Thank you for the reply, more details below:

The bike can be set up to ride like an 18 to 19 with endless adjustments to bottom bracket, travel, swing arm travel and length etc.. It would not hurt to take a look .. The rear shocks alone is almost $1,000 bucks my cost.

Spend that hard earned wisely and look at all your options because once you get a bike, you can never get the money back that you invest in it.



gino

 

Thanks!!

Gino - true, maybe I will have to have a look. Just found one I really like for around $1400.

 

www.mtbr.com

its like the i-club of mountain biking

 

werd, I spent a lot of time on there before I made my last bike purchase. A lot of great info on there.

 

Turner has a new VPP design? Link/info please?

 

My mistake...I was thinking TNT. Turner announced right before Interbike '06 that they're moving away from the Horst link design and into a faux bar suspension (Torque Neutralizing Technology (TNT)).

http://www.turnerbikes.com/TNT/

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...D&BRAND.ID=132

I was shocked since I seriously considered a 5 Spot before I committed to my Ellsworth Truth. Reviews for the new design are favorable, so it may be my next bike yet!

 

wow... i had no idea. Thanks for the info. Maybe I'll invest in a pre TNT frame before they run out

Any idea why Turner bothered doing this? Based on the TNT info it doesn't sound like they're improving a design; instead they're creating their own to mimic an existing one that works almost as good as the real thing w/o infringing on patents. I guess no more Horst/Specialized FSR/Ellsworth ICT licensing fees means more profit.

 

A whole decade of touting the benefits of HL and he suddenly abandons the concept. Turner fans speculated that Dave got tired of paying for the FSR license and wanted his own design. I don't know if they're losing THAT much money from paying the Specialized licensing fees. He surely must've known that abandoning the HL would cause a riot. I think it's more of Dave wanting his own design. In interviews I've read, he seems to be skirting the issue about this move to TNT. For whatever reason, I think what we're seeing is the beginning of Turner's suspension evolution, so I wouldn't commit to a TNT bike yet.

Make sure you find out how long they intend to keep supporting pre-06 Turners. I wouldn't want to get one only to find out 4yrs later that Turner stopped producing the linkages and bushings that a rebuild requires.

 

pre and post 06 bikes use the same bushings and same upper links. If you damage a rear end on a pre-06 bike (e.g. horst link) then that just means you'll have to get a TNT rear end.

no big deal..I wouldn't worry about it.

 

I'm not familiar with the exact specs on either of those models but I would recommend that you choose the bike that has the best fit/geometry (keeping in mind that things like stem/handlebar/saddle can be swapped). If you're equally comfortable on both bikes, I'd probably lean towards the FSR. Here's why:

1) The Lefty limits you on a lot of choices, including: fork, stem, headset, and hubs/wheels upgrades. While aftermarket choices exist, your options are slim and often pricey.

2) The Lefty also limits your choices in bike transportation. You basically need a rack that carries the bike upright with both wheels intact, since removing the front wheel is non trivial. While you have several choices for roof/trunk/hitch mounted racks, its definitely something to consider when deciding on the bike.

3) Having owned a C'dale Jekyll (predecessor to the Prophet) and a Kestrel Edge (basically an FSR in carbon fiber), I'd have to say that the FSR suspension design is improved over that of a single pivot. Its possible that I'm just imagining things but I feel as though the vertical axle path of the FSR helps absorb certain bumps (usually at slow-med speed) better than a single pivot. There's also less brake jack.

In the end, you probably can't go wrong with either bike, its just a matter of preference. Just remember that you can always upgrade things like drivetrain and control components later... its the fit and frame that you can't.

 

Right now REI in Sac has a black 06 prophet 600 for $1500

 

thanks for clarifying that!

sorry to hijack this thread....

 

there's no point trying to debate which suspension design is better for us when we're still beginners. just find an ok bike, ride a whole lot, get better, then figure out what you actually need/want outta your suspension; like that whole creatine/supplements thread. let's face it, you're not gonna go buy an intense m3 and go race the world cup on your first day of riding.

 

Search Craigslist for good deals!

def do buy a name brand bike, Trek GT Specialized etc... do not buy a crappy magna or huffy from Target or some department store. Cheapo bikes are hard to ride, heavy, and tend to have pieces that arent properly assembled.

 

i think with $2K as his budget, he's looking to buy a "name brand bike."