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Turner DHR vs Iron Horse Sunday

A

acair422

Monkey
Aug 20, 2003
552
2
Hey, I'm trying to decide on my new rig for next season and it's currently down to these two options (frame only) both would have same build spec (888, magura brakes etc). So my two current options are the Iron Horse Sunday, or the Turner DHR (romic shock) both brand new the DHR is $200 less then the Sunday. So which frame should it be?? Any input on how either ride would also be very much appreciated.
Thanks
 
go-ride.com

go-ride.com

Monkey
Oct 23, 2001
548
6
Salt Lake City, UT
acair422 said:
Hey, I'm trying to decide on my new rig for next season and it's currently down to these two options (frame only) both would have same build spec (888, magura brakes etc). So my two current options are the Iron Horse Sunday, or the Turner DHR (romic shock) both brand new the DHR is $200 less then the Sunday. So which frame should it be?? Any input on how either ride would also be very much appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...
I've ridden both, but not enough to give a very detailed review. However, both are very fast DH bikes and both feel very race oriented. What I mean by that is that they are low, corner very well, pedal very well and have enough suspension to go fast, but not get in the way.

I’ve ridden the DHR a lot, but have only taken a couple of full DH runs on the Sunday. During my initial test ride I noticed some small differences.
1. The Sunday seems to slightly pedal better.
2. The DHR seems to have a bit deeper feeling suspension.
3. The Sunday has a lower BB and slacker HA.
4. The Turner comes in 3 sizes and the Sunday in 2.

Note: Points 1 & 2 can be greatly influenced by shock set up on just about any bike.
 
A

acair422

Monkey
Aug 20, 2003
552
2
did the sunday BB seem low enough where it would find itself in frequent contact with rocks etc?----anyone know how i can get in contact with those aussie riders on the sunday (www.farkin.net ?)
 
biker3

biker3

Turbo Monkey
Jan 27, 2004
1,491
0
American by birth, Southern by the grace of god
Go for the sunday, be risky and adventerous. According to Krispy from go-ride in his dirt demo on the sunday he said he actually did hit his pedals a lot but that is not uncommon on any low BB bike. I believe that is something you sacrifice for the cornering. They are both handmade in the US, One has a 5th the other has a romic. The sunday seems like it will ride more VPPish while the Turner is obviously a single pivot but a very well designed one at that. I was in the same boat as you Trying to pick the Sunday vs Gemini DH vs Demo 8. I ruled out the Demo cuz spec. is lame and wont let any employees EP them this year and I was forced to rule out the Sunday due to shop manager isssues and other stuff. I chose the Gemini mainly because Im a light guy (140 ibs) and because I really wanted something that will ramp around and flick through lines. It is all about the ride tho, Im sure they are both totally sick just try to get a ride on them both and see what fits you better.
 
John P.

John P.

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2001
1,170
0
Golden, CO
I've ridden both quite a bit. Owned a DHR for the last 4 seasons (and liked them very much), and got a chance to do several rides on Sunday protos last season. For me, it was a very easy choice - the Turner's going up for sale and I've had a Sunday on order since last summer. I love Turner as a company and I think they make some really great stuff, but for DH bikes, I've just never ridden anything that comes close to the Sunday.

--JP
 
Fury

Fury

Monkey
Oct 9, 2002
739
0
Toronto, Canada
Tough call - I've never had more fun on a bike than riding my DHR. I don't think either frame will dissapoint you so I would say go for the Turner and save the $200. Obviously there are lots of positives about owning the Turner other than saving the $200 but they've all been mentioned (customer service is a top one) - NOT THAT IRON HORSE SERVICE IS BAD, I just haven't heard much about it.

Curbhucker: I love your quote from James - I laughed so hard when I read that.
 
D

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
Cant Climb said:
I have a feeling the Turner might offer ALOT more in the durability department.
Click to expand...
Thats total speculation Tom. It is also very incorrect speculation in my opinion, but Ill back that up with fact.

