Now THAT was a Bike: John Kirkcaldie's 2006 Turner DHR

Oct 31, 2019
by Daniel Sapp  



"Is David Turner still making bikes?" That was one of the first things John Kirkcaldie asked me when we chatted earlier this year in Rotorua, New Zealand. Yep, Turner is still around, but it's been a long time since the glory days of the American NORBA series, when the Turner DHR was, for some, a highly sought after bike.

World Cups were certainly big events for DH racing in the mid-2000s, but for many, the NORBA series in the US offered equally competitive racing with the likes of Kirkcaldie, Sam Hill, Greg Minnaar, Mick Hannah, and others consistently in the start gate. Tracks were also world-class, with rugged East Coast venues including Snowshoe, WV, Sugar Mountain, NC, and Mount Snow, VT coupled with a few West Coast attractions bringing ample opportunities for diverse terrain without the need for frequent international air travel. With today's worldwide stage of competition, it's nice to look back and reflect on the simpler times that built the foundation for racing now.

After retiring from racing in 2006, Kirkcaldie went on to pursue a carpentry apprenticeship. Full-time carpentry wasn't his calling, though, and he took the skills learned there and transferred them into his next and current venture, purchasing and running a window and door factory that builds custom windows and doors for high-end homes. With two young children and a business, Kirkcaldie and his wife have plenty going on. Pedalling bikes hasn't been as high on the list of priorities, but the goal of a weekly mountain bike ride made as part of a new years' resolution, along with some motocross riding and a race here or there, whenever he's had spare time, have helped Kirkcaldie stay fit. He says he still hasn't lost the fire for racing.

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For bike set up, Kirkcaldie wasn't all that much of a tinkerer, never one for deciphering nuances in suspension and geometry. He would find a setup that worked for him and leave it; he's a creature of habit. He says that Colin Bailey, his teammate at the time, was far better at giving feedback for bike development. "I was just too busy trying to win practice,'' Kirkcaldie said. ''I got a kick out of rolling down a track for one run then going full-on and hitting everything on the second lap." Practice antics aside, Kirkcaldie did still play a role in the development of Turner's DHR.


Turner DHR Details

• Intended use: DH Racing
• Wheel size: 26"
• Maxxis Minions
• Fork/Travel: Fox 40/8"
• Shock/Travel: Fox DH/8.5"
• Brakes: Hayes
• Drivetrain: Shimano
• 65° head angle
• Weight: Approx. 39 lb

Coming from Intense and previously Foes before riding the Turner, Kirkcaldie says it was challenging to convince Turner to slacken out the head angle of the DH bike. Both bikes he was previously on had, for that time, relatively slack head angles. The Turner, after all the convincing, ended up in the same ballpark. These days, a head angle of 65 to 66-degrees is more commonly found on trail bikes, but back then it was more than acceptable for racing DH.

Kirkcaldie's DHR had 8.5" of travel and weighed about 39 lbs... It was one of the lighter bikes at that time. His mechanics Chris "Monk Dawg" Vasquez and Ed Chavez were always looking for ways to lighten up the bike. There were titanium bolts wherever possible and holes were drilled in any part deemed non-structural.

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The Fox DHX 5.0 shock with a remote reservoir took care of rear suspension duties.

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Shimano XT drivetrain

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Now-classic Hayes brakes handled the stopping.

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Another classic, this time a headset from Chris King.

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The Sun Ringle rims were soft, and while they weren't all that durable, the flexible design helped to prevent flat tires.

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Easton bars and stem. Cockpits look a little different today, don't they?

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Crankbrothers pedals.
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A MRP chain guide was essential.

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Author Info:
danielsapp avatar

Member since Jan 18, 2007
476 articles

183 Comments
  • 96 3
 >the Turner DHR was, for some, a highly sought after bike.

Actually I think it looks pretty damn good right now !

Its actually lighter than my current DH, need to look into that, although I think I will stick with the 62.5 HA
  • 19 2
 And while the DHR might be relegated to history, the Minion remains the sought-after go-to for many of us. And fun fact: Colin Bailey designed that pattern.
  • 75 2
 Yeah I think it's a great looking bike, although there was an error in this caption: "Now-classic Hayes brakes handled the stopping."

