Can someone tell me why I shouldn"t buy a Flux?

[EndoMaster]

So in order to get motivated to train and lose weight for the Vision Quest I told myself that I would buy a Flux if I reached a certain weight point before the event. (I will use any excuse to buy a new bike).

WHo is riding one and how do you like it?

Someone talk me out of spending almost 2k on a frame, please.

[ShinKen]

dood!! WHATTAA HELL? are u for real? u want to loose weight? [SIZE=4]ride more! ride longer rides!![/SIZE] ride your SSer!! the flux will not do it alone!

[EndoMaster]

Originally Posted by ShinKen

dood!! WHATTAA HELL? are u for real? u want to loose weight? [SIZE=4]ride more! ride longer rides!![/SIZE] ride your SSer!! the flux will not do it alone!

I have been losing weight. I haven't ridden much in the past couple of months due to work but I have been hitting the gym. Is it wrong to reward yourself for setting goals and reaching them?

[soul rider]

What The Flux Is A Flux? 2k For A Frame? And What's A Shinken? Is That Like Chicken? I Don't Know I'm Just Asking
Save The Cash Eat Less Work Out More. Get A bottle Of Oxygen For The Ride

[guero]

i'm gonna have to agree with shinken on this one. buying a flux is not going to be a magical solution to easing the pains of the CC. i understand you want to reward yourself for your hard work, and if that is a reward you set once you reached your goal, then by all means who are we to say "no, dont do it. you bought robs 575 right? that frame should be plenty light enough to get you through the santa anas. where do you ride at? i havent seen you post any ride reports and maybe if you gave us a little more background on the details we could offer more help in talking you out of it.

[Von-Diggity]

I have a Flux, and I enjoy it. It is fairly light and pedals decently. I would also consider the VPP based bikes like the Blur XC or Intense Spider. They both pedal better than a Turner.

[EndoMaster]

Originally Posted by guero

i'm gonna have to agree with shinken on this one. buying a flux is not going to be a magical solution to easing the pains of the CC. i understand you want to reward yourself for your hard work, and if that is a reward you set once you reached your goal, then by all means who are we to say "no, dont do it. you bought robs 575 right? that frame should be plenty light enough to get you through the santa anas. where do you ride at? i havent seen you post any ride reports and maybe if you gave us a little more background on the details we could offer more help in talking you out of it.

I don't believe that there is a magical cure for the VQ. I have read the ride reports of the VQ and quite truthfully don't believe I have a chance of finishing it but I'm going to give it a shot.

Yes, the Flux is more of a reward for reaching a goal. I did buy Robs 575 and it's a great bike which is the bike I plan on riding at the VQ. I'm not concerned about bike weight, I have a long way to go in losing weight on my body before I consider losing weight on a bike. The Yeti is not built up as a lightweight bike because I'm not a lightweight person and the bikes build reflects that. The one main reason for considering the Flux is that it would be a better match for my riding. I don't huck, and I'm not a great technical rider. I don't need a long travel bike for what I do, I get more of a kick from being out and enjoying the scenery and feeling the burn in my legs than anything else.

I occasionally ride Del Cerro, ride the Loop because it's closer for me after work (At least I rode before my workload increased) and every once in a while I will make the time to travel and ride Sullivan canyon. I like mountain biking but I have discovered that I lean more to XC riding and the Flux is better suited for that type of riding.

There is one thing I want to point out, I never said I wanted the Flux for the VQ. I want the bike as a reward to myself for reaching a weight goal. I look at it as motivation to continue training even when I find myself getting lazy as I felt this weekend. I just did not want to get my lazy ass out of bed to go to the gym.

Originally Posted by Von-Diggity

I have a Flux, and I enjoy it. It is fairly light and pedals decently. I would also consider the VPP based bikes like the Blur XC or Intense Spider. They both pedal better than a Turner.

Thanks Von-Diggity, I have not ridden a VPP based bike. Are they more efficient, less bob? I have only my Yeti and previous Enduro from which to compare. I liked the way the Enduro felt even though it had a regular Float on it, (non pro-pedal Fox Float).

[Von-Diggity]

Thanks Von-Diggity, I have not ridden a VPP based bike. Are they more efficient, less bob? I have only my Yeti and previous Enduro from which to compare. I liked the way the Enduro felt even though it had a regular Float on it, (non pro-pedal Fox Float).