The Sunday frames are USA built, same as the DHR, and the bikes have been ridden for almost 2 years now. The production Taiwan frames that come with the complete bikes were raced by Sam Hill, Bryn Atkinson, and Mathieu Laurin from mid summer on. Basically, the durability is race tested and proven. There are not many riders who put more force into a frame than Atkinson.

In addition, the Sunday frame has one LESS pivot than a DHR 5 on the Sunday versus 6 for a DHR. The dw-link design lends itself to building some very structurally efficient and low maintenence bicycle frames.

I am a huge fan of Turner DHR's, and I personally developed the Sunday over the last 3.5 years. Either will make a great choice for any racer regardless of skill level.

Regardless of what you may think of Iron Horse and their previous product, the fact is that for 2005, ALL of the bikes are new from the ground up. The company has hired new key personnel in sales and customer service, and the product itself has been refined over several years now. Its a whole new game for them.

Dave
 
B

BadFastard

Monkey
Jan 29, 2002
121
0
Belgium
What level of rider are you?
do you believe it will make an actual difference?
Some other aspects: Sunday has a better positioned shock, which may result in a lower Centre of Gravity and thus better handling.
What wheel base lengths are we talking about, what top tube lengths, what head angle?
what customer service records do the companies have?

No answers, just a few more questions that may influence your decision
 
Jeremy R

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,701
1,056
behind you with a snap pop
Flip a coin.
Either way you are going to be riding a bike designed by one of the best and most enthusiastic guys in the industry. I know a guy who rode both of them extensively at Interbike, and here it is almost February and he still can't decide which one he wants. All he said was that they were the best DH bikes he has ever ridden. Head or tails. :)
 
bizutch

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,929
24
Over your shoulder whispering
now that rear shocks have become virtually a non-issue in terms of performance, it has made life for frame designers easier. They aren'thaving to worry so much about over compensating for inherent flaws in the shocks. Pick a blade....stick it through the heart...the beast dies.
 
Cant Climb

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
dw said:
Thats total speculation Tom. It is also very incorrect speculation in my opinion, but Ill back that up with fact.
Click to expand...
Not really speculation at all Dave. My brother has an SGS and some other people i ride with are riding SGS's . I told him to buy it based on IHBC's new image..........i bought the whole spiel and the internet hype. I thought......"yeah, well maybe things are different over there now".
Bottom line: He got what he paid for.....which is fair. But this new Sunday has got a premium price tag on it......

So now they are wiping the slate clean over there at IHBC. Great costumer service is coming. Great quality control on on the parts.....

We will see Dave.
Because now the real test is coming when legions of sport riders are flying sideways off 8 foot drops, casing jumps, blasting it with the pressure washer, running the wrong spring weigth in the shock and bashing the hell out of the bike and who knows what else.........

All the hype is a bit premature.
Especially when someone is asking for advice on how to spend thier money.
If is a great bike it will sell.
But only time will tell.
 
Zutroy

Zutroy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 9, 2004
2,443
0
Ventura,CA
Cant Climb said:
Not really speculation at all Dave. My brother has an SGS and some other people i ride with are riding SGS's . I told him to buy it based on IHBC's new image..........i bought the whole spiel and the internet hype. I thought......"yeah, well maybe things are different over there now".
Bottom line: He got what he paid for.....which is fair. But this new Sunday has got a premium price tag on it......

So now they are wiping the slate clean over there at IHBC. Great costumer service is coming. Great quality control on on the parts.....

We will see Dave.
Because now the real test is coming when legions of sport riders are flying sideways off 8 foot drops, casing jumps, blasting it with the pressure washer, running the wrong spring weigth in the shock and bashing the hell out of the bike and who knows what else.........

All the hype is a bit premature.
Especially when someone is asking for advice on how to spend thier money.
If is a great bike it will sell.
But only time will tell.
Click to expand...
One thing i've learned is amatuer can kill anything. I think the IH will be just fine. There are tons of guys running 03 and 04 SGSs out here, and I don't see them having any more problems than any other brand.

