am pretty sure 2.5's would fit just fine, no worries about mud clearance. i keep coming back to this, no worries when you ride this bike, it does what it does so well your mind is free to concentrate on where your going. the bike works in harmony with your mind. keep those stickers coming.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
scott silvers
a Cross Country Rider
from plymouth, Michigan Date Reviewed: January 21, 2004
Favorite Trail:
potowatomi
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At:
123bikes
Strengths:
frame made with an artist's touch and thought
Weaknesses:
I thought a 69 deg head angle bike would steer slower, but it's quick.....and what's up with the upside-down shock. I flipped mine right side up right off the bat....
Similar Products Used:
1999 Turner Burner, AMP B-3, tried out a blur, intense spyder xvp, and ellsworth joker, amongst others
Bike Setup:
Large frame, 04 Marzocchi z-1 FR, RF BB & North Shore cranks, Romic shock, Tioga Platforms, king headset and hubs/mavic 3.1/tubed michelin hot-s, thompson stem/seatpost, xt 4-pot hydros, xt pod shifters, xt der's, and lots of other stuff...
Bottom Line:
I really liked my 1999 Turner Burner, I just wanted "MORE". I checked out a lot of really nice top bikes just to see if I was missing out on anything, but ultimately went back to what really works. This bike delivers way beyond my expectations. My medium burner was a bit too quick handling, and I was kinda concerned that the spot would be to sluggish w/ the 69 deg. head, but it is just as whippy thru the trees as my old turner, but it has a noticeable increase in stability. I dont know how they did this, but I marvel at it's handling. You really notice how "in" you feel on the bike once it leaves the ground over jumps/drops...total confidence.
Sure, it's a bit heavier than my ol burner, but I built it up kinda burly anyway, so I guess I better just suck it up, cuz I am the weak link now, not the bike. Also, throw some nokian 296's on this bike and watch it walk away from all your buddies on their wussy cross country bikes in the snow! A great bike for snow riding. Year round fun for sure....
Lastly, I can't believe how nice the '04 Z-1 FR rides, a truly amazing fork....
My credit card is finally maxed out, but I dont care....drool drool....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Weekend Warrior
from Marin Date Reviewed: January 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Pine Mountain
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1895.00
Purchased At:
Gravy Wheels, San Anselmo
Strengths:
Perfect geometry, solid construction, classy and understated appearance, excellent ride characteristics, particularly for steep, technical terrain
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth Id
Bike Setup:
19" silver 5 Spot, Romic w/ ti spring, Talas fork, X.O der. and shifters, '03 XTR crankset, Marta SL, Time Z Control, Mavic X3.1, King ISO hubs and headset (blue), Cont. Vert. Pro UST 2.3 tires, Thomson stem and post, Easton carbon low rise, ODI rogue grips, WTB Laser V DH seat.
Bottom Line:
I originally ordered a 5 Spot in January '03, but after a long, frustrating wait I bought an Id (with the exact same components now on the 5 Spot). Very nice ride, but the too high BB and too steep head angle were detriments in steep terrain. Hard to remount the bike on steep climbs, pitched too far forward on steep descents. Julia at Gravy Wheels, where I had ordered the Turner earlier, contacted Dave Turner, who remembered my situation and helped me get on a new 5 Spot. I can now ride up and down the stuff I was having trouble on before. The bike is smooth and just perfectly balanced. As one of the magazine reviews said, the rider sits IN the bike, instead of OVER it. This makes all the difference in the world on fast, rough, and/or steep descents! The Talas fork has broken in and rides unbelievably well, and the travel adjustment lets me dial in the right angles for climbs and descents. It is a great fit for this frame. My 5 Spot is silver, and came with very classy and understated (i.e. low contrast) gray lettering--the nicest looking Turner I've seen yet. Needless to say, I love this bike, and it is stretching my limits as a rider. The Id was a beautiful, quality bike (and a very good climber) but the 5 Spot is designed for more aggressive, technical riding. And it delivers! Special thanks to Dave and Julia for helping me out--I am a customer for life!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Travis Bickle
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: January 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Brandon Hills
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1895.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Climbs some crazy steep stuff, sometimes I just can't believe it. Confident descender, very plush. Active suspension all the time. Steers just right. I was a little concerned about the 69 head angle but it is great. Short head tube keeps the front end from getting to high. I like the steep seat angle, I think this aids in climbing. Looks fantastic.
This bike is truley the cat's ass. I have tried it out in Nova Scotia, Mount St Anne, Manitoba, NW Ontario, Moab, and Fruita and it seemed operfect for all. Maybe a bit much for the smoother trails but for my money the best "mountainbike" available. It met all of my criteria: -Horst link -Uninterrupted seat tube -Good all rounder -4 to 5 inches of travel -lots of standover
GET ONE!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul Cormier
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs, CO USA Date Reviewed: January 6, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Anything with Single Track
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
123bikes.com
Strengths:
Lots of travel, still pedals well. Climbs technical stuff very well. Even handles Trial-like hops with no problem. Frame is very stiff laterally.
Weaknesses:
Although I like the low bottom bracket height for this much travel, I do strike pedals on rocks and stuff occasionally.
Similar Products Used:
Titus Quasimoto, Specialized FSR/Enduro/Stumpjumper, Ellsworth Truth, Intense Uzzi SL, Giants etc.
Bike Setup:
Romic Coil, Fox Vanilla 125RLC, Sram Triggers w/XO derailleur, Thomson Stem/SP, Easton CF HB, Chris King ISO Disc/Mavic Ex823, XTR Crank and Calipers, XT levers etc., etc., etc.
Bottom Line:
The Turner frame is powder coated black and has a nice shine. The tubes are double-butted and large diameter. The bottom-bracket area is a machined piece that holds the lower shock mount. This area looks very beefy, yet you can see through the machined out area below the shock mount. The welds are huge, and not really that beautiful.
The bike weighs 30 lbs. I'm sure I could cut that down with a Titanium spring on the Romic shock, switch to narrower, conventional rims... Nahhh. Hell, I weigh 210lbs. I don't even notice the extra three pounds more than the 8-year-old GT Zaskar LE hard tail.
The rear suspension geometry seems to hit an ideal tradeoff between a firm pedaling platform and plushness.
I highly recommend this bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
D B
a Weekend Warrior
from San Juan Capistrano Ca.USA Date Reviewed: January 5, 2004
Favorite Trail:
any long single track
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1600.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Attention to detail,well desiged, great geometry and bb height, gussets in all the right places. Very well thought out and STRONG - This bike frame is what a bike frame should be.
Weaknesses:
Makes you want to ride more ... and further - if that is a weakness
Similar Products Used:
Bullet, superlight, heckler, I drive, blur, ventana and more
Bike Setup:
Marzoc.Z1 freeride, hayes disc, 519 rims, shimano drive train, WTB seat and tires, romic coil shock
Bottom Line:
This bike is awesome an ride. It climbs great even built for abuse (weighs around 30lbs). Ive ridden 25 - 30 mile long trails that are mainly single track with this bike.I rode the same trails on other top rated bikes ( the Blur, ect More than once or twice) and the 5 spot was able to stay hooked up longer, peddled further up loose/rough terrain and I felt stronger at the end of the rides.I must add that is without playing with the shock - locking out before the climb or opening the compresion/ rebound before a down hill section.I dialed the shock in when I bought it and havent touched it since. Very good at cornering and very smooth over rough stuff. going downhill on this bike is a blast ( whats a climb if you can't ride down).This bike will go as fast or faster than you can take it. It Will make a good ridder even better. Another plus to the frame is the amount of maintanence- or should I say lack of it. Lube the piviots ( with a grease gun)every ten - twenty rides And thats it.No more checking the suspension bolts every ride and wondering where the creak or flex is comming from. Ive ridden the heck out of this frame in 3 different states, all sorts of terrain and am very satisfied. It was worth every penny.If you like to ride the 5 spot is the bike. Oh yea one other plus. I popped a grease fitting out( my fault), called turner told them what happened. They sent a couple fittings to me and I recived them the very next day- no haggling no B.S.. My friends rear derailler on his 5 spot wouldn't line up a he called and they sent out 2 new hangers and asked him to let them know of any other troubles no haggling no B.S.. Turns out it was a defective derailler. Great bike, great service easy choice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
M Howe
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: January 4, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Perfectly balanced all around bike. This bike does everything well. It makes technical climbs easier and is confidence-inspiring on downs and obstacles. The lateral stability of the rear-end is un-matched in my experience. I own and XCE but have considerable time on the 5-spot on some very tough trails (National - South Mountain, Art Smith - Palm Springs, etc). It is even better than my XCE (sorry baby).