As someone who used to ride Hayes brakes, I'd correct it to say "Now-classic Hayes brakes handled the coaxing of the bike to a slightly lower speed provided you had strong hands and a bit of luck on your side."
  • 32 0
 @bderricks: Hayes had patented the anti-lock in the early 2000's.
  • 4 17
flag blowmyfuse (Oct 31, 2019 at 15:22) (Below Threshold)
 @sngltrkmnd: Minion did not exist in 2005..
  • 12 2
 @bderricks: Are you referring to the El Camino model? They were less than ideal.
The one's in the pic would put you on your face.
  • 4 1
 @bizutch: Really? Thought I had one back then...
  • 2 0
 Also FYI...the 2 West Coast Turner teams got so freaking jealous when they saw our color combo.

I'll never forget...
Greg Wulff called us and said "I can't ship your frames out guys."
Us..."WHY!!!"
Greg - "Cause they're too beautiful"
...or something along those lines.
You tell me whose bike you'd have taken that year...John's...or ours:
img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/bizutch/2005PICS041.jpg

ridemonkey.bikemag.com/threads/2005-sei-turner-dhr-first-photos.111398
  • 2 0
 @dglass: You're making me question myself. We still had stacks of leftover Michelin sticky rubber at that point. I'm known to be wrong.
  • 9 0
 @bizutch Minions came out around 2003. Here’s a review from 2005 that had them mounted: m.pinkbike.com/news/article2512.html
  • 5 0
 @bizutch: Actually they (DHF's) did along with the terrible DHR. Lars did testing on them back around 01' I believe and Minn and Peaty were running protos around the same time. I purchased my first DHF in '03 complete with orange sidewall stripe - remember those? -haha-

Indeed - your "Storm-trooper Edition" DHR complete with 888 was pretty dope. = )
  • 5 0
 @preston67 Drop an angleset in, and drop 2°. Maybe add and offset bushing, and way to go, you have your 62.5°.

:p
  • 6 1
 @bizutch:Hayes mags were plenty powerful. And reliable as a goat.
  • 4 1
 I'm just here for @bizutch 's comments.
  • 1 1
 @dump: OK. It's nit picking, but do we know if the model on Kirkcaldie's in the pic are 05?
  • 3 1
 @SKNKWRKS821: Roger that. I stand corrected.

And thanks for the compliment. If there were a single bike I would love to have hanging on my garage, it was that 2005. Just...wow.

