The bikes for the next issue are nearly all in now, so here’s a quick peek at some of the machines that’ll be out on the hills this weekend… So far, we have two of three bikes in for our bike test – the new, improved Scott Genius and the new DW Link Turner Five Spot – there’s a Cannondale turning up on Tuesday to complete the test. We’re also doing a head-to-head with two linkage bikes – the Commencal Super 4.1 and the new Orange ST4 – seen here with optional frame-matched Mavic rims…
Well, there you go. Short and sweet. Check out the next issue of Singletrack when it’s out on March 12th… In the meantime we’d better get busy…
Comments (22)
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interested in the STW report on the Spot.
any give-aways prior to the mag release ?
The colour coded rims are minging
I rode a 5-Spot at Interbike last year and found it to be great. Same Turner ‘feel’ and geometry, but when you stomped on the pedals while seated, there was less of the squatting that you get on four-bar bikes. Apart from that, our bike seems to be painted in some sort of bumpy powdercoat – very tactile (quite similar to the old Marin Zolatone paint). Er, that’s your lot… 🙂
Painted rims aren’t for everyone, Markenduro…
bumpy powdercoat? or hammerite! 😆
The colour coded rims are just trying to hard.
Wrong very wrong
I like the colour coded rims a lot and it’s good to see a company doing things a bit different just because they can.
Hammerite – that’s a good description of it actually (I should know, I’ve got one in the appropriately named ‘Iron Glimmer’)
the rear link on the 5 might be awesome but it looks like its been cobbled together and doesn’t seem to sit with the rest of the frame. Previous four/faux bar versions had rear ends of beauty this just looks like some 15mm square box tube you might have bodged together in metalwork lessons when you were 16, IMO of course!
that’s my beef with the new turners. looks like a kid put the rear end together.
i agree they look KAK, the DW link doing nowt for the aesthetics, but Turner put in so much thought and provide so much customer feedback, it’s hard not to be impressed with what they achieve, imo.
Rides well though, I can tell you that.
3 new bikes turn up, only one of them is mud splattered in the early pics. Can we make a guess as to which one everyone was really excited to ride? 🙂
I agreed about the initial look of the DW Turners, however now I’ve seen them in the flesh my opinion changed. The back end really is very neat. Pictures just don’t do them justice. Anyway Turner have always been about function rather than form. So if you’re main concern is looks and how it will photograph then it probably isn’t for you. It’s on my wish list.
Message for Chipps :- OOOooooK?
I think you know what I mean.
I like the look of the Orange and look forward to test. Another NO vote for coloured rims, but each to their own.
Has anyone actually tested the Orange in the year it’s been out. Can’t remember seeing one anywhere.
IWH – not really, the Turner just arrived first 🙂
My Iron Horse Mk3 looks smarter than the Turner. Costs half as much as well.
I’ll be interested to see how much mud room the Five Spot has.
As for that Baby Blue ST4 – man that’s hideous. Call me old fashioned but the pinnacle of blue bikes was the frosted blue anodised GT Zaskar from the mid-90’s – that was mint. Although matching coloured rims of any colour are definitely a statement, but not necessarily a positive one!
I’ve tested an ST4 and it rides superb. There was a review in Dirt a few months ago. Doesn’t it say it’s an option for the rims? If you don’t want them, then just stick to black.
I work at the bike shop in Hexham and we have both a baby blue ST4 in stock and a turner dw 5 spot demo bike in to use, the ST4 always gets admiring comments from customers who see the bike in real life not just in photos, and the 5 spot less than a week old has more than exceeeded expectations, with its first ride out round the back of Skiddaw. I must admit a few people were a bit not bothered about the turner until it turned up and got built up, now we have a designated rag for wiping off customer drool. so if your passing by our way and want to see one call in.
I think I would only go for the colour matched rims if I ordered the frame in black 😉
Will be interesting to read the report on how it ride tho’.
Hi, I own a DWL Spot and its ability to climb is outstanding however it handles the downs just as well. It will take 160mm forks and I run a Talas 36 with no problems however most riders will run 140mm.
My previous bike was a Turner Spot TNT (2007) and the most noticeable difference between new and old is how stiff the new one is and how planted it feels in handling.
The bike looks so much better up close than in pics and I find the build quality excellent. Yes, Hammerrite seems appropriate for the Iron Glimmer paint reminds me of the anodized finish on Santa Cruz bikes.
One criticism is the cable routing for the front derailleur that is from the top tube and down the seat post.
Another is price. I ordered and received the frame just before the £200 price increase. The price now at £1895 may have priced the Spot out of the market.
Looking forward to Singletracks review.