Weaknesses:
None. Okay, I'm a little pissed off that it's nicer than my XCE.
Similar Products Used:
Ellsworth, Specialized, Trek, Giant, Ventana, etc. I've spent time on most full suspension bikes made.
Bottom Line:
The best all around mountain bike. A company that stands behind their products (and doesn't quote warranty fine print) and treats customers very well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a
from Maine Date Reviewed: December 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Gotta be narrow and rough
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
BeyondBikes
Strengths:
Where do I begin? Quality of welds, appearance, ride, pedaling efficiency. That "bring it on" ride feel.
Sherman Firefly, F219 Mavics w 2.5 Wierwolfs, Monkeylite, Avid cable, XT setup, 80mm Thompson stem and WTB Laser Rocket V. Oh yeah, and Nokia 296 studded tires on 2" SnoCat SL rims for snow.
Bottom Line:
This IS the bike. I've been riding for 4 years now. Started on the GT and wanted a Turner. Bought the 02 Turner (like the current Burner) and wanted more travel. Bought the Heckler (5th coil) and loved the travel but the sag and low bottom bracket conspired to bang the pedals in the rocky singletrack (a lot!). I really came to love both of those two bikes for their strengths, but when the 5 Spot came out I agonized about buying another high end bike (well, a little)and ordered it in hopes it would pedal like the 02 and have some cush like the Heckler PLUS better BB clearance. Well, the 13+" of BB clearance makes a tremendous difference! All the spots I had to rachet pedal the Heckler I crank through on the Spot. I have to remind myself to keep crankin' because the pedals WILL clear. I haven't had much chance to try my favorite downhill spots because shortly after the frame arrived it snowed here. But that brings out another characteristic of this frame. It takes care of the rider. I mean when you're riding 2-3" of snow over frozen footprints some unexpected directional changes can happen in a hurry. This bike is quick to recover and saved me MANY times in one ride. Times when I was sure I was going down, a quick handlebar flick would pull it out. I know that many of you don't ride in snow, but this slow speed recovery trait has got to transfer favorably to technical dirt riding. The other observation I've made is that the technical riding is MUCH easier on this bike than my Heckler or 02. One of the other reviewers said he didn't have to be so careful about his lines and he's right. This bike has "something" that makes the gnarly stuff seem less challenging. Thirteen inch BB, 69 degree head angle, super stiff feeling frame? I don't know what it is but it feels "right".
If you race XC, this probably is not the ideal bike for you. If you do ten foot drops to flat there are better choices. And serious downhill racer Gods could buy something better suited for the task. But anyone who loves all mountain trailriding, a few wheelie drops and some run what ya brung races is gonna love this bike. For the average aggressive rider this is the pinnacle. I just can't say enough good about this frame, this bike takes care of you -- you gotta have one. I just hope I can be the rider my 5 Spot thinks I am.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nate
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: December 16, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1895.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Design - this 4-bar, Horst link suspension is the most refined that I have ridden. The 5-Spot's walking beam design with square chain and seat stays are extremely solid, others who have said this bike is flexy must be making comparisons to DH rigs or they possibly mistake wheel build or tire issues for frame flex. This is a stiff frame.
Quality - the welds and finish are tops (as you should expect at this price point).
Ride - Wow. Great geometry, balanced, optimum performance with minimal input.
Weaknesses:
None. For it's intended purpose i.e. trail riding, this bike is impeccable. Product triggers my weakness for high quality bike stuff so bank account suffers, basically rolex tastes with timex budget syndrome.
Extra large frame (21")with parts that were selected to take the abuse that demo bikes undergo; about 31 lbs by my estimation. My 21" frame weighs 7.6 lbs with the Romic, the Romic shock (non- titanium) is 1.6 lbs. I will be using a Fox AVA (.6lbs) for my build, so the xl frame with air shock will total 6.6 lbs.
Bottom Line:
At close to 2 grand for the frame I welcomed the opportunity to ride the 5-Spot before I started building mine. I wanted to be sure that I had purchased one of the best frames currently available. After a 2 hr demo on some rugged terrain, I can say that I have never been on a bike that rides as impressively as did the 5-Spot. The bike tracks rough terrain fluidly and traction while climbing technical sections is unbelievable. I breezed up climbs that I routinely have trouble cleaning on my Superlight. It got to the point were I was looking for more difficult lines because the ones that I normally pick seemed effortless. Also impressive is how smoothly the bike pedals, there is very little feedback through the pedals so it is easy to maintain forward momentum when moving slowly through gnarly sections. This bike minimizes mistakes and maximizes enjoyment.
I will build my frame as an agressive xc bike with air shock and fork. At 31 lbs, the demo bike was certainly heavier than I would want but it is easy to build the 5-Spot much lighter. My hope is that the bike performs well with Fox AVA.
Bottom line? One of the very best. Save up or make use of the 1 year same as cash deals if you are a fanatic who just can't wait.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pat G
a Cross Country Rider
from Warrenton, VA , USA Date Reviewed: December 1, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Chutes and Ladders-Fruita
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
Turner Direct
Strengths:
Very strong well built frame. Candy apple red turns everyones heads.
Weaknesses:
....uhhhhhh not much..zirk fittings are hard to get to.
Similar Products Used:
Turner XCE, Santa Cruz SL, FSR, Titus Racer X, Santa Cruz Heckler, Pro Flex (ughhhh)
Bike Setup:
XTR 9 speed, Cross Max UST Disk, FSA Afterburner ISIS Cranks, King HS, Hayes Mag Carbon, Egg beaters, Minute III, Swinger 4 way air
Bottom Line:
I got this frame as a warranty/upgrade/for my XCE. I was in love with the XCE...but this is a much, much better product. Everyone who rides it is in love with it. It climbs like no other bike I have ever owned, and corners like it is pre programmed.
No squeaks...no creaks, an it is ROCK solid. I weigh 230, and the only flex I get is from the Minute 3 fork.
O.K. everyone wants to know about SPV and how it really works. Well the SPV swinger 4 way (the one with the resevoir) works extremely well, I'm super happy with it. The Minute3 fork on the other hand...well I've done a lot of adjusting and I'm still not happy with it. A friend has a Maverick fork I might try out.
Weight?? 28lbs with the tubeless wheelset, and a lot of extra Stans fluid in each. I could get the bike to 27lbs with some parts swaps..but I really like the way the bike feels and works.
The bike is a little sluggish on fire road climbs..but it's a trail bike not an XC racer. This bike is as endo proof as I have ever ridden.
Raced the bike in an offroad duathalon, and it did just fine..I left the hardtail at home.
BUY THIS BIKE!!! I have tried just about everything out there...even the Blur (not impressed), this is hands done one the top 3 bikes manufactured.
P.S. did I mention that the customer service is the best that I have ever had with any bike company?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erol
a Cross Country Rider
from Orange County, CA Date Reviewed: November 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Laguna Ridge Trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
The Bike Company
Strengths:
It will make you want to ride all the time. Your body will wear out before this frame does.
Weaknesses:
Owning bike may cause OCD. You may be heard uttering the words, "my precious". Spouses, girlfriends, etc. may be hard to keep.
Similar Products Used:
Lots of different brands - too numerous to list here.
Had Fox Vanilla on it with Hugi/Mavic 317. Switched to Marzocchi Z1FR QR20 and 8" rotor with Chris King/Mavic F219 because this thing will make you go faster and over anything and everything and start breaking lighter components, esp. if you are big like me. Bike went from 28lbs to close to 32lbs but still can climb anything, the more technical the better. Did 18 miles the other day with lots of climbing and didn't even feel tired. Wants to go downhill - fast. As fast as you will let it. Holds a line really well and wants to stay on the line, if you get off the line then be careful you will end up part of the landscape. Slack head angle not a problem - did some tight switchbacks up and down and nailed every one of them. Smooth, quiet - no noise from the suspension. Romic works really well - no bob. If anything ever goes wrong I know Turner stands by its products. Turner has ruined me for any other bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Downhiller
from Ontario Date Reviewed: November 22, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Prevost, Quebec
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
ATTENTION TO DETAIL! They faced the headtube AND BB, clean CLEAN welds, NICE paint job.. and those chrome stickers - PIMPIN' !!