Miss my baby: img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/bizutch/IMAG0175.jpg
  • 3 0
 @bderricks: still have those brakes on my 2004 dh bike and a few others in the shed. And while they are not as good as brakes today they still work pretty dang good. I've never had a problem.
  • 2 1
 @bderricks: Hayes pucker factor.
  • 2 0
 @bderricks: those Hayes brakes stopped me from hucking a blind till the last second, 15 step staircase drop into an oncoming car about 20 years ago. I may not have been at top speed but it was a miracle at the time.
  • 1 0
 @dump: Thanks for the nostalgic history lesson! I used to be a firm believer in the 7 point. Had 3 of those frames. Good to be reminded because I was only ~16 when all this was developing.
  • 1 0
 @bizutch: yeah i have a 2004 with a red outline round it . defo there by 2005 www.pinkbike.com/news/Acadian-Top-10-2005.html
  • 2 0
 @SKNKWRKS821: I have two brand new high rollers and a Bling Bling with orange stripe hanging in the shop. Will need to replace the rubber on my old SXTrail someday Smile
  • 2 0
 @privateer-wheels: Just drill a new shock bolt location on the rear swing arm. Good for around 62.5-63 depending where you put it. Then throw a 6mm reach adjust headset to help out the reach numbers a bit. Still have my girl hanging in the shop, sent it with my nephew to Beach Mt at the beginning of season and it was getting all the attention from the staff. Aside from the reach numbers on a medium it still has reasonable numbers for a bike that is 15yrs old. Oh and it fits a 27.5 x 2.4 in the rear end which helps correct the extra low BB from drilling the rear end.
  • 46 0
 Tisk tisk Pinkbike, not a single zoomed-in photo on where his mechanics drilled a hole to allow for the shock link to be mounted further back (and thus slacken the bike a fair bit). And you call yourselves bike dorks..... Wink
  • 6 0
 Yes i had this bike with the second shock mount hole. My favorite bike of all time.
  • 10 0
 lp1.pinkbike.org/p0pb16998815/16998815.jpg , put this in the browser, download high res, zoom in.
Best I can do.
  • 1 0
 You can see it in a couple of pics.
  • 1 0
 Agreed... had to do it on mine. Loved having that bike.
  • 3 0
 One of the few manufacturer “endorsed” mods if I recall correctly
  • 3 0
 I made one for y'all: www.pinkbike.com/photo/17934836
  • 30 0
 I still think that is a beautiful bike!
  • 4 0
 Very cool bike. Although, I almost expect seeing some Husqvarna or Stihl graphics on the frame...
  • 26 0
 wow, looks like someone went back into the past and invented an accessible, quick and easy way to replace shifter cables and housing.
  • 1 0
 Take a look at the new GT Force. Nice clean cable routing on the outside for easier maintenance. I love mine.
  • 19 2
 Fox needs to bring back gray lowers.
  • 8 2
 and vanilla coils
  • 12 0
 @novajustin: cough: MARZOCCHI :cough
  • 1 0
 @BEERandSPOKES: cough: the marzocchi 58 is an EVOL air spring, and it's red... actually all of foxzocchi's current forks are air so not sure where you were going with this?
  • 2 1
 @novajustin: Let's just say I know a little bird that told me some good news... And WHY SO SERIOUS???
  • 10 0
 Ah! The old Maxxis logos bringing back good-times memories!! Turner was renowned. DW Link ftw
  • 7 1
 I built one up as a fun project a while back because I always loved how the square tubed 04-06 Turner DHR's looked.
I personally still think they look amazing. Super lite-weight too. It's currently just a garage queen and is up for sale.
Check it out and let me know what you think?
www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2535222
  • 2 0
 Followed your link....????
Your Turner looks awesome
  • 3 0
 Why would you sell this? So much work and such an awesome bike,nice work!
  • 3 0
 @McArdle: Thanks! Just restored it as a fun side project. Back when I use to race ( 2005-2008 ). I would see people riding these DHR's at Mount snow and though they were so cool looking. So when I came across a super clean, dent free and crack free frame. I bought it and made a project out of it. I never planned on riding it because I love how my current DH bike rides. (2004 Intense M9) I'd love to build up a Chumba F4 or F5, Iron Horse Sunday or a Yeti 303DH from the same mid 2000's era. But at the moment, I need to buy a new trail bike. That's why I'm selling it. But if it doesn't sell, no big deal. I love walking into my garage and just staring it.
  • 1 0
 Wow, that is one hell of a job you did. That might be the nicest retro restor bike i have seen. Seriously considering your bike for my son. Although I just maybe might fit it. lol
  • 1 0
 @jason475: Thanks!
  • 2 0
 That thing is art!
  • 2 0
 Is that sticker kit the original kit or did you get DT to send you spares?

He told us back then that they were super expensive and a pain to get more of.
I loved that kit...padded and thick and your frame was untouched underneath. Would love if companies supplied that type of stuff to this day.
Our team had the original Stormtrooper white bikes, then all black. Each year after, our team color combo wound up being stock color.
I've had every Turner DHR every year from 2002, skipping 2006-7.through the current one.
  • 1 0
 it look like a yamaha motocross !!!
  • 1 0
 @Biocoug1: Thank you! Smile
  • 3 0
 @bizutch: Hi! Those decals are from "Slik Graphics". There thick MX style, just like the original ones. And Slik can also customize the colors and design for you too. They make graphic decals for a bunch of older DH bikes too. Dave Turner did get me all new hardware, bearings and seals. DT and Turner bikes helped me out every time I had a question about the build. Turner is an awesome company to deal with. I wish he still made DHR's.
www.slikgraphics.com
  • 2 0
 @rpb10276: The best customer service ever! I bought mine 3rd hand in 09', found cracks in the shock mount on main frame at 7 Springs race. Contacted Turner and explained the issue and that I was the 3rd owner. They were aware of the problem, it was a weld sequence issue. The took it back, rewelded the plates, reheat treated,all new shock hardware, extra derailleur hangers and offered to put a fresh powder coat on it. All free of charge no questions asked! And they told me about drilling new shock bolt on the rear end for a slacker head angle.
  • 6 0
 Ahh Pinkbike doing a feature on a bike and a brand they pretty much helped kill .

It’s a shame cause Dave turner is one of the best dudes we have In the industry .

