LowCel 

I'm debating building a new cross country race bike and the Turner Nitrous is very high on my list. The problem is that there is no way I can try one out. I don't know of anyone near me that owns one, never the less anyone that would let me try one out.

I really like the bikes that I own now I just don't feel that either one is "perfect" for the courses I'm riding. I want a straight up cross country full suspension race bike.

I have also been considering the Racer X but it has more travel than I want. I will most likely be keeping my Truth so I will already have a 4" travel bike. The new bike will be replacing my Enlightenment. If only Ellsworth made a short travel xc race bike I would have it made.

Any input appreciated.

Dannihilator

It's a very sound bike, should be right up your alley.

santiago

I've been tossing around the idea between a Flux and Nitrous. I think I'm going to lean towards the Flux as I will stay with 4"/4" travel rather than the 3"/3" one that the Nitrous has. Also, the Nitrous lacks a few gussets that the Flux has and given that I'm clumsy I'm worried that I'd be likely do damage to the Nitrous. There is a 165lb rider weight limit on the bike in case you didn't know. IKeep that in mind in case you exceed that.

Knowing that you're a real speed racer and a weight-weenie I would definitely look into it. As for first hand experience. Go check out the MTBR.com Turner forum. It leans towards the heavier Turner line but there are some Nitrous owners in there. I've seen some 22-23lb builds. Imagine what you'd get the bike to! lol

As for trying out a bike, if you aren't anywhere close to a demo center you can "rent" a one-week rental from Competitive Cyclist for $200 shipping to/from you included.
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...ATEGORY.ID=415

Tag1

Stick with hardtail.

Dannihilator

In this case, I'd go with the nitrous.

LowCel 

Why??? I haven't been on my hardtail in six months, not planning on starting now. To me being able to carry momentum through rocks and roots is more important than saving a pound or two. I work too hard for that speed to lose it when it's not necessary. Suspension desings have come to far in the past few years and the efficiency is amazing.

What's bad is I used to swear by hardtails, now I'm getting to the point that I think they are useless for my riding style. This is just my opinion based on me and knowing how I ride.

Flak

Im sure you did, but a 135lbs racer who i ride with (ok chase in futility) swears by his blur for XC racing. Did you consider one?

Just curious as to how you came to your decision.

LowCel 

santiago - I thought about the Flux as well, I'm just looking for more of a race specific bike. I have no doubt the flux is a heck of a nice bike though. It was one of the bikes I considered when I bought my Truth.

I have been checking out the turner board over at mtbr. There isn't much on the flux but it's still nice reading up on the tnt design. I've talked to some people that race the Flux and they are very happy with it, however one of them has the flux with the ict so it is basicly the same bike as my truth. The other guy was on the flux with the tnt but said he liked it but hadn't gotten it completely dialed in yet.

As for the weight limit I am aware of it. I am currently 170 pounds and I don't think I will have any problem getting rid of another five pounds. In fact this could be just the incentive I need.

LowCel 

I'm not a blur fan, much prefer my truth. To each his / her own though. Not to mention that SC really pi$$ed our shop off, we are no longer a dealer.

santiago

170lbs? You'll make it. With a nice Nitrous waiting for you, you'll definitely make it.

I happen to have a brand new RockShox SID World Cup that would be super sweet on a Nitrous so I've been going back and forth between the Flux and Nitrous. I would be on my way to having a real racer-boy bike. The thing is that I would need only a single bike to cover all my needs and that's why the Flux would likely fit the bill.

I recently was chasing down a Nitrous on Ebay with the horst link (2005) and saw it sell for $950 USD.

Have you decided if you'd want the newer TNT or an older ICT?

LowCel 

If I purchase one I'll be buying a new one so it will be TNT. I would be afraid to buy a used one. That bike is built to be light and I imagine durability is sacrificed for that purpose. Because of that I know there is a good chance of breaking one in the course of a season. WV courses aren't known for being easy on equipment.

MattP.

Yeah, they are pretty anal when it comes to being a dealer for them.

santiago

If you look you may be surprised to still find some 2005 models out there sitting in LBS inventory. In my area we have no Turner LBS but a couple hundred kilometers east of here is Quebec City and the Canadian distributor and several LBS that carry Turner bikes are there. My buddy was just there this past weekend and came across a brand new 2005 Flux with ICT. He didn't mention to me if he saw any new 2005 Nitrous but as you can see you never know what you find if you look hard enough.

I know that rear triangles are still available for warranty purposes so I wouldn't be too worried about getting an ICT.

LowCel 

I'm hoping to get one EP through the shop though. I wouldn't be able to do that if I bought from another LBS.

toymotor

This bikes as good as any you will buy, ive riden alot of high end bikes and my turner is just a great frame make sure you dont weigh over 14 stone and your golden.
Could'nt recommend this enough.

Grimlock

Hey LowCel, what did you end up choosing FOUR YEARS AGO?

(Thanks for the refreshment Toymotor but next time beer and chips will probably be enough)

dminor 

Lowcel rocked Turners to good effect. Thread mercifully closed.