Weaknesses:
Having a hard time setting up the Romic shock.. the Minute also takes some messing around with to dial it in..
Similar Products Used:
Sugar, FSR, I-Drive.....
Bike Setup:
full 2003 XTR - WITH wheels, King HS, Manitou Minute 3, easton hardware, protaper carbon bar, etc,etc...
Bottom Line:
this bike is SICK... i love the way she climbs, but i can really lay it down in the corners.. the small bumps are tossing me around a bit - but i still have to set the shock up... i've used progressive, manitou, cane creek, rockshox, and fox, but this one seems to be a bit trickier... i still give it 5 flaming chilis!! Why = because the bike rides great, the geometry is fantastic, and i love the look of it!! Hey, if you can't BE fast, may as well LOOK fast! :)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don
a Cross Country Rider
from Auburn Date Reviewed: November 21, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Hole in the ground
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
123bikes
Strengths:
Technical Climbing, Decending, and Jumping
Weaknesses:
Hard to keep clean. I am always riding it.
Similar Products Used:
Own Ventana Hardtail. Test rode Specialized Epic and Enduro, SC superlight and blur, Ellsworth Truth and ID, Rocky Mtn., Titus Racer X.
Bike Setup:
Fox Vanilla RLC (125mm spring), Romic rear, King Headset and hubs, tubless, Mix of XT and XTR, Hope mini disc, etc,
Bottom Line:
This bike is a nice ride. Technical climbs I couldn't do on my hardtail, I can do on the 5-spot. Downhill sections are much more fun. I am always looking fo jumps because it jumps so well. There is a small gully/dip in the trail that I use to slow down for and now I jump it. It is a perfect bike for the standard 12 to 25 mile loops.
This bike stood out for me on my test rides. I started out wanting the light XC bike. Then I decided right away that the extra travel was worth the weight penalty for me so that narrowed the field down. I was going to do the Ventana trade-in, but couldn't test ride it. I only rode the Ellsworth ID on the parking lot, but it didn't feel right for me. Then I rode the blur and this bike on the same trail and preferred the 5-spot. It was difficult to find one to test ride. I had to rent one at the Flume trail in Tahoe.
Anyway, I am glad I test rode bikes and spent the time researching cause I have no regrets.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from Detroit, MI Date Reviewed: November 16, 2003
Favorite Trail:
everything in Pisgha!!!!!!!!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1900.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
Plush, stiff, great welds,etc., etc., etc......
Weaknesses:
Hmmmmmm......would be nice if it had a QR seat clamp and now I have to find No. 40 torx to carry w/me for the pivots, but these are minor
Similar Products Used:
Ells. truth, Intense Tracer, Specal. FSR, Jekyll, on and on and on.......
Bike Setup:
Fox Vanilla fork, CrossMax tubless discs w/Nokian NBX 2.3 conv. to tubless via Stan's, 02 XTR groupo, tompson bits, Hope Mini disc brakes, King headset, blah,blah,blah
Bottom Line:
Lets say that I loved my Tracer, but wanted something w/more travel and coil spring(soooo plush). Enter the 5spot. I researched it heavily, and it seemed to be everything I wanted in a bike. I need a bike that can go big when I want, but be light enough for 1 hour+ climbs. Well, this is the bike!!! It's as good a climber as it is a decender. Don't be fooled by this stable platform junk that sacrifices small bump compliancy for a little movement(is'nt that why we bought FS frames?)With true 4 bar linkage ie. pivot is on chainstay, NOT on Seatstay, this bike is the ultimate trail bike. I haven't had it that long, so i cant comment on the druability, but since you can grease the bushings(these are reportedly stiffer than cartridge bearings)I don't see any probs. If you want one bike that does it all, this is your bike. I have not weighed it, but it feels no heavier than my beloved Tracer. I'll guess with the parts I have on it, its around 27lbs. All hail the Turner 5 spot!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bikezilla
a Weekend Warrior
from NY Date Reviewed: October 22, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Ninham
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
Yorktown Cycles
Strengths:
Consistancy, stability, Stiffness, Handling, No bobbing.
Weaknesses:
Price? you get what you pay for! Gave it a 5 for value because you just can't get this level of performance for any less
Similar Products Used:
Nothing similar used.
Bike Setup:
Turner 5 Spot, (Large, Screaming Metallic Red) Romic twin tube w/600# spring. Zoke FR1 QR20 5" fork, upgraded w/ stiffer spring and 10wt synthetic oil. Zoke Custom Fender (Black) 'cause it looks so dammed good! Mavic Crossmax XL Disc Wheelset (set for 20mm thru) '03 XTR F&R Disk brakes Calaper '03 XTR Hydro Hoses '03 XT 8" Front Rotor w/ Gravity Racing Component caliper adaptor '03 XT 6" Rear Rotor '03 XT Hydraulic Brake Levers '02 XTR Shifter Pods '03 XTR Front Mech '02 XTR Rear Mech '03 XTR Crank set & BB '03 XTR Cog set XTR chain Thompson Stem Thompson Seatpost Easton EA70 Riser Bars Race Face Good & Evil grips (red&black) Chris King Headset (Pimp-Gold) Salsa Flip-off seatpost clamp WTB Laser (ti) Saddle '03 Crank Brothers Mallet-C pedals Continental Vertical Pro UST Tires
Bottom Line:
Review Summary: **Weight: 32 lbs*** Trust me, you don't feel the weight...at all! Ride Summary (for those who don't want to read the whole review) Going up: This thing climbs like a chair lift
Going down: wooohoo!
Cornering: Far more stable and predictable. Going to >69degs is different but not at all problematic.
-Small bump sensitivity: Eh? what small bumps, isn't this a paved trail? -Medium bump handling: What was that? did I hit squirrel or something? -Big hit handling: Holy $h!# I can't believe I didn't just die!
Biggest Surprises: It climbs WAY better than my hardtail, and powers out of corners like a motorcycle, I hardly ever use my granny gear now! (Need it a lot on my HT)
Final Analysis: at 32 lbs it is in all practical terms, MUCH lighter than my 27lb hardtail...what? That's right, lighter! The reason is simple, I can ride this *up*, down and over far more than I could on my HT and since I don't have to push/carry it nearly as much, IT'S LIGHTER! Just that simple. It's MUCH faster too b/c I'm not picking lines around stuff, and can pedal where I used to be hanging on for dear life. Also since I rarely use my granny, I must be going faster. (Using the 3 largest cogs).
Extended review: (Okay, here's the stuff you've waited for) I've rode this all summer, 3x a week, 2-4hr rides, in two of my favorite parks, one twisty tight and technical, the other EXTREMELY technical, rocky, rooty, tight knarly and nightmarish.
Rear Sus behavior: If this thing moves at all when I pedal I sure as hell can't tell. There is nothing, NOTHING, mushy about this bike. Mash a pedal and it goes. The real killer is how it bites the ground under power. It is difficult to describe, where my HT would squirt forward, this feels more like a pair of claws grabbing the ground and GRRRROWF, real monster like. When pedaling out of a turn I keep having the urge to make motorcycle sounds b/c it felt like I have an engine.
Matching the Romic against the Zoke: A match made in haven, you'd think they came from the same factory.
Handling (Turning & Such) It's a very different feel going to a <69deg head tube angle. Add to that a taller, fork and I really feel like the bars are way behind the front wheel. It isn't a problem, and doesn't make it more difficult to handle at low speeds, it is just a very different feeling. The Easton EA-70 bars are Stupid-wide. I mean it feels like I'm grabbing a shopping cart at Home Depot. I eventually cut them down. At higher speeds, this bike will make you feel superhuman. A bit of advice...get good healthcare, this bike will constantly push you to raise the challenge levels.
