have a flux bought this year, it replace my xce which was a bit worn in the rear pivots, its great, running r/shox rev air set to 130 abit more than turner suggest but once the sag is in its fine. not sure of weight but i am using mavic tubeless rims with hope xc hubs, lx/xt drivetrain, sunnline alloy bars 710mm wide, 90mm thomson stem and straight s/post, hope minis the lastest ones, it rides really well the fox could use more damping but thats how turner spec it. it is faster uphill than the xce and the cornering feels better, didnt get the 5 spot as i have used the xce in scotland, wales , spain and never flet the need for more travel
I'm loving mine – no problems with it, climbs and descends really well with 140mm each end. The build quality and finish is great. It's built light for the riding I do (25.3lb) but I reckon it would be amazing with a heftier wheel/tyre and Fox 36s…
mrpink : well, more options, Horst Link (Turner'd still be there if he could afford to be), better construction, more adaptability (travel adjust on all Helius models), more colour options, better welds, better alignment, more tyre clearance, cutting edge geometry and none of that stupid DW link fugliness…..
Am loving it – have had HL 5-Spot and 6-Pack in the past, as well as an Ibis Mojo, and this beats the lot as a do-it-all bike. My only regret is not waiting until the yellow special edition – Randall – that is stunning!
PS I'm now running Float 36's at full travel and it still climbs fantastically well!!
TLR – fair enough. Each to their own. Whilst I love Nicolais and will undoubtedly own one at some stage (perhaps the new AFR) IMHO as a platform the DW Link is superior to the HL across the board. It also doesn't need a £600 shock to get the ride characteristics I want!
TLR iam sure Turner can afford the HL but the DW is better,he also does not like adjustable travel settings!The DW Turners aren't the best looking but Nicolais are just ugly!
lol @ mr pink – adjustable settings on Turners are available via the frankenbike [a la PUSH] linkages with better effect than the standard spot linkages in some instances !
DW link may be better than the old 4 bar Horst link but dear god its ugly. Shame really as Turners used to be the most aesthetically pleasing full sus bikes. I'll be sticking with my 03 5 Spot until something appreciably better comes along or it breaks.
TLR,yes i Know all about push rockers,5.1,5.3,140mm etc,but Turner does not believe in a adjustable rockers!I have tested a few adjustable rocker bikes and find them ok but not perfect!
Whilst the odd interjection of "have you also considered this?" is always welcome, the OP asked owners for their pics and views on DW Turners, rather than an argument over Turner vs Nicolai.
How does the DW Links perform in comparrison to the 2x previous linkage systems?
Can you actually tell the difference I wonder?
Has anyone owned / tried extensively all three or even two previous models?
Mines an '05 silver Flux and whilst the graphics are chronic, it's a hugely competent bike – anyone can ride it well. Fox 100mm front end & XTR / XT kit.
I have had,hl,tnt and now have a dw spot,the dw picks speed up faster,no squat on climbs and is better on square hits.The dw frames have put weight on but you can not tell as they pedal so well,i also find with the lower bb they are faster on singletrack. I also have a 08 Flux but don't use it much as the spot pedals so well.
be aware that guides in spain riding 5 Spots for the last 6 years, virtually every day, being the HL, TNT and now DWL suggest there's almost no discernible difference between the characteristics of the linkage systems…..and these guys ride hard every day !
Ti29er – before I bought the DW version, I rode my HL '05, my mate's faux bar, and a demo DW (left to right in the pics below) back to back for a 3hr ride over terrain I am very familiar with. I've owned the HL Spot from new, and it's been my main ride during that period; I also had a HL 6-Pack too, so feel I know the HL versions pretty well.
As many have observed, it's pretty difficult to tell the difference between the HL and non-HL versions – the HL bobs a bit anyway, requiring some pro-pedal when climbing.
The DW Link is noticably different from the off. It's probably most noticable when climbing – under pedalling, the bike sits up rather than sagging into it's travel, giving a better position and meaning you can run longer forks without the need to wind in. It is also snappier under acceleration, and can be pumped more through little undulations. Having also had an Ibis Mojo for a while, this is definately due to the DW Link rather than any other changes Turner have made.
My mate feels much the same way – he only bought the non-HL link towards the end of last year and is already considering the swap.
Gary-c i have a stainless steel head badge with fitting screws and instructions and a pair of decals they are the outline of the letters in silver grey i bought them then sold the bike they were meant for, email me at adrianDOTtrickerATgmail.com for pics