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need some advice

595 views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  cactuscorn 
#1 ·
im currently in the market for my first full sus.:) , been looking at LOTS:confused: of bikes and i like what ive seen/read about the flux and spot. my concern is that maybe my skills are not up to par to justify spending the money on a turner. im 5-10.5, 210 lbs and ride mainly xc trails here in beautiful nj, ive been back riding for a little over a year and lovin it. any input would be great:thumbsup:


thanks!!
 
#2 ·
Don't worry so much about your skills... focus on your post count! :p

Seriously... I've never understood the mindset of "only the best riders should own the nicest bikes". That's kinda like saying only raging alcoholics should drink fine scotch. Or taxi cab drivers should own ferraris since they drive for a living. Right?

It ain't about skills... it's about having fun. If the bike will get used, then you will get your moneys worth out of whatever you buy.

To me the point of a nice bike, is partially just that you won't get nickel & dimed trying to maintain something that wasn't well designed and lacks customer service. For instance, you can buy a pivot rebuild kit for a 1996 turner directly off their website. Now try to find replacement pivot stuff for an 12-year old trek or specialized suspension frame. Chances are, unless you can find generic bearings and parts at your local hardware store, you might be out of luck!

Anyways, you'll have a lot of fun on a nice bike and it will help your skills evolve. Just make sure to pick one thats appropriate for your riding style & local trails.
 
#3 ·
and...

If you have been riding a hard tail, and are sufficient there, you will only see improvements with a full suspension bike. You buy a 5 spot, it will be the last bike you buy for the purpose of xcountry riding. Buy a lesser bike, and you'll wish you bought a 5 spot. Do yourself a favor and do it right the first time.

Skills will come, like other dude said. When I first rode my 5 spot down a gnarly singletrack trail I thought I knew, I felt like the bike as trying to take off on me. It owned me actually. Once I learned what that thing was capable of on downhills and climbing, it made me like riding that much more.
 
#4 ·
I was kind of in the same boat as you this past spring. I ended up buying a hardtail which survived the summer and fall...but realized that a full suspension was the way to go. So after much deliberation, research, and advice from a buddy I just bought a Turner 5 Spot. I am not an outrageous rider and probably still on the conservative side, but even still a full susp. can make all the difference especially on those long rides...being out on a 6 hours plus ride is not uncommon up here and riding a "cadillac" makes for a great trip. Good luck.
 
#6 ·
If you're at all tentative about the cost, 08s are bargains now, and there are good deals on complete used Spots and Fluxes. Buying a used mountain bike is generally a risky proposition, but one thing about Turner owners is that they tend to really take care of their rides, so you can often find a bike that's been well ridden but also well loved. There are plenty of good bikes out there, but only a very few manufacturers have Turner's combination of great quality, dialed geometry and great customer service.
 
#7 ·
if you are in northern NJ and ride Ringwood / Ramapo, Waway, Mahlon, Allamuchy etc I would say build up a 5" bike like a light Spot. If you ride in South Jersey a Flux. One of our riding buddies went from a hard tail to Flux and is now thinking El Ciclon or Spot. The limitations of my skills haven't stopped me from owning 2 Turner frames currently. I would think large frame with a shortish stem.
 
#8 ·
What FM said! You need at least 1,000 posts before you qualify to buy a Turner. :D

The Spot was my first full sus bike too. I got it in '03. Right from the start I recognized three things: The bike was better than I was. The bike made me step up. The bike made me WANT to step up.

+1 on what many of the other said. If the bike is right for you you won't be in any hurry to replace it, and you can keep a Turner running for a very long time tnx to it's excellent construction and their great customer support.

Have look at all the classics still in service...going from one happy owner to another.

It's your money get what you WANT. You don't have to be a pro to enjoy it.
 
#10 ·
i live on the jersey shore so i ride the southern/central jersey trails i.e. allaire, clayton, harshorne etc, but one good thing about jersey is that its small and nothing is that far away. i feel if i had a full sus. bike i would feel more motivated to venture north to those places that i hear so many good things about. anybody have experience with competive cyclist?
 
#11 ·
Bikezilla said:
What FM said! You need at least 1,000 posts before you qualify to buy a Turner.


LOL ! :D

From my experience..........I feel well designed and quality made full suspension framed mtbs are simply more comfortable , confidence inspiring , and fun to ride ! The only hardtail I would even think about anymore would be a well made 29er and I'm most certain those thoughts will be completely eliminated after I get my DW Sultan ! :) TIG.
 
#12 ·
bcf811 said:
i live on the jersey shore so i ride the southern/central jersey trails i.e. allaire, clayton, harshorne etc, but one good thing about jersey is that its small and nothing is that far away. i feel if i had a full sus. bike i would feel more motivated to venture north to those places that i hear so many good things about. anybody have experience with competive cyclist?
I bought my Sultan from them :thumbsup:
 
#13 ·
bcf811 said:
im currently in the market for my first full sus.:) , been looking at LOTS:confused: of bikes and i like what ive seen/read about the flux and spot. my concern is that maybe my skills are not up to par to justify spending the money on a turner. im 5-10.5, 210 lbs and ride mainly xc trails here in beautiful nj, ive been back riding for a little over a year and lovin it. any input would be great:thumbsup:

thanks!!
Realize that not many people on this board have skills outside of posting on this board. You'll be fine, and you'll get a bike that will last season after season with the best customer support in the industry.
 
#15 ·
bcf811 said:
i live on the jersey shore so i ride the southern/central jersey trails i.e. allaire, clayton, harshorne etc, but one good thing about jersey is that its small and nothing is that far away. i feel if i had a full sus. bike i would feel more motivated to venture north to those places that i hear so many good things about. anybody have experience with competive cyclist?
I would recommend a Flux. It will be more familiar coming off a hardtail and for your local riding spots will be an absolute ripper. I make a few trips a year in the Winter down to Long Island, Hartshorne, and Allaire to ride those silly fast trails and the Flux absolutely rocks.

If you see yourself riding regularly at the rocky north Jersey riding spots then as Wilks suggested the Spot may be a better bet. Another consideration is that at your weight the Flux may present durability concerns. It's made of light tubing and if you ride it hard it will definitely not last as long as a Spot. This is less of an issue with the 2008 model but something to keep in mind nonetheless.
 
#18 ·
ill dissagree. there is no weight limit on a flux nor does there need to be. there must be some reason they build a xl, dont ya think? it shared the same rear tri as the spot for 3 years till '08 and can handle itself well in the tech under a decent rider as long as yer not a big jumper. if ya plan to travel outside of yer local trails where fast, techy, rocky rides are the norm and do this semi often, the spot is yer new bike. if not, the flux is simply the best xc/trail bike i know of and is also crush proof. well almost. just dont park it in the garage on top of yer roof rack like i did.
 
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