Pedal Feedback / Squat / Brake Jacking: I have no frigging idea if this phenomenon even exists in reality. Other than how it accelerates, it feels no different at the pedals than my HT, except for the fact I can continue to pedal hard and fast up, down, and through anything, where I certainly could not on my HT. The rear end feels exactly the same regardless, the suspension takes the hits the same when pedaling or not, when seated or standing. This bike is so incredibly consistent. I can say with full confidence, these problems, if they exist, are undetectable to me, and I've been riding a HT for 7 years.
Climbing Performance: I just can't say enough. The more I pedal, the more it climbs. Where I had to navigate around the hits to keep climbing, I now can pick the best line regardless of the hits along the way. The rear follows the ground, sucks up the bumps and bites like a dirt-bike. There were so many sections I could not clear before I can take now w/o problems. There were some tough steep climbs that seem so much easier now. Even the non technical climbs are easier. This is pure friggin magic. There was this one steep rockface I could never do on my HT, couldn't even get half. I took it on the Fiver the first time and could swear someone was pulling me up. It's just that good.
Climbing Geometry: Laid-back, brotha. Sometimes on the steepest of climbs with the fork extended, I can wheelie a bit easier than I'm use to, but then I use that to my advantage as I can put the front wheel over some things that might impede my progress. W/ETA on it's just about right, but I rarely use the ETA. My Hardtail seems to NEED ETA, and it still dosen't climb half as well. For some reason, ETA on or off, I don't need to ride the nose of my seat like I do with my hardtail. I guess the 5S must be better balanced.
Rock Gardens: Flowerbeds
Descending: oh yeah, it goes down alright. It goes down like a runaway roller coaster, and turns like it's on rails.
Ground clearance. About the same as my Dakota. Only now I don't worry what'll happen when my rear tire gets to the obstruction.
Overall, this bike is just incredible. Despite all the hype, it has far exceeded my expectations, the true beauty of this bike is how the whole package operates. It does everything extremely well. Consistency and stability are the key words.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam Lasky
a Weekend Warrior
from Encino, CA Date Reviewed: October 19, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Backbone
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1900.00
Purchased At:
Helen's Cycle
Strengths:
feels like endless travel, light, stiff, four bar linkage
Weaknesses:
price
Similar Products Used:
Turner RFX, Santa Cruz Bullit
Bike Setup:
Manitou Sherman, Hayes, XTR 02 and 03, maxxis mobster tires
Bottom Line:
This bike rocks, I know the bullit and the RFX are more freeride bikes (and I'm not the daredevil that I CLAIM I used to be) but everything that I could do on those bikes I can do on the 5 spot. It's light, the Romac shock feels great and the bike handles well when it get rough and fast. Anyone looking to do a mix of freeriding, trailriding, and if you miss the days of just exploring this is the bike
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Keith
a Racer
from Vacaville, CA Date Reviewed: September 29, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Sand Hill Ranch
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
demo ride
Strengths:
Made in the USA!!! The craftsmanship is killer.
Weaknesses:
I dont't own one yet.
Similar Products Used:
Outland VPP, Mantis Profloater
Bike Setup:
Fox Vanilla RL 125, Mavic F-219's with XT hubs, Thompson stem and post, Easton Carbon bars, XT shifters and cranks, XTR rear, Avid mech. brakes.
Bottom Line:
I think I have probably read every review posted for Turner, Santa Cruz, Intense, etc. you get the point - I do a lot of research prior to spending my money.
I have owned a couple of full suspension bikes in the past and I hated them. They climbed like crap and flexed more the a warm power bar.
I had an opportunity to test ride a 5 Spot, actually it was a rental so I got a chance to ride the bike all day. I spent almost 5 hours riding around Tahoe, the Flume trail, Rim trail, and Mt. Rose.
I'm 6' 2" and 200lbs and I race BMX, Dual Slalom, and MTN. X and I generally beat the crap out of my bikes. Well the Turner took all of the abuse I could throw at it.
I have read many reviews posted that talked about how well the 5 Spot climbs - well I'm a believer. My current hardtail weights about 24 lbs. the Turner was probably tiping the scale at around 31 - 33 lbs, I didn't actually weight the bike, just an est.
I had ridden the same trials day before on my hardtail and I did not notice the additional weight of the Turner, nor did I feel any flex. Which in my opinion speaks highly of the design. The only time I notice the weight of the bike was on a couple of hike a bike sections when I had to carry the bike. The bike climbs like a billy goat!!!
The fun part - the 5 Spot rips on the downhill sections -enough said..
Belive the reviews, with the exception of the dude who broke his toe and blamed it on the bike, the 5 Spot rocks.
If your a normal guy or girl who likes to go out and ride for hours at a time and want a bike the can do it all: climb, decend, huck, and get you back in one pice, then get a 5 Spot.
I was so impressed with the 5 Spot I ordered one first Monday.
My new 5 Spot will be here by the end of the week...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from marin, ca Date Reviewed: September 27, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
123bikes
Strengths:
travel quality, lateral stiffness, handling. 'feel'
Weaknesses:
you have to clean it alot cuz you can't stop riding it
agree w/positive reviews below. disagree vehemently with persons saying lateral flex exists. I weigh 225 & ride hard (w/very few real skills) & find the bike at least as rigid as the rest of the best and able to make sections/save crashes that I may otherwise have not. (I will say that its unbelievable ride quality can certainly lure you into thinking you are a world-cup-downhill-big-hit-freedride-caliber rider w/the inherent possible negative consequences)
An interesting comparison: I'd been having a gas riding this tight, technical, rocky singletrack loop on the 5-spot. decided to take the ibis silk ti out there to see how much quicker I could do the ride. (starts out w/10min paved climb, afore-mentioned technicality, etc.) result? rode it slower! and couldn't believe how the rocks beat on me- I was being stopped by rocks & roots I hadn't even noticed rolling over on the Turner.
the 5-spot rides anything easily & makes my other bikes feel like toys. as another reviewer noted, incredibly athletic for all the travel & stability.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from CdA, ID, USA Date Reviewed: September 25, 2003
Favorite Trail:
canfield
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Vertical Earth
Strengths:
Burly frame with 5 inches of travel that pedals great. Go anywhere machine.
Weaknesses:
Stickers peeling...planning to remove mine soon. Not a huge deal to me though.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Kikapu Deluxe, Kona Stinky
Bike Setup:
med blue 5 spot, vanilla 125 rlc, race face, sram xo, thomson, king hubs/velocity rims, avid mech discs = 29.75 lbs
Bottom Line:
It has been a while getting used to this wonderful bike. It is my first FS bike after 9 years on a c-dale hardtail. On the whole, there is no comparing the 5 spot to a hard tail when considering a cross country/trail bike. This bike won't be winning any xc races for me, as I am noticably slower on climbs. On technical climbs, however, this sucker shines. Going downhill fast is a blast too. My biggest hurdle in truly enjoying this bike has been to let go of unrealistic (hardtail characteristic) expectations. I am less tired and less beat up after a long ride. I love this bike!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Elfstrom
a Cross Country Rider
from Anchorage, Alaska Date Reviewed: September 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The Dome-Lost Lake
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3100.00
Purchased At:
Ready to Race-Rick Shaw
Strengths:
Monster hill climber. Romic shock allows adjustments that make everything possible. An athletic bike for being so big. I've had to learn to ride better in order to keep up with the 5 Spot. Rumbles downhill like I would expect a downhill bike to do, climbs like a goat. I've made it over everything I never could before.