And John is a legend and a awesome guy !!!!
  • 8 0
 Whats the story here?
  • 5 0
 @TobiasHandcock: Pinkbike is really good at forgetting how we got to where we are . They only ever pull out the good ole bikes and say “ now that was a bike “ but turner, foes, and many other pioneers of our sport still make bikes . But they don’t have the budgets of the big brands to be constantly changing a 250k carbon mold , cause the geometry nerds have decided that .5 a degree in a head tube Warrants a 3000 word comparison . When the last time you head the name turner on this website ???? . Pink bike could easily do a article on a current foes or turner , but they rather do one on a 15k uno with a 3000 linkage fork that no one is gonna buy . Pink bikes got the power to make or break a small manufacturer cause of the reach they have in the industry . But every year they just test the same bikes . We could get back to the glory days of small manufacturers having the budgets to compete with the big guys if media coverage was expanded .
  • 5 0
 I Remember watching Kirkaldi at the mount snow national, everyone else was stopping to figure out how to get down the "Yard sale" without dying, he came rollin in, looked liked he floated over everything, Loved my DHR. Dave make them again!!!
  • 4 0
 Ok. But is Turner still around and making bikes? If you go on the website it looks like they have nothing in stock. Last I heard they stopped US aluminum production and were shifting their bikes to Japanese carbon.
  • 3 0
 I noticed this recently as well. Nothing new, not much available. They were so hot back then, then they went with DW Link... then fizzled out not long after.
  • 4 0
 @sngltrkmnd: Actually, Turner remade the RFX in late 2014 (dw link bike), but since then has sort of has done very little except to release a few cyclocross bikes. He came out with the RFX right when boost happened and then has been the revolution in geometry. The RFX was winning enduro races and is a super rad bike, but all the changes are difficult to keep up with. That is the word on the street, anyway.
  • 7 0
 had a turner 5 spot back in the days...great bike. turner for me was the american nicolai. great bikes made by great people. its time for a comeback dave! make alloy great again
  • 7 0
 2011 Turner DHR was a completely redesigned, US Made bike & the first non Iron Horse DH bike to run dw-Link. Unfortunately the company welding them up, SAPA, was an aluminum company that had frame production as a side business as a proofing and selling point for their metals and chose that year to make the first ever Turner head tube failures. In not 1, but the entire first 200 frame completely PRE-SOLD order. Head tubes cracked the first ride. Dave had to scramble for a solution and try to completely re-source his entire frame sourcing without going overseas.

Everyone who had a frame on hold ditched Turner and bought what they could get and didn't wait around for the frames to be re-worked. It's an utter shame because my dw-Link DHR is phenomenal and just a work of art. He was on a monster roll of success and if SAPA hadn't ruined that first run of bikes and his reputation and revenue, his company would still be on top.

He's the best guy to ever do business with and had all the best employees the industry could find. With unlimited funds, I'd buy that company and rejuvenate them. In my mind, Transition sort of picked up where he had to leave off.
  • 6 1
 @bizutch: I didn't know any of that about the DHR. It blows my mind that there are not many more fabrication businesses that could take on building bikes. I have noticed that there seem to be comparably more European bike brands that make their own bikes or have the fabrication done within Europe. I wonder if generally having health care paid for makes it easier to operate a viable small business and attract talent. I know this is another discussion, but nationalizing health care, or providing a medicare for all solution I think would spark a small business revolution. There would be many people who would immediately leave their job, I think.
  • 4 6
 @polarflux: You would be wrong...because you are in my wheelhouse. I sell health insurance. My wife works in healthcare.

It's the hospitals and the doctors who are the sole reason for insane healthcare costs. They try to blame it on medical school, but most of the kids that go to med school have the resources to go without a job for 8 years and when they come out they want every dollar back and then some. Ever met a doctor who lives in an apartment....or a hospital that wasn't made bigger and better?
  • 1 0
 @funkzander: I hear ya. I had the last version of the Turner Burner in black anodized aluminum. Pretty bike.
  • 2 0
 @sngltrkmnd: Exactly. Not much has been updated. Meaning the bikes. Seems like a bunch new standards and geometry trends hit right after Dave's last updates to carbon frames about 3 years back. Not many in the market these days for 27.5" wheeled, press fit BB, 142mm rear dropout bikes with steep head angles and short reach. I miss the square tubing days. If Turner made a replica DHR bike based off the Transition Sentinel features and geo they would make a fortune. (or some other current Enduro bike that ticks all the right boxes for you)    
  • 10 1
 @bizutch: You’re a salesman who clearly doesn’t understand wtf is going on. The average US medical student graduates with $196k of student loan debt. The cost of healthcare has gone up namely because of administration and pharmaceutical costs. Try reading a legitimate study for facts instead of your uneducated observations.

jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2674671
  • 4 0
 @bizutch: yeah uhhh, if you got rid of insurance administration costs we could build how many new hospitals? and pay the actual healthcare providers almost what they deserve.

