My local trails are tight and twisty and typically pretty rooty. I tend to try to manual and bunny hop over log crossings, ruts, clusters of roots and other trail obstacles when I can and need a bike that has a playful nature. I don't do any major drops, but like to hop and jump over anything that I can find on the trail - just like to have fun!
I have had a ton of bikes over the years and know that all are not created equally. Want a bike that is easy to jump, hop, manual and flick around. Some suspension designs are better at allowing you to preload the suspension for a bunny hop, while some feel dead when you try to hop em and are hard to get off the ground.
How does the DW link design handle with this in mind? That sort of lively feel when hopping around on the trail is important to me. I've had to rely on propedal on some bikes to resist soaking up my efforts, and guess I could do the same with a DW link bike, but not sure how responsive they are.
I think my old TNT (all of 2008 old) Sultan is a kick in the pants - all sorts of fun. Don't see any need to "upgrade" to a new DWL. Quite happy with my 'old' technology.
Guess it depends on your definition of fun - but in this case my question has to do with flickability as part of the fun factor.
Can you have fun riding any ol' beater bike on a trail? Sure you can - but a responsive bike is more enjoyable to jump, hop, manual, pump and just generally flow on.
No doubt about it - some bikes have a more playful character.
im a bit of a hopper myself but it doesnt sound like its to the extent of yer fun and games. anyway, the proto dwl spot i rode was a hoot, easy to toss around as needed and lofted the front or back ends individually like a champ. go forth and perspire.
I have owned Horst link and TNT Spots; and now I own a DW Spot. The Spot handles the rough stuff incredibly well. I have noticed rough sections of trail are smoother to ride through on my DW Spot. The suspension is smooth and plush. You can mash on the pedals and there is no noticeable or very little movement of the rear suspsension. It is incredibly stiff. It also maintains that classic Turner balanced feel. I would recommend it for the type of riding you described - you will not be disappointted.
I have owned Horst link and TNT Spots; and now I own a DW Spot. The Spot handles the rough stuff incredibly well. I have noticed rough sections of trail are smoother to ride through on my DW Spot. The suspension is smooth and plush. You can mash on the pedals and there is no noticeable or very little movement of the rear suspsension. It is incredibly stiff. It also maintains that classic Turner balanced feel. I would recommend it for the type of riding you described - you will not be disappointted.
Or are you saying you were a sucker for the latest hype then? You got drunk on the spiked koolaide?
Oh wait, you would never admit that would you?
I notice rough sections of trail trail on my spot has that classic Turner feel too...wow...about that classic turner feel...it's all about that isn't it? Lots of new pivots for that classic Turner feel...
I like trying new products, designs, etc. Some of it turns out to be hype. I was skeptical of the DW suspension design; but I have been really impressed with the ride quality of the DW 5 Spot.
If you have not ridden the new DW 5 spot give it a test ride.
I might...But should I expect a miracle over an already great ride? Did i screw up in getting an old spot?
I don't think Turner has claimed nor has anyone claimed that the new Turner is a miracle for mountain biking. Both the HL Turners and TNT Turners are great bikes - so I would say you did not screw up in getting an older Turner. However, the DW Spot, in my opinion, is an improvement over both the HL Spot and TNT Spot. It is possible to make a great product even better and I believe Turner has accomplished this with DW Spot.
Or are you saying you were a sucker for the latest hype then? You got drunk on the spiked koolaide?
Oh wait, you would never admit that would you?
I notice rough sections of trail trail on my spot has that classic Turner feel too...wow...about that classic turner feel...it's all about that isn't it? Lots of new pivots for that classic Turner feel...
Lidar, to JTBAZ observations, and your post here. Regardless of any political metaphor that can be drawn. It would appear that if the rider really like the chunky stuff, the DW spot would be less fun as it smooths out the trail better. If the rider doesn't like the chunk so much, than there won't be as big a difference between the TNT and DW spot.
Sthrnfat, the reason to buy a Turner is the balance, stability and handling characteristics of the geomerty, the quality, the easily greased bushing system, and CS. All those things should be true for HL, TNT or new DWs. Mostlikly the DWs petal a little better with less bob but I bet you still do have to petal it.
My take on hoping, jumping and pumping trail features is that it depends more on rebound set up more than the type of suspension design, IMO.
Have you rode the non DW Turners? If you know who to ask you could proably ride an 08 on a section or two of trail in Charlotte.
In short, yes it makes riding more fun, IMO. Ride after ride I will pull off a move like climbing a section that was on the edge of impossible with my fitness that I really think was largely due to the dw-link. Dylan spent Thanksgiving near Vegas with family and snuck away for some Bootleg riding and came back gushing over the traction up or down and the ability to rip turns on the granite marbles. There is no suspension engineer whose product I have ridden, which is most, that knows what DW knows, if it did not make the ride better I would not have spent a year and a half and a ton of money to change over to it.
I have owned Horst link and TNT Spots; and now I own a DW Spot. The Spot handles the rough stuff incredibly well. I have noticed rough sections of trail are smoother to ride through on my DW Spot. The suspension is smooth and plush. You can mash on the pedals and there is no noticeable or very little movement of the rear suspsension. It is incredibly stiff. It also maintains that classic Turner balanced feel. I would recommend it for the type of riding you described - you will not be disappointted.
Agreed... JT had the first DW Spot in AZ... mine is the second. Took out my small blue Spot (posting pics later, waiting on some Hope Tech X2s to come in later this week) this weekend and it was truly a blast to ride.
Handled great, pedaled great (even better than my TNT Flux) and I didn't understand the whole "balanced feel" comments on the Spot when I pinged a few folks on the forum until I started pedaling. The bike is just a blast and have to say it is at the top of all the rides I've owned from Ventana (Salts, Marble Peaks), Titus (ML & HH100X) and my PUSH'd 07 TNT Flux.
Dave, please send some demos to the NY / NJ area pronto! Plenty of people are itching to try the DWL bikes but the competitive cyclist demo program is very expensive.
PS Lidarman instead of making fun of people that think a DWL Turner improves the ride maybe you should give one a whirl - if only to help you feel good about buying a closeout 08 for half of what a DWL would have cost.
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