Weaknesses:
None, I don't think lateral weakness is a problem with this bike and I weigh 240 pounds. If you ride well, it's not a problem
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Rock Hopper-
Bike Setup:
Romic rear shock-Fox vanilla front shock-Avid mechanical disc-sram drivetrain and shifters
Bottom Line:
Everyday I can't wait to go riding. I used to feel that way on my specialized bikes, now it's even worse. The price is up there, but I'm not buying another bike. I can't imagine a better machine for the riding I do. Extremely happy with it, and the mechanic that put it together. You should buy this bike if you don't mind spending the money on something you'll never regret.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a
from arizona Date Reviewed: September 20, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
pedalling performance (for 5 inch bike) Romic Shock Versatility
Weaknesses:
Stickers makes it hard to justify any more purchases to the wife
Similar Products Used:
Titus, Cannondale, Trek, Orange
Bike Setup:
fox vanilla, crossmax XL, Hayes
Bottom Line:
I have used this bike for a lot of epics, the kind of ride with technical climbing and descending. The bike climbs well for a 30lb bike with 5 inches of travel. It has almost no bob when climbing smoothly in the saddle, it does bob with out of the saddle climbing. It is not a cross country racer, you do notice the extra weight, but it will descend technical terrain at speed. I have to join the reviewer below in disagreeing that it is not stiff laterally. I tried the bottom bracket foot test, I noticed a lot of flex from the wheels, but almost nothing from the frame. I have never noticed any twitchiness at speed. I wonder if there are some loose sets of bushing out there. One note about bushings-I talked to Turner as I was concerned about their use of bushings vs bearings. Casey from Turnes stated that although they were 6 times the cost, they lasted a lot longer than bearing when maintained. A riding partner has an XCE that has 5 years and many, many thousands of miles. He has replaced the bushings once, and his frame outlasted his Z1. Only real complain is the stickers, which peel off easily. C'mon Turner, give us some laser etching.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
STE
a
from socal Date Reviewed: September 19, 2003
Favorite Trail:
noble canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
I have ridden a variety of different trail bikes and would have to agree with all the positive feedback posted for the 5 spot. It has all the qualities that should be prevalent on a trailbike and then some. First of all, it can climb. Its relative light weight and Romic shock enable the bike to get plenty of traction for cleaning difficult and technical climbs. I think this bike pedals as good, or even better than the XCE due to the Romic shock. Pedal bob is kept to a minimum and a critical extra inch of travel is gained. This enables the bike to negotiate some serious terrian while giving the rider the confidence to do it. In fact, I have to run DH casing tires to keep up with the capabilities of the bike - normal ply tires will flat in rock sections that the bike has no problem with. The best quality of the 5-spot is its cornering ability. Being a top ten semi pro downhiller, you have to be able to corner effectively. The 5-spot lets me hit turns with confidence. The combination of geometry, suspension and lateral stiffness makes this bike spot on. Feet up, two wheel drifts are predictable and comfortable. I also noticed that this bike responds well to counter steering in large, sweeping turns.
Weaknesses:
I firmly disagree with the posts below stating that this bike is not stiff. Any bike will flex when you push down on the pedal at the 6 o'clock position. Have you noticed how much a hard tail or even a ROAD BIKE flexes when you do this? Most of the flex is in spokes anyways. Inproper spoke tension is a much bigger source of flex on the 5 spot that the pivots. A strong wheel with properly tensioned spokes should aleviate this. The bottom line is that this a sub 30 pound bike and will not be as stiff as a DH bike with a thru axle. For its intended purposes, I think this bike is plenty strong enough and besides, it stiffer than the other trail bikes I've ridden.
Similar Products Used:
Turner XCE, Titus Locomoto, Santa Cruz Bullit, Giant VT, Balfa 2-step, GT i-drive
Bike Setup:
Marzocchi Z1, Sun rhyno lite wheels, Chris King hubs and headset, Truvativ cranks, Hayes carbon, ODI lockons
Bottom Line:
This bike will surprise you at what it can do for how little it weighs. If I had only one bike, this would be it, its that good.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a
from Moab, Ut Date Reviewed: September 13, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great suspension design, pretty good climber for a 5"er
Weaknesses:
Previously noted lateral stiffness, stickers falling off
Bottom Line:
I like turner bikes but like the previous review mentioned, lateral stiffness suffers a bit in this bike. On a built up bike, if you put your foot on the bb cup and push down you will notice flex of the rear triangle. The more flex or deflection, the more you will feel it on the trail. this translates to "twitch" at higgher speeds.
Great bike and I am glad I bought it. No bike is perfect and this minor issue is the one drawback to this suspension design. I wouln't say it is a deal breaker by any stretch, just an inherit part of the bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tara
a Cross Country Rider
from Sacramento, CA Date Reviewed: September 10, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
1850.00
Strengths:
Solid bike. Rolls and descends very well.
Weaknesses:
No costum options
Similar Products Used:
Specialized, Kona, Rocky Mountain, Foes
Bike Setup:
Fox Vanilla, Marta SL, XT drivetrain.
Bottom Line:
Turner read the market well with the Turner 5-spot. Few bikes sport 5" coil shock travel, horst-link and a non-interrupted seat tube design. The 5-spot works very well, as it should be expected by a design that has been around for 10 years plus. Climbing is quite efficient although one can of tell that there are 5" of travel. My Rocky Element climbs better. The bike excells on fast rolling hills, the speed makes bob a non issue and one is left with a very competent and surefooted ride. Downhill is also good, offering a stable and predictable ride. The rear is strong although I have tried bikes (Foes) more rigid in the back. On long fireroads I personally change the shock set up to help climbing. The Romic is a great shock which makes at least 75% of the ride quality. It offers a great variety of tuning options at your fingertips. I had no problems with reliability of the shock. The build of the bike is good, although not uniformly outstanding. The bottom bracket area stands out, but the rest of the bike is fairly normal, and some details, like the cable stops, are a bit rough. Weight of the frame (medium) was around 7.25 pounds. It would be better to use good bearings instead of bushings.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mad Aussie
a
from Arizona Date Reviewed: September 7, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
handling, romic shock, rear end stiffness!!!!!
Weaknesses:
none that cant be fixed with a grinder (see below)
Similar Products Used:
Orange sub-5
Bike Setup:
small black frame, fox vanilla 125, crossmax XL, SRAM 9, hayes
Bottom Line:
I solved my problem of rocker and seatpost QR hitting by grinding away part of the QR, not pretty, but works. I couldnt find a lower profile one than the Salsa. I dont know what Grant is talking about when he talks about rear end flex. I have had zero flex problems and that is descending technical trails (National and Telegraph at Phoenix and Upper Oldham in Flagstaff) at speed. I called Turner and had them send replace stickers. Now black with silver border on black-very stealth. Fantastic bike, worth the money. Has taken my confidence in my riding to new levels
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Grant
a
from Anaheim Hills, CA Date Reviewed: September 4, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Won't break.
Weaknesses:
Twitchy.
Bottom Line:
The bike is great BUT the laterial stiffness is weak. As the back end hooks up in high speed turns, the back end gets twitchy which can throw you you into a technical obsticle at high speed at a bad angle. Just ask my broken toes.
As long as the consumer understands that, everything is great.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Antonio Torrini
a Racer
from Austin, TX, USA Date Reviewed: August 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
City Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3600.00
Purchased At:
123bikes.com
Strengths:
Handling, climbing, descending, very plush.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Klein Palomino, Ellsworth Id.
Bike Setup:
Fox Vanilla RL, Answer carbon riser-bars, full XT with disc brakes, IRC Serac tires.
Bottom Line:
It's an incredible bike, makes anything look easy and it feels like a motorcycle! Perfect all-round trail bike. Not a racer, as it's close to 30lbs, but it's super confortable for epic rides and rough trails. My only regret (not really anything to do with Turner) was buying from 123bikes: the build was shoddy and the service was lousy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Arizona Date Reviewed: August 27, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
0
Strengths:
build quality, suspension design, romic shock
Weaknesses:
in small frame seatpost QR hits rear rocker on full compression
Bike Setup:
small black frame, fox vanilla 125, thomson, SRAM, Hayes, crossmax XL, maxxishighroller 2.25 did use salsa seatpost QR
Bottom Line:
I noticed a small groove in the right side rocker arm-traced this to the seatpost QR hitting the rocker at full compression. Tried reorienting the QR, but it still would hit on either left or right sides. I switched to the regular seatpost clamp, but the kind of riding I do I like to be able to make quick changes, Turner suggested an allen key, but trying to use one for a quick adjustment on a group night ride is a pain in the a*se. I will look for a low profile one and will post if I find something that works. Bottom line-I still love this bike-it gets better the more you ride it. The seatpost clamp is a minor problem-but for a 1900 dollar frame this should not have been an issue.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Larry
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Monica, California, USA Date Reviewed: August 26, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4700.00
Purchased At:
Helen's Cycles SM
Strengths:
Outstanding engineering and construction
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
None; my first FS bike
Bike Setup:
The usual: XTR, Hayes, Mavic, etc.