That's nonsense. Hell, half of the hospital expansions are driven by insurance to qualify for different crap to bill for.
  • 4 0
 @schofell84: Though a total tangent, I'm glad someone (you and tamago) said something because it pains me to see an insurance salesman bagging on physicians and other health care providers regarding their level of compensation....and as a side note, anecdotally I can't say that I've ever seen someone in insurance sales who doesn't do better than high middle income.

Try making it through years of undergraduate studies, medical school and residency and then you can say that you are over paid. And on top of the financial investment there is the time and effort put forth in obtaining such an advanced degree. I'm pretty sure if it was a get rich quick scheme we wouldn't have the physician and nursing shortage that we do in this country.

I was happy to have the option to pay my ortho to put me back together.

Now back to reading about sweet bikes....
  • 1 1
 @schofell84: "Hell, half of the hospital expansions are driven by insurance to qualify for different crap to bill for."
Hospital is billing 300 for a 1 hour counseling session that the RD is paid $25 for by the hospital and the endocrinologist is getting$220 for a 30 minute eval & never once asks the client anything resembling that would fall under the word "care" .

Privately owned OB/Gyn slaps a $45 "Brief mental Eval" on the R.D.'s annual check up bill. Did not perform the service, let alone had the qualifications/training certificate to do so. So she charged a Registered Dietitian almost TWICE her hourly wage for a lie.

@tomago if that $196k was such a hurdle to pay off, you'd have a point. No one would sign up for that debt if they weren't planning on cashing in on the backside.
@Mr-Horse my orthopaedic is a dude with tools and a tinkerer. He talks people into surgery all day every day that he knows won't take or help. He operates on people for fun and to cash checks. He loves to track on the "bells and whistles". I know several of his staff members personally, unfortunately after the fact.

Doctors can be great... but almost to a man, they are out of touch with reality & have no concept of the words affordable and the word care. I've met doctors who are convicted to provide both ; they leave the mainstream medical world to do real work and care for patients. But just like every other human, most doctors are in it to win it. And there is NO system in place to stop them.

As for insurance salesmen, if you know high middle income ones, good for you. I know of 1.
  • 1 0
 @schofell84:

So an independently owned local Pediatrician just billed us $443 PER KID for their ANNUAL WELLNESS EXAM. Please explain how that is possible if doctors aren't completely out of touch with their base.

So for less than 30 minutes in an exam room with a peak in the ear, a look on the old eye chart, weight, height, peak in the eye & throat...both girls in 1 exam room together....$886. Health insurance knocked it down to $143 per kid.
  • 2 0
 @bizutch: Health insurance didn't "knock it down". Doctors negotiate rate decreases by percentage. So they artificially markup services, file to insurance, then write of the % loss and get paid the lesser amount. Don't gaslight, insurance is the scam.
  • 1 1
 Gov't regulation and gov't protectionism drives up healthcare costs.

If you go to a direct primary care physician (cash only dr) an x ray can cost as little as 45 dollars.

Too many people have to go through restrictive processes to not only provide the medical care but to then do the record keeping, the medical coding, the billing. all of that time is built into those costs. That's the 443 dollars per kid. Thank HIPPA, prospective payment, and o-care for that.
  • 1 0
 @fruitsd79: ever had a doctor charge you the full amount of that $443 and not once even so much as mention that they might take cash instead? Nope. They'll let the naive who don't ask...pay that full pop every time if they will. That would require "care" on their part. hah

Not once has any doctor ever looked at us and said "I'm going to bill this little check up as $443. Now if you pay cash today, we can take $160 for it." Nah, they are gonna see if they can get an extra pint same as anyone else. Beer

