The Turner 5 Spot, a popular model, has seen more changes than any leader in a NASCAR short-oval race. The Horst Link 5 spot was what first brought us to love this model in 2003. The 5 Spot was redesigned without the Horst Link. Turner didn’t test it. Hmmm. The Turner brain trust has now created a completely redesigned 5 Spot, which incorporates the dwlink rear suspension.
WHO IS IT MADE FEITH FOR? The Turner 5 Spot was the first trailbike category to be created in 2003. It is still a benchmark for the category and the 2009 version continues that legacy. This bike is for riders who consider two-hour rides to be short. The rider needs enough travel to handle gnarly terrain but not too much to make climbing up the mountain difficult. This bike is ideal for experienced riders who want a single mountain bike that can do everything.
WHERE IS IT MADE?
The 5 Spot’s aluminum frame is a traditional design that shows years of experience in trailbike design. Our medium-sized 5 spot has a steeper top tube to provide more standover clearance than small-sized frames. For added strength, the seat tube is fitted with a support bracket that attaches to the sloping top tube.
Turner has licensed the rear suspension dw-link from Pivot and Ibis. The dwlink system is now being used by Turner. It uses bushings instead of bearings. This proves how versatile the dwlink can be.
WHAT COMPONENTS STANDOUT?
The Fox Float RP23 airhock is custom-valved and fitted with an optional high volume air canister. This shock barely fits into the narrow frame triangle. To make bushing lubrication more efficient, Zerk fittings (grease) are placed in four places.
The Cane Creek 110 headset was part of our build. It looked just as beautiful as anything else that Chris Kings has made. Beautiful are the Formula R1 brakes’ minimalistic levers with integrated reservoir. A WTB Devo Team saddle was held in place by the industry-standard Thomson seatpost. To understand why the ODI lock on grips are so popular, wrap your hand around them.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM
The rear suspension had 20 percent sag. However, the 5 Spot can be run with more. You can have more sag with the dw-link without any performance loss (well, we’ll explain more during your ride).
The TALAS feature (Travel Adjust Linier Air Spring) was present on our Fox fork, but it didn’t see much use. We were running 20% sag, and the fork was only able to travel 14 cm.
Moving out: The 5 Spot has an Easton EA90 100 millimeter, 10-degree rise stem and low-rise Monkey Lite XC bars. It feels shorter than the 23.5 effective top tubes measurement. The 5 Spot rider is in an upright position, with a weight bias that feels slightly ahead of center.
You can save a bit of money and build your 5 Spot with a Fox Float shock, without the P23 feature (the 3-stage pedaling platform). Why? It’s not necessary. The suspension is not affected by pedaling. You will feel a solid pedaling base regardless of whether you are in the saddle, big gear, or spinning.
Although this is not a cross-country race bicycle, if you’re having a great day, it’s worth it. When you are ready to get out of your saddle, grab a large gear and start throwing it around. This maneuver is made even more enjoyable by the low top tube. We also kept the bikes’ weight low due to our high-end build. This bike is a sporty trailbike.
Cornering: A tip we learned from the 5 Spot six years ago, that we hope is still part of the 5 Spot today, we fondly recall. It is, to our surprise, still there. What is it? It’s the signature Turner trait of high speed counter steering, made famous by extremely expensive Italian road-race motorcycles. The rider pushes the bike’s inside grip away from the corners apex by making the smallest input to the handlebar. With authority and control, the bike leans into corners. Although all bikes share this characteristic (its physics), few bikes are as precise as the 5 Spot. You can enhance your cornering experience by adding Mavic wheels and our shootout-winning Kenda Nevegal tires.
Climbing: Rear suspension shines again on climbs. It doesn’t cause riders to move in any way, and still handles the task of smoothing the trail. While climbing on the 5 Spot, you stay in your saddle. Standing seems to push your weight forward too much. Turner created the 5 Spot to be used on epic rides. It is best to not have to move constantly. Keep your feet on the ground, conserve your energy, and then move forward.
Descending: 5 Spots rear suspension provides small-bump compliance, strong mid-stroke performance, and then a progressive big-hit cushion towards the end of travel. Because of the firm midstroke, it doesn’t feel like the shock has a large-volume air canister. Most riders will consider that a blessing. Rear suspension keeps the Formula brakes active and doesn’t rise, enhancing their braking power. The coolest sound comes from the brakes. It is the pads that contact the discs. The brakes performed well and were consistent in our tests. We also liked the modulation provided by the levers. Due to the chain/stay contact, the 5 Spot can make a lot of noise when going downhill.
TIPS, UPGRADES, OR TRICKS
The rear derailleur cable runs through an inconvenient route via a cable guide that is welded to the outside edge of the swingarm. It was a bit rough on our legs so we rubbed it occasionally. Too bad that the cable could not run under, inside, or through the swingarm. For long-term use, we would tape rubber or foam on the problem area.
You don’t need the Fox Float shock, with all the adjustable ProPedal options. This bike will also come with a 14 cm travel fork.
We didn’t have any issues with the Formula brake levers, reservoirs, or clamps. However, we did not crash during our testing. These brakes are simple and may not be ideal for deep woods exploration.
Finally, wed trade in the cross-country-racing-firm WTB Devo Team saddle for a more comfortable and slightly heavier WTB Rocket V saddle. For its comfort and performance, the Rocket V is unbeatable.
BUYING ADVICE
This bike is the one that established the category. It will continue to improve and expand mountain biking’s most important segment. This bike is easy to ride and has great pedaling. You can also find out more about the bike.
TURNER5 SPOT
Price (frame and shock)
USA: Country of origin
Weight: 122 kg
Hotline 677-1711
Tested frame 43 cm
Bottom bracket height 35 cm
Chainstay length 43 cm
Top tube length 60 cm
Angle of the head tube 69
Seat tube angle 73
Standover height 72 cm
110 cm Wheelbase
Front Suspension Travel (front) 14 cm
Rear suspension travel 14 cm
Aluminium frame material
Fork Fox 32F RLC and 15QR
Shock Fox Float, RP23
Rims Mavic Crossmax ST
Tires Kenda Nevegal (2.35/2.1)
Hubs Mavic CrossMax ST
Brakes Formula R1
Crankset Shimano XTR
Handlebar Easton Monkey Light XC (67cm wide)
Shifters Shimano XTR trigger
Rear derailleur Shimano XTR
Chainrings Shimano XTR (44/32/22)
Cassette Shimano (11-34)
Crankbrother Eggbeater Weighs Pedals