Bottom Line:
Stop for a minute and consider the function of a bicycle. Forget style, forget about having the latest high-zoot parts so that you can impress other riders. Think only about what a bicycle is supposed to do.
It's supposed to carry its rider swiftly, reliably, and comfortably as far as that rider wants. It should do this for years without extraordinary maintenance requirements or fussy and frequent adjustment. You should be able to get on, go, and come home without trouble or pain.
In beauty a full-suspension bike will never match a track bike or even a geared road bike. It lacks the elegance of those more attractive machines.
In function, however, the Turner 5-spot simply blows them away. My back doesn't hurt, my hands don't hurt, and I can maintain power or braking no matter what kind of surface I'm on. Uphill, downhill, pedalling hard or coasting the bike is simply transparent.
Modern accoutrements help. The XTR drivetrain is so easy to use I don't have to think about how to shift. No matter how great the load, I can simply shift when I need to. The Hayes brakes allow me to stop on any surface of any gradient, with complete control.
In short, this is what a bicycle should be. Yes, it's ridiculously expensive, but it shows the way to a future wherein riding a bicycle won't require self-punishment.
I'm extremely impressed. This bike is for anyone who can afford it, for any purpose. Put road tires on it and ride a century. Put knobbies on it and ride it anywhere.
Value is tough to judge. Is $1900 reasonable for a bicycle frame? Because there is no other frame like this who can say? There are other frames that cost as much, but they are neither engineered nor built as well, so to me it's worth it.
The unanswered question is: what bike would give 90% of the performance of this one, while being much less expensive? I don't know, but it's worth researching. I had the money, I bought it, and it's much better than I expected. --Larry
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
WarrGuru
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz, California Date Reviewed: August 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
too many to list
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Another Bike Shop, Santa Cruz
Strengths:
Frame stiffness, bottom bracket design, geometry, asthetics......Just about everything.
Weaknesses:
The Romic shock has been troublesome for me. The first Romic lost compression adjustment (knob just turned without adjusting)after 1 week of riding. It also had an annoying squeak during compression. Luckily, my LBS took a Romic off of a brand new frame and gave it to me. That shock slowly leaked oil right from the moment it was installed. My LBS sent that shock back to romic and gave me a loaner shock to use. I now have the repaired shock back on my bike and so far, so good. I am concerned, but we'll see how it goes. The location of the zirc fitting behind the romic shock could be better. You have to remove the shock (at least the top bolt) to lube the bushings.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Blur, Trek Liquid 30, Trek Fuel 98
Bike Setup:
Meduim Red 5 Spot, Marzocchi Z1 FR, XT deraillers, LX crank and shift pods, Hayes Mag Hydros, Mavic X317 w/onyx hubs, Frog pedals, easton EA70 SB post, Easton EA70 Monkey Bars, Thomson stem, WTB Laser V seat, Conti Vert Pro tires, Cane Creek S2 headset
Bottom Line:
I have had this bike for just under 3 months and average about 60 - 70 off-road miles per week.
This is without a doubt the best bike I have ever been on.
Climbing - This bike climbs unbelievably well. It shines in steep, technical, rocky, rooty terrain. The front end stays down in all but the steepest climbs. Use the ETA on the Z1 and even the steepest climbs are easier than any bike I've ever tried.
Pedaling - The 5 Spot is an efficient pedaler. There is almost no bob with the Romic properly adjusted.
Rear Suspension - The rear suspension is amazing. It feels completely active in any gear combination. It flattens out trails and tracks flawlessly.
Handling - The bike handles extremely well. A large portion of my riding is fast, technical downhill singletrack with small jumps, logs, roots and rocks. The bike tracks well and just eats up the rocks and roots. The confidence that I've gained from riding this bike has me doing things I wouldn't have previously considered.
Overall this bike flat out rocks!!! It reminds me of riding a motorcycle (I've heard other riders say similar things). It feels low and beefy...no noticable flex at all. It rides so well that I'm considering racing it. I current race using my Trek Fuel. I seem to be able to go farther and faster on the Turner. Maybe it's deceiving because it feels so nmooth. I'm goinng to take both bikes to the Sea Otter course and time laps over a few weeks. The results should be interesting. A 30 pound bike vs a 25 pound bike.
It's a shame that Turner doesn't (can't?) have a demo program. He probably doesn't need it as I hear that he's having trouble keeping up with orders as it is. I'm sure that even more people would be interested in the Spot if they were able to try it first.
I was originally planning to buy a Santa Cruz Blur. I had been eyeing them for months and heard only great things about them. I decided that I'd rent a Blur and thrash it for a day to decide. The Blur is a fine bike. I really enjoyed riding it. I rememgber that when I got home after riding the Blur, my wife asked me why I wasn't wearing an ear-to-ear grin. I told her that while the Blur was nice, there just wasn't enough difference between that and my Fuel. I would have ended up just riding the Blur. I wanted 2 different bikes. At first I though that I'd get the Blur and put a big 5" fork on it, but I was told that it would void the warranty. Then I saw the 5 Spot.
It was everything I was looking for........then I rode it and I was sold.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Alaska Date Reviewed: August 1, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Campbell Tract
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
hammerheadbikes.com
Strengths:
Light weight for 5" of travel, highly refined Turner design, awesome welds, finish and CNC work, Romic shock, stiff as hell.
Weaknesses:
The wait after placing the order.
Similar Products Used:
Owned DBR X-2, Ventana El Habenero, Klien Mantra (ugh), Mountain Cycle San Andreas, K2 5000 with lots of mods, SC Heckler and Cannondale Jekyll among others.
Bike Setup:
Large black 5-Spot frame, Clunk-free Vanilla 125 RLC, King HS, 03 XT Cranks/BB/F & R der's, SRAM shifers, running 2x9, 32x22, with bash ring instead of big ring, Easton Carbon Monkey bar, Maxm carbon post, SLR Trans Am Saddle, Eggbeaters, all black WTB licensed American Classic disc wheels on velocity rims built by Mike at oddsandendos.com, XTR discs with XT levers and 6-bolt rotors, WTB Weirwolf 2.5 F and Mutanoraptor 2.4 R tires. Overall weight is 28.5 pounds.
Bottom Line:
This bike has been everything I have ever wanted in a MTB and more. I looked at everything I wanted in a bike, fully active rear, full seat tube cause my legs are long so I need a lot of post but sill want the ability to drop it for the DH stuff, and a proven design built like a tank without the weight. The Turner was the only one that fit the bill. The Blur was a close second, but who knows how long the pivots will last?
As you can see, I have owned a lot of crappy bikes and ridden a bunch of others, but they all paled in comparison to a friends XCE that I rode a few years ago. My riding is just an all mountain kind of thing, I ride up, over and down anything that looks interesting. I don't race XC and I don't do big drops and all that crazy stuff. I wanted a bike that wouldn't be too heavy, but could eat everything I encounter on the trails.
I went through a lot of rides before finally deciding rather than trying to find something that came close to the ride of the Turner, I'll just step up and get a Turner. Unfortunately I didn't have the $$$ together earlier this year when they blew out the XCE's, so I ordered a 5-spot.
When I got the frame the first thing I notice was the quality of workmanship, it's outstanding. From the one piece CNC'd BB, the chain and seatstay's with unnecessary metal milled out, the nicely machined rockers, it's the total package.
Frame weight, large with Romic and steel spring 7.2 pounds on a digital scale. The large with a TI spring is under 7. Considering most light XC frames in that size are at or just under 6 pounds, that's pretty damn good. The Romic weighs 717g and the FOX AVA is around 300g so an air shock would get my frame right at 6 pounds if I wanted to.
I've ridden it almost daily for the last month and logged about 100 hours in the saddle so far and I am truly impressed by the ride. Like so many other Turner reviewers before me say, it just does everythig so well.
Climbing on a 5x5 might seem like a chore, but the rear is fully active and it just digs in. Traction is amazing, I cleared everything I couldn't on my other bikes with ease. Confidence inspiring to say the least.
