It’s always worth having a chat with David Turner – he’ll always have something to say, and he’s not afraid to say it. Since his bikes hold a fond spot in the heart of many a mountain biker, and there are plenty of fans who would love to own one of his Turner Burners, I was quite surprised to hear that he doesn’t look back at those old frames with much reverence. ‘Old is mould’ he said – though it’s an anti-hoarding philosophy that he applies beyond bikes.
That’s not so say he’s not proud of what he’s made in the past, but he’s more focussed on the bikes and riding that he’s doing now. Which means the Cyclosys gravel bike and the Nitrous hardtail – which David reckons is a downcountry bike.
If you want to know what might come next from David Turner, you need to know where he’s riding, since it’s the need he sees before him that drives what he makes next. Luckily for us, he seems fighting fit and full of energy, so there should be more ideas in the pipeline. He doesn’t dismiss the idea of another full suspension bike, but right now he’s happy with his hardtail. Will we have to wait until he’s knees get creaky for a full bounce bike?
Sea Otter is a great place to go if you want to chat bikes with people that love them. Check out the rest of our coverage here.