Doctors are far from blameless on that end too. It's all hands in on that medical cookie jar.
All anyone needs to know about health and money can be learned from a certain Forrest Whitaker/Jude Law flick. It's all a hunt Pirate hah
  • 1 0
 @bizutch: I actually have had both my Dr. and physician do exactly that. They want you gone too.
  • 1 0
 @schofell84: without prompting? Without you seeing the bill first? Good on you. You're lucky & the exception, not the norm. Now...try that times a family of 4 over a span of 15 years of billing via countless providers for everything under the sun and see how may times it offered.
  • 3 0
 @bizutch: Reading this thread reminds me how grateful I am for the NHS.
  • 2 0
 @GrandMasterOrge: I love how this thread started with a post that had nothing to do with doctors.
  • 2 0
 @n1ck: I'd actually love it if you'd hit the Delete button of your initial comment and make all this go away. Big Grin
  • 2 0
 @n1ck: True! It made for depressing reading the further down I got.

I have a DW-DHR frame at home, it was a great bike but it's tiny by modern standards (in a size large).
  • 1 0
 @bizutch: Haha. Let's see what I can do about that.
  • 1 0
 @GrandMasterOrge: @bizutch Nope. Gonna stay.
  • 7 0
 Kirkcaldie - "Now THAT was a Rider".
  • 2 0
 I still have mine, the XL version with A LOT of aluminum Smile I think his bike also got a new hole in for the shock mount in the rear triangle to lower the BB. I have done that b7c of that rumour and also put in an angle set which made the geometry around 64 degrees HA and a low BB.
  • 5 0
 Would still ride that. Also, first bike which begs for one of those stupid modern orange foxes.
  • 6 0
 Miss those days!
  • 4 0
 Used to see them at all the East Coast races, specially Plattekill. Forgot about that remote reservior Fox shock like the Avalanche.
  • 2 0
 @jorgeposada: I used to rent the DHR at Platty before I saved up to buy my own bike. It was so clapped but better than taking my trail bike
  • 1 0
 @jorgeposada: oh the joys of trying to find a shock to fit my DHR ...
  • 5 1
 Still looking good! Yeah, Foes, Turner, that were brands of legend, back then. It's sad that they went off the radar...
  • 2 0
 There's one of these hanging in the rafters of my garage - my first real DH bike. Used to carry 2 or 3 spare shock/linkage bolts with me, those tiny bolts would bend or break frequently. Good memories!
  • 4 0
 "Drilled holes in anything deemed not structural". Where are all those holes? Must all be structural. Cool bike though.
  • 2 0
 Lol at holes drilled at anything non structural. Serious riders had a hard enough time keeping those things from snapping in half most of the time.. if you were riding on those days you were lusting over a DHR though!
  • 1 0
 My first ever Spoke Magazine subscription came with a poster of Blinky on a DHR in WdeOpen kit up the top of Signal Hill over that awesome hip which is now 3 big berms. Anyone still got theirs? I must have a look through my old stuff.
  • 1 0
 Met John at a NORBA race back in the summer of '02 when he rode for Intense. Super cool dude and a bit "cheeky." As a teen at the time, I was a bit star struck seeing all the pros around so I said something like "wow you guys all seem really cool" and he replies back "Nah well some of us but the rest of us are a bunch of bankers." Haha.
  • 1 0
 Bankers, or wankers??
  • 1 0
 good old days. I remember the Turner Honda team and the first frame I bought was direct from the hand of Monkey during les gets back in 2004. the Frame was good looking and very stong and efficient to slash DH track.
I have then been with the same in round tube ( looks at my buyandsell).
Sven , Anka and Andrew was riding one .
this one still blow my eyes encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcRua2QV0angARFlvxuOpaKHgu25zsury2Ck4s-9rvyOpJBfOQ4a
  • 2 0
 Funny, I see a lot of this bike in the new Intense M29er and the Specialized Demo and Canyon Sender. Ahead of its time, except for that cockpit.
  • 1 0
 Ventana El Cuervo, too. Just the silhouette, not the nitty gritty of how the linkage works.
  • 1 0
 a href="https://fotos.mtb-news.de/p/1787179">img src="https://fstatic1.mtb-news.de/v3/17/1787/1787179-8nlhyid04ej7-image-large.jpg">/a>

Still my Bikepark Machine, square Tube best Tube ^^
  • 3 0
 My Whistler buddy rides a DHR every trip. Dude shreds too. I think they were pretty ahead of their time.
  • 3 0
 I had two turners DHR’s from that era, still have a 2010 DW version, love it!!!
  • 2 0
 I love my 2013 Turner DHR. Everything on it is amazing. Whole thing is black with all red and red anodized components. Best DH bike ever made in my opinion.
  • 1 0
 Not at first. The rear swingarm tabs would crack and snap because the original hardwear was 2 separate sets of bolts & pivot bearings. DT had to produce a running change consisting of a solid spacer between those 2 thin flanges. After that, not a single issue with it.