Even when the trails are wet and muddy, the rear stay's planted. The one drawback on a long travel XC bike is that I do have to lean forward a lot on the steep stuff to keep the front on the ground, but it's no big deal so far.
Over the rough stuff, the Fox front and Romic rear just eat everything up. I don't try to pick a line as much as I used to anymore, if going up I just shift my weight back a bit to unweight the fork and hammer, when pointed down I just hang on and let the bike do the rest.
Descending is something I've never been good at. At 6'1" and about 195# I don't float over rough terrain like my featherweight friends, I get tossed around a lot cause I got no skills. I'll admit it, I'm not the best rider. But the Turner has pushed me beyond anything I've ever done before.
When going down I can easily drop the seat and just mash over everything. I'm coinsiderably faster over all of my favorite trails. After a ton of riding I still haven't found the sweet spot on the Romic yet, but I'm always getting closer. It's just so plush, this is what I've always thought suspension should feel like.
With the fully active rear, I have noticed what a difference it makes when both pedaling and braking. When hammering through root and rock covered trails, absolutely no pedal feedback. On all of my other bikes there was quite a bit of feedback. I never thought it was a big deal, but now I'll never go back.
Also, there's no brake jack, I can scrub speed without the rear jumping around, it's really noticable when braking while hitting a gnarly turn, the rear just stays planted and soaks everything up. I can totally rail any turn. On other bikes I would always break loose or get bounced around a lot.
Bob is non-existent. I always look down when I step on the gas and the rear is just eating up the bumps on the trail, completely independent from my pedal strokes. It's a thing of beauty, every stroke is forward momentum, it just accelerates. The acceleration is a cool sensation, it really scoots.
For an all around ride this bike is tough to beat. It's expensive, but look at the reputation Turner has built through the years. The rear is plush, solid, flex free and easy to maintain.
Some think bushings are inferior to bearings, but a properly aligned rear with tolerances like Turner have makes that a moot point. The rear is so silky smooth. The grease ports makes maintenance a snap, stick a gun into the fittting, squeeze until all the dirty grease is gone and wipe away excess. Two minutes every couple weeks, piece of cake.
All in all this bike has taken my riding to a new level. I can clear a lot of stuff I never could before and I have to confidence to try thing I never would have before. Biking has never been more fun and that's what it's all about. After a bunch of bikes over the last six years, I have found the perfect bike for me. Ride a Turner and you just might find the perfect ride for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin Wilson
a Cross Country Rider
from Bakersfield, Ca USA Date Reviewed: July 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Tahoe floom trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At:
123 bikes
Strengths:
Turner name speaks for itself, The bike is flawless the welds are superb. The Romic shock compliments this bike so well.
Weaknesses:
None at all
Similar Products Used:
Intense Spider, Tracer, Santa Cruz Blur, just to name a few.
Bike Setup:
Xt Drivetrain, Fox Talas Rlc fork, Hope mini disc brakes, Mavic 3.1 rims laced to Chris King hubs, Thomson seat post and stem, Chris King headset, Answer carbon bars, Etc.
Bottom Line:
This bike is excellent it goes up hill with hardly any effort and decends even better. I have never ridden a bike that rides better than my 5 spot it begs to be ridden hard and rough. I took this thing through rock garden after rock garden and it just kept trucking away. I would reccomend this bike to anyone who wants a awesome do everything great trailbike. Plus Dave and Mike at 123 bikes are the best if you want to know anything about the bike ask for Dave the mechanic he helped Dave Turner develop these bikes he has ridden every prototype Turner bike made. No one knows Turners like 123 bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Drew
a
from Muskoka Date Reviewed: July 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Nice ride with little negative feedback. The bike jumps when you tell it to and never misses a turn. The frame is absolutely impectible. The machining and welds match those of some of the best. The angles are supple but responsive. It has been a plesure to work with such a machine.
Weaknesses:
On a frame of such expense Laser Etching could have been used.
Similar Products Used:
Intense Trazer, Specialized Enduro Pro, Elsworth Truth, Santa Cruz Super light (I love working at a bike shop)
Bike Setup:
Fox Talus, Sram 9X r Der, with new Sram rapid fire pods, Hayes carbon, RF carbon bar, RF cranks-BB-Seat Post-Stem. CrossMax Wheel set, XTR f Der, and of course, my very favourte, F2000 Bonti Saddle.
Bottom Line:
Eye Candy
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Turtleman
a Weekend Warrior
from Weir Canyon, CA Date Reviewed: July 10, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Very nice balance, traction, and handling
Weaknesses:
little heavy for cross country weenies?
Similar Products Used:
Mongoose fairlane(good), Kona mano mano(very good), Cannondale Jackyl(ok), K2 Attack(pretty good), Klein palomino(good and bad), Specialized Enduro(very good)
Bike Setup:
romic shock, XTR thru out
Bottom Line:
A very nice bike. An excellent feel and balance. Easy to pop a wheelie and turns with great stability. Romic is plush and smooth. Climbs very well for 69 degree head angle and 5 inch travel. Turner has built a fantastic do it all bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cookie
a Cross Country Rider
from South Lake Tahoe, Ca Date Reviewed: July 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Downiville Butcher Creek
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Climbing
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
XCE, Tracer
Bike Setup:
Hayes brakes, Psylo Fork, Romic shock, XT and XTR mix, Truvativ, WTB tires,rims and seat. (wt. 30 lbs)
Bottom Line:
I have ridden and raced the Tracer and the Turner XCE @ The Downiville Dh. Recently I rode the 5 spot at Dville, the bike was solid. In the rocky technical sections the 5 spot powered and flowed, handling all terrain excellent. The 5 spot exceeds the XCE in cimbing ability and crushes the tracer in all aspects.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a
from Arizona Date Reviewed: July 6, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
stiffness in rear end suspension performance romic shock geometry technical terrain handling workmanship
Weaknesses:
stickers
Similar Products Used:
Owned: Titus Loco Moto, Racer-X, Orange Sub-5 Tested: Giant VT1, Cannondale Jekyll
Bike Setup:
Small Frame, fox vanilla 125, Hayes, SRAM, Crossmax XL
Bottom Line:
After riding this bike for three days straight through varied terrain I am amazed by its performance. There is no "bob" while climbing, and the steep seat angle helps you keep the front end down. Descending it will negotiate drops and rocky chutes with ease. When I was riding up a rocky service road on my first ride I noticed that despite the fact that the bike was not "bobbing", it was significantly plusher than my Float suspended Orange. A lot of credit has to go to the Romic(plus a great suspension design from Turner) Large chainring, small chainring it pedals equally well with no feedback. The only negative things I can say about the frame is the stickers. They were beginning to peel when I received the frame, so I removed them. Thanks to the previous reviewers for their feedback in this purchase.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
t
a
from orange coounty, ca Date Reviewed: July 1, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Craftmanship says it all. Attention to detail and Turners customer service.
Weaknesses:
Weaknesses?
Similar Products Used:
Demo'ed Cannondales, Specialized, Intense, Trek, Santa Cruz and Klein.
Bike Setup:
Fox Vanilla 125 RLC, King headset, Hayes Mag Plus, Thomson stem and post, Spinergy Xyclone Disc wheelset, 2003 XTR crankset, 959 pedals, Maxxis Larsen TT 2.35 tires, Sram XO rear derailleur and shifters XTR front derailleur, Easton carbon DH bar, XTR 11-34 cassette and Wipperman Connex Stainless Steel chain.
Bottom Line:
I have owned a Turner 02 and XCE and this by far is their best trail bike to date. I have also owned an Intense Tracer, Sugar 1 and various hard tails. The Five Spot does everything you want. It climbs well, descends flawlessly and is good looking to boot. Turner hit the nail on the head with this one. As close to perfection of an all around trail bike. Now only if they made single speeds!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Industry Guy
a Weekend Warrior
from California Date Reviewed: June 28, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Attention to detail. No one builds a frame/bike that is better thouhgt out than David. Spot on performance for its intended use. A Turner executed 4-bar is still king.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Jekyl, Specialized Enduro, Santa Cruz Blur
Bike Setup:
Fox Vanilla 125 RLC, Romic, XTR...29 lbs
Bottom Line:
I've been associated with the cycling industry for 15 years so I have the opportunity to ride/own all the newest equipment. I have been extremely happy with my Blur. Then I got a chance to ride a friend's 5 Spot on a recent group ride. Great pedaling efficiency. Small bump compliance during hard chain load situations is super. It's very stiff laterally. The geometry is perfect for the riding I do. The real kicker is the bike I rode had a coil shock and a coil fork and still came in at 29 lbs. If you get a chance to ride one, take advantage of it. The only bad thing that will come from it is disappintment with your current ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Damon
a
from Westport CT USA Date Reviewed: June 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Trumbul/ Huntington State Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
1895 Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
Climbs like a mountain goat, desends even better. Romic shock is great. Sturdy platform(bike is solid) ne creeks, very stiff grease ports on all the pivot points.