Yes, the VPP bikes do pedal better than a Turner w/the Faux Bar or the Horst Linkage. There are other bikes that fall in this category too that are similar. Other similar bikes would be the Giant Bikes with the Maestro linkage, the DW linkage of the Iron Horse and Ibis, and some of the newer Haro's. Because you are a bigger guy, you should stick with a bit beefier bike.

[Sprockethead]

I agree with V.D., if you want XC and a great pedaling bike, try out a VPP. I did the long training ride with STR a few weeks ago and the Nomad wasn't too bad. Last weekend, I went back up with the Truth and for fireroad climbing, I'd say the Nomad felt faster better believe or not.

Something else you may want to check out is Felt's Equilink bikes. For a XC rig, they pedal pretty damn good with zero feedback from obstacles on the trail. They're pretty new to the mtn bike scene so if you're not an early adopter, go with something proven. I'd also check out Giant's Maestro and IH's DW-Link bikes to. Why pigeon hole yourself to one company if this is a fun reward? BTW, I don't own a Turner, but they are pretty good bikes too.

[FoShizzle]

Originally Posted by EndoMaster

So in order to get motivated to train and lose weight for the Vision Quest I told myself that I would buy a Flux if I reached a certain weight point before the event. (I will use any excuse to buy a new bike).

WHo is riding one and how do you like it?

Someone talk me out of spending almost 2k on a frame, please.

everybody is gonna have an opinion....no hard data, just a subjective opinion. i am no exception.

I assume you simply want a more XCish type of bike. Sounds like your 575 is built the way you like it which is cool and you just want a more XC type of bike. In that case, the Flux is a fantastic option for you. Even having a Turner now I can still honestly say I prefer Ventanas. At least with the RFX and 5 Spot, I simply do not prefer the ride characterstics associsated with the high leverage ratio, though Turner implements it very well and i am stoked on my bike....I just prefer Ventanas is all though some of that could be historical bias. Having said that, the Flux is more normal of a leverage ratio in my opinion and is perhaps the top bike. I have turned 2 of my friends on to the Flux and they both love it....both bought from Larry Mettler.

For completeness, in terms of other more XC-ish bikes worth researching, my bias would make me also consider the Racer X100 / Hammerhead 100, Ventana El Saltamontes, and Yeti AS-R in terms of frames only. Not a fan of Tony Ellsworth so i cant recommend his line of bikes though some friends ride them and like them (even though they are on their second or third frame from warranty replacement).

There are 29ers worth considering too but you did not mention those so I wont either. You also did not mention hardtails as an option so i wont get on my soapbox there either.

I am simply not a fan of VPP or DW-link bikes so I wont mention those but plenty of folks are so perhaps you could at least consider those and decide for yourself.

There is always the option of getting a complete bike too. Having 2 VERY picky friends who love their Fisher Raceday Procaliber Gary Fisher Bikes I think if I were in the market and did not want to spend more than low $3000 range I would get one myself. They are fast as a mofo and are very light with great parts selection. Will not be as trailbike worthy as a Flux but a sweet XC rig nonetheless.

My 2 cents.

Cheers

[guero]

Sorry, some reason I thought you wanted to get the bike for the VQ. Anyhow, not sure if anyone can really talk you out of something that you want. Just do lots of research, like FoSheez said, there are going to be just as many opinions on just about every type of frame out there. If you have your heart set on the Flux, I say go for it. Have you been looking at the Turner forum on mtbr.com at all?

[SoCal Life]

Buy the Flux!! And hook me up with the 575!!

In all seriousness, I believe that if you set goals for yourself based on a reward at the end, and you reach that goal and don't reward yourself. The next time you set a goal, you won't take it as seriously. I do believe that a Flux is a pretty big reward, but then again, if you goal is a life changing event(such as weight loss, blood pressure, staying sober, ...etc), you need a way to stay on top of what you have accomplished.

I say, if you met your goal and you have the means, get the bike!!!

[SAR_boats]

Congrats on setting a goal, I hope you realize it. If I could convince my wife of the same goal I would get a lot more done on my house, that is for sure.
My opinion is in line with Spockethead. Don't limit yourself to one company. you might look at the Specalized Epic. I have heard great things about the re-established Ibis.

[CalEpic]

Congratulations for setting the goal in the first place and then reaching it. Who cares if others think the reward is justified or not. In my mind, I'll use any excuse to buy something I want.