The split top tube looked like it would neuter you though.
  • 2 0
 I still ride a 2013 too! The bike was ahead of its time I think. Geometry is close to what we see today. Probably not as performing as a modern bike, but still 100% happy with it and still feel like I'm flying over roots and rocks. Reliable, well thought out and well built. The anodized frame was a great touch too!
  • 1 0
 DH pro bike racer, carpentry training, owns windows and doors business! That's great news moving forward John Smile

Im a fan of the DHR as well and always wondered "what if" Sam Hill rode the DW link DHR.
  • 2 0
 LOOOVVVEEEDDDDDD this bike at that time. Still love it today! That silver, black, and orange combo always looks so nice to me
  • 2 0
 Where his "pin it you fairy" sticker? He always won practice and was usually in the top 3 at the NORBA Nationals. Good dude!
.
  • 1 0
 @giantwhip lenz is still around made in the USA. lenzsport.com/mountain-bikes/lunchbox
Looks good to me and the pbj th bike and the fs DJ bike. And the turner is awesome
  • 2 0
 Dude was Fast as F*(k, and before all the aforementioned brands he was ripping on a Mountain Cycle with Shaums March as a teammate in the late 90's!
  • 2 0
 There seems to be a lot articles of 26” rigs posted by PB lately......the Industry priming the audience for another push on 26” is the new wheel size, again!
  • 2 0
 Oh man, I loved that bike back in day! I had one '06 and two of the '07-09'. Still the best looking DH bike imo!
  • 8 4
 looks small, real small
  • 4 1
 The last picture looks like he`s showing the bike of his kid Smile
  • 3 0
 Minion DHFs proving that if it ain't broke...
  • 1 5
flag blowmyfuse (Oct 31, 2019 at 15:43) (Below Threshold)
 Minion's weren't around in 2005.
  • 1 0
 @bizutch: eh, well there are some pretty old Minions on this here sweet whip
  • 3 0
 @bizutch: Minions were definitely around in 05. I had a giant stack of them in 2002, still have a couple from that season in my garage.
  • 1 0
 @g30rg3ryan: I'm dumb. Thx George.
  • 2 0
 How come you misspell John's last name so many times? Kirkcaldie, as labeled on the bike.
  • 2 0
 I had an 04 in black and a raw 08 (the round tube type). So many of good memories. The 08 is hanging on my wall now.
  • 3 0
 Now THIS is the content I browse for at work
  • 3 0
 Used to drool over these bikes, still looks good today
  • 3 0
 I have arm pump just looking at those brake levers.
  • 1 0
 What is this?? A bike for ants?!?!

Seriously, though, it looks modern in the picture of just the bike. Then you find out it is tiny!
  • 2 0
 Sick bike ridden by one of the baddest dudes ever!! John WYDOPPEN Kirkaldie!
  • 3 0
 Turner bikes are the best!
  • 1 0
 oh sweet, Turner keeps their back-catalog online.