Weaknesses:
None that I found yet, other than the chesse bag stickers.
Similar Products Used:
GT I-Drive (She served me well)
Bike Setup:
Fox 125RLC, King Headset, King ISO disc hubs,XT discs, XT Front, and rear derailers, Sun Rhyno Lite rims, Thompson Elite seat post, Max Flite saddle, Pro Tapper bars, Truvative Hussefelt cranks, Truvative DH bottom bracket
Bottom Line:
Just got back from my first ride. This bike is simply awesome, confidense inspiring ride. I found myself going down the downs much faster than I normally do, climbing is all so second to none, handles great, you point it it goes. Turner nailed the geometry on this one. Every thing about this bike makes me want to quit my job and just ride. Can't wait to ride tomorrow. I will keep you posted as time goes on.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kent
a Cross Country Rider
from Moab, Utah, USA Date Reviewed: June 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Little Canyon Rim
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Slockrock Cycles, Moab
Strengths:
Quality of construction, geometry, rear suspension design
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Turner XCE and RFX, Giant AC and NRS, Intense Uzzi SLX and Tracer
Bike Setup:
My set up is heavier than the others reported here. It's not built for hucking big drops, it's just how abusive Moab is on your equipment. Maxxis Minion 2.35 DH tires, Manitou Sherman Firefly, 7" Avid disc, Titec Berserkr DH saddle
Bottom Line:
This thing makes other cross country bikes feel inadaquate. It's stiff climbing and descending, precise steering, and the rear end stays hooked up. I haven't ridden anything else that is this good for an all-conditions ride. It climbs lighter than it's 33 lbs should feel like, probibly thanks to the pivot location and the Romic shock. It descends straight and fast like a rock solid heavy weight.
There's a lot of talk about new designs that don't suffer from pedal induced bob, but the magazine testers don't talk about how badly some of those designs react when you grab the rear brake. And they've come to accept the pedals getting yanked backwards when hitting a bump. Those are compromises you don't have to make. This bike is a perfect fit for the "easy to tune" Romic shock, and still have a full time functioning rear brake. It's easy to go fast, it's the stopping part that hurts. You can have a bike that pedals up as well as it flys back down.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
michael
a Weekend Warrior
from santacruz, ca usa Date Reviewed: June 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
dead campers, this week, next?
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3600.00
Purchased At:
another bike shop
Strengths:
I've ridden this bike for three weeks now, and have to say for the type of riding I do the bike is perfect. Handling and balance are awesome. Pedals uphill as well as my s.c. superlite. descends and soaks up 4' drops well. yahoo. great bike that will do everything well.
Weaknesses:
none so far.
Similar Products Used:
santa cruz superlight, heckler,blur, specialized enduro,giant vt1,ac1, kona bear
Bike Setup:
large frame xtr drivetrain,king headset,and hubs w/mavic3.1 tubeless,continental vert. pro, xt disc brakes, thompson stem and seatpost, wtb laserV saddle, monkeylite bar, fox vanilla125rlc, and romic coil. oh, and time carbon pedals
Bottom Line:
I don't think you will find a 5" travel bike that rides better than this one, and it only weighs 29 lbs.. Frame geometry works, and the slack head angle(69')will help keep you in the saddle on steep technical descents. All my buds, are morphing into free ride maniacs and I can now keep up on the downhill, and smoke most of them climbing. As one riding buddy said on our fathers day ride, climbing back on his new blur,after riding the 5spot,I think I bought the wrong bike.... Maybe not the best bike for cross country weight weenies or full on freeride hucking downhillers, but it will take care of everyone in else between.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Glitch
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: June 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim, Moab
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1895.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes.com, San Diego
Strengths:
Purest "trail" bike available. Razor sharp handling in single track. Climbs like a mountain goat; descends effortlessly over the roughest terrain. Fantastic geometry makes hours in the saddle a joy. Turner craftsmanship! Romic rear coil-over shock is a dream.
Weaknesses:
Zero. Except I wish I had this bike for my Utah (Moab, Gooseberry Mesa) trip last month. Darn!
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale Super V, Santa Cruz Heckler, Cannondale Gemini, Cannondale Jekyll, Intense Spyder, Intense Tracer
Bike Setup:
Anodized Black frame with silver "Turner" decal, Fox Talas RL fork, XT front & XTR rear derailleurs, Race Face Turbine crank set, Chris King ISO disc hubs, Mavic 517 rims, Hayes HFX-9 XC disc brakes, Easton Monkey Bar, Chris King headset, Thomson stem and set back seat post and Koobi SI saddle.
Bottom Line:
There's not space enough here to give all the reasons why my new Turner 5-Spot is awe-inspiring. After three rides, I am positive that this bike was the best all-mountain choice I could have made. The 5 Spot is extremely comfortable to ride and it inspires a level of control that I have never achieved when riding, until now. The customer service experience with Turner has been exemplary. I wasn't sure what size to order (medium and large). I was invited up to Turner's HQ in Temecula, CA to ride a medium they had in the office. Turned out it was Dave Turner's (the nameplate) personal bike. However, I settled on a large and it arrived this week at Beyond Bikes (my LBS-www.beyondbikes.com) this week. Thanks to Jarett and Matt (best wrench in SD) for dialing this bike in perfectly; and good-naturedly prodding me to stop upgrading my 2000 Cannondale and jump up to the next level of riding, Turner 5 Spot style.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
gabriel
a Cross Country Rider
from LA Date Reviewed: June 4, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1895.00
Strengths:
BEST BIKE FOR NON WEIGHT WEENIES,true trail bike!!!.Handles single track like on rails and climbs like a goat.Even better than my xce and I thought the xce was almost perfect.The romic makes the 5 spot stick to ground during hard climbs and smothes out shutter bumps, yet acccelerates the 5 spot similar to a hardtail.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
xce, tracer, giant vt
Bike Setup:
talas 125 RLC, with full 2003 XTR and king wheelset.
Bottom Line:
Can a bike be perfect for it's intended purpose, yes my new 5-spot is and this is the start of a long journey.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Venturini
a Weekend Warrior
from Littleton, CO USA Date Reviewed: May 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Apex, Mt. Falcon, Deer Creek Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1895.00
Purchased At:
Singletrack Factory
Strengths:
Handling, Handling, Handling. Turner nailed the perfect balance between climbing and descending characteristics.
Weaknesses:
None! The only weakness left is my riding skills!
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Superlight, Specialized FSR
Bike Setup:
Z-1 Freeride up front, XT derailleurs, Race Face Cranks, Easton Monkey Lite Bar, Thomson Stem, Hugi 240 disk hubs, Bontrager Valiant Rims.
Bottom Line:
This is by far the best bike I have ever ridden. The folks at Turner really did their homework & nailed the geometry for all day trail riding. I just got the frame last week, built the bike on Thursday & headed to Crested Butte for the weekend. Wow is all I can say. I've never felt so comfortable on a bike, it climbs better than my Superlight (and FSR before that) and blows it away on the downhills. Tight switchback, no problem, long fire road climb, no problem, rocky descent, no problem. It inspires confidence in all situations, the only problem is my skills have become the limiting factor, no more excuses based on my bike.
If you are looking for a truly great all mountain ride this is your bike, I'll keep you posted as time goes by, but I imagine my opinion will only get better. Thanks to the folks at the Singletrack Factory in Denver for hooking me up, and thats to the people at Turner for designing & building this bike, it doesn't get any better. You have a life-long customer!!!
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