I'll have to disagree with Von-Dorkmeyer on the VPP bikes pedaling better than a Horst link bike. Maybe it's my goofy pedaling style but every VPP bike I've ridden, I couldn't stand the pedal feedback. No such problem with any of my Horst bikes including my Flux. From the reviews I've read, the newer style Faux bar Turners are equal if not better than the Horst. The Flux is an awesome trail bike. I know I've done some pretty silly stuff on mine it was never meant for and it came through with flying colors.

Lastly, don't pay anything close to retail for any frame. You can save considerable money by shopping around. If you need help with a deal on a Turner PM me when you're ready to buy.

Congrat's again.

C

[Abui]

Originally Posted by EndoMaster

So in order to get motivated to train and lose weight for the Vision Quest I told myself that I would buy a Flux if I reached a certain weight point before the event. (I will use any excuse to buy a new bike).

WHo is riding one and how do you like it?

Someone talk me out of spending almost 2k on a frame, please.

Did you promise yourself a Flux frame? Keep the promise and buy the frame if you reach the weight goal. But make the next goal to finish the VQ and promise yourself you'll buy the components for the Flux. Nothing like a naked frame hanging in the garage to motivate you to the next step.

[Pain Freak]

I've never owned a Flux, but I do have an 02 which is very similar in geometry. I love the bike, and I do believe you'd love the Flux. What I would suggest is you seperate the bikes by some varying degrees. One would be good for short travel light xc stuff, where the other might lean to the "all mountain" side of things. I noticed a big difference in just 2 inches of travel. I personally like the "all mountain" type more, but everyone has their own preference. I guess it's what you really like to ride and by your post I'd say the Flux seems to fit your style perfectly. But like others have said don't limit your search. If I was looking for a light xc rig, I'd consider a hardtail, and take a look at one of the most beautiful bikes ever made the Orbea Alma. I seen a post of one that was built to 21 pounds and the owner can't stop talking about it.

[Von-Diggity]

When Cal rode my Nomad he took of at least twice as fast as he ever had on a Horst Link bike. Plus, can you really trust a guy who buys a gravity dropper based on the advice from the Turner board on MTBR!

Originally Posted by CalEpic

Congratulations for setting the goal in the first place and then reaching it. Who cares if others think the reward is justified or not. In my mind, I'll use any excuse to buy something I want.

I'll have to disagree with Von-Dorkmeyer on the VPP bikes pedaling better than a Horst link bike. Maybe it's my goofy pedaling style but every VPP bike I've ridden, I couldn't stand the pedal feedback. No such problem with any of my Horst bikes including my Flux. From the reviews I've read, the newer style Faux bar Turners are equal if not better than the Horst. The Flux is an awesome trail bike. I know I've done some pretty silly stuff on mine it was never meant for and it came through with flying colors.

Lastly, don't pay anything close to retail for any frame. You can save considerable money by shopping around. If you need help with a deal on a Turner PM me when you're ready to buy.

Congrat's again.

C

[b-rad!]

Im also gonna have to add a vote for VPP. The Intense Spyder, and particularly the FRO(For Racing Only) version is amazing. Intense bikes pedal very nice, and are already comparable weight. FRO is basically a lighter tubeset, with no change to geometry.
If i remember correctly, the new Turner bikes are no longer using the true 4bar(horst link), it is now a faux bar. This can be distinguished by where the pivot is placed near the rear axle. If it is on the chainstay, it's a horst link, but if on the seatstay, its a faux bar. This can have a dramatic change on handling and ride characteristics.


Most importantly though, make sure to test ride all of the different designs before you buy. I know that Intense has demo bikes that you can pick up from the offices in Temecula, as well as many shops will have Turner, Yeti, Fisher, RockyMtn(check out the Element 90 or Team), etc. But try before you buy!!!

Good luck!


P.S. To those who think its a dumb idea, dont razz the guy for his rewards! After all, its a damn good excuse to buy a new bike!! You just wish you had that.

[Geronimo]

Disregard Von-Dorkmeyer and CalEpileptic's advice. They don't even wear spandex shorts for crying out loud.

[dhshuttlemonkey]

I'd say get the Flux.

Disregard B-Rad's comments as there is no noticable difference between the TNT and HL versions. The Flux was tested on MBA last year.