www.turnerbikes.com/turner-pdf/catalog/2006_turnerbikes_catalog.pdf
  • 2 0
 Man with all these comments I should put my '07 up for sale. And I did the hard work finding the shock to fit!
  • 2 0
 Now this is a treat to see.
  • 2 0
 dig the lettering style of minion dh specific on the tires!
  • 2 0
 RIP Monk Dawg RIP Turner Bikes
  • 2 0
 Pristine condition, lovely bike
  • 2 0
 Still a sick looking bike!
  • 2 0
 Looks fresh as hell to this day. Gorgeous bike
  • 2 0
 That's with a coil 40 too, kids. Properly sick bike
  • 2 0
 I used to drool over this bike. Still salivating a bit .
  • 1 0
 Soooo Sick! I think I still have half of those parts kicking around in my garage!
  • 2 0
 Oh god, I still use some of those parts
  • 1 0
 Whilst the frame was in one piece it was a solid favourite of the DH bikes i had. Loved it!
  • 2 0
 Someone bring back Lenz sport bikes!!!
  • 2 0
 perfect for the PB HOT LAP
  • 2 0
 Some bikes from the past still look really good today.
  • 1 0
 is this bike Era matching? those brakes and that XT seem much older. if not, then I feel f*cking old as shit all the sudden
  • 1 0
 Hayes mags were still their top of the line brake in '06, they had an "XC" version with a carbon lever, but the all black ones on that bike are correct for the era. That rear mech is correct as well, that generation XT ran until like 08 or 09.
  • 1 0
 @maxyedor: I though hayes nines were out in a carbon version by then?
  • 1 0
 @BoneDog: They were, but the carbon Hayes were marketed as an XC brake, I'm not really sure why though since the only difference was the lever blade. I remember the Yeti build kits of the era pretty well since I built so many of them, the AS-R and 575 XTR builds came with carbons (champagne color lever body and caliper, carbon lever blade) on the high end builds, the AS-X and the factory demo 303s, also with XTR level builds, we built for Housman had the HFX Mag HDs (black mags with big rotors).

They were the gen 2 mags, not quite the same brake as the original purple mags, slimmer lever body and a split clamp. For some reason that black lever blade was a big deal and took forever for them to start putting on production brakes, but thank god they did and people quit ordering Danger Boy replacements. The 9 carbons came out around the same time, but I never really understood where they were supposed to fit into the line-up, they were still heavier than the regular Mag and Mag HDs and also more expensive, don't think I ever actually saw them outside of Interbike.
  • 2 0
 The turner 4x was so nice from 2005/2006 season
  • 1 0
 Nice to see the crank brothers pedals haven’t changed since then. Lol. No hate though. I ride CB and love them.
  • 2 0
 Remote reservoir shocks will ALWAYS be cool.
  • 2 0
 More of these classic bike profiles please. Thanks.
  • 1 0
 I had a the year 2000 version with xvert carbons up front. Was a great frame.
  • 1 0
 This write up was a great article! We should ask Daniel Sapp to do more of these stories on these great, old DH bikes.
  • 1 0
 I can get one complete off a mate for under £800 is it worth it in 2021 thanks
  • 1 0
 I've been offered one cheep at £500 might need some work but is it worth it?
  • 1 0
 Yep, seen him race it in CA and it was rad
  • 1 0
 I had one of these! Drilled DHR squaretube was the hotness, BITD!
  • 1 0
 I followed this guy back in the day at bootleg canyon. gangster.
  • 1 0
 Beauty, but the previous model with the split top tube was the real icon.
  • 2 0
 I built one of those for a customer at the bike shop i worked at. Beautiful bike.
  • 2 0
 Rad bike for sure.
  • 2 0
 Still sexy
  • 1 0
 My MRP dropped chains every 3-4th pedal stroke. It was so frustrating
  • 1 0
 These components give me the feels.
  • 1 0
 Wheres that Donkey Fletcher dude at who fiends for this shit?
  • 1 0
 Remember watching Kirkaldie racing in Big Bear, CA back in the day.
  • 1 0
 Talk about dropping some welding dimes... Beautiful
  • 1 0
 OOO ooo yyeaaahh! Me like it very much.
  • 1 0
 2020 Norco Sight is slacker !! ?? !!
  • 2 0
 then>now
  • 1 0
 Anyone know places that stock the bearings for the frame thanks
  • 1 0
 JOHN!!!!!!
  • 1 1
 I’ll Rather ride my ironhorse sunday
  • 1 0
 Go on ahead and ride it, then.
  • 1 3
 I'm sorry but "classic" to me will never have a through axle. Great bike, great article. "classic" after only ten years? pshhh you kids
  • 1 0
 Used to drool over these bikes growing up riding, its a classic to me.
  • 1 0
 So nice.
  • 1 4
 Awesome looking bike ... puts the current crop of clown wheel bikes to shame
  • 1 3
 Hayes were always GARBAGE!
  • 4 6
 Looks like a V10.
  • 1 0
 kinda thought the same here
  • 1 0
 Dad a V10 look like that in 06?
  • 1 0
 @TobiasHandcock: i doubt it







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