No bike is going to hold up over the long term to people with a rider doing stupid things on it.
 
bizutch

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,929
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Zutroy said:
One thing i've learned is amatuer can kill anything. I think the IH will be just fine. There are tons of guys running 03 and 04 SGSs out here, and I don't see them having any more problems than any other brand.

No bike is going to hold up over the long term to people with a rider doing stupid things on it.
Click to expand...
you've never seen my riding style have you? :eek: :eek:
I'm a warranty department's worst nightmare.
 
D

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
James | Go-Ride said:
Er, I count 4 on both, 6 if you include the shock mounts.
Click to expand...
there are 6 stress points on the DHR frame, 5 on the Sunday frame. Lots of stress in the shock pivots. Structurally the Sunday shock is "floating" between the two links.

Not that it matters really, both are sick bikes, I would be proud to ride either honestly.

Dave
 
D

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
Cant Climb said:
Not really speculation at all Dave. My brother has an SGS
Click to expand...
I appreciate what you are trying to say Tom, but the Sunday is as much like an SGS as a Super 8 is like a V10. You just cant compare the two frames apples to apples becuase they are worlds apart in every design aspect.

See you at the races!

Dave
 
dante

dante

Unabomber
Feb 13, 2004
8,807
9
looking for classic NE singletrack
Cant Climb said:
Not really speculation at all Dave. <snip>
Click to expand...
CC, shoot me a PM with your beef with IH. last I heard you were pissed that we wouldn't send you a derailleurhanger directly (www.derailleurhanger.com) and that we directed you to the hub manufacturer for your problem with your hub. if this isn't correct let me know.

Thank you
Travis

ps - for all your derailleur hanger needs, www.derailleurhanger.com
 
James | Go-Ride

James | Go-Ride

Monkey
Jul 17, 2003
832
0
Salt Lake City
dw said:
there are 6 stress points on the DHR frame, 5 on the Sunday frame. Lots of stress in the shock pivots. Structurally the Sunday shock is "floating" between the two links.

Not that it matters really, both are sick bikes, I would be proud to ride either honestly.

Dave
Click to expand...
Ah, I see what you're getting at then. The Sunday doesn't come with "sweet" moto graphics though. ;)
 
Cant Climb

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
dante said:
CC, shoot me a PM with your beef with IH. last I heard you were pissed that we wouldn't send you a derailleurhanger directly (www.derailleurhanger.com) and that we directed you to the hub manufacturer for your problem with your hub. if this isn't correct let me know.

Thank you
Travis

ps - for all your derailleur hanger needs, www.derailleurhanger.com
Click to expand...

I don't have beef. Just interjecting some caution because some guy is looking to spend his money on a bike.

Turners reputation is rock solid there is a reason for that..........
IH of old....not rock solid but improving in recent years.

I hope the Sunday is great bike.
IH is good for the sport.
Time will tell the story.
Lets hope it is a good one.
 
-BB-

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
Cant Climb said:
Not really speculation at all Dave. My brother has an SGS and some other people i ride with are riding SGS's . I told him to buy it based on IHBC's new image..........i bought the whole spiel and the internet hype. I thought......"yeah, well maybe things are different over there now".
Bottom line: He got what he paid for.....which is fair. But this new Sunday has got a premium price tag on it......

So now they are wiping the slate clean over there at IHBC. Great costumer service is coming. Great quality control on on the parts.....

But only time will tell.
Click to expand...
I believe that everyone here that has commented has actually ridden a Sunday and a DHR (As have I).
How can your comment not be specualtion when you have not ridden one and this is a totally different bike than SGS?
That's like saying that a 2005 Toyota Tacoma won't be durable b/c you had problems with your 2002 Carolla.
 
James | Go-Ride

James | Go-Ride

Monkey
Jul 17, 2003
832
0
Salt Lake City
-BB- said:
I believe that everyone here that has commented has actually ridden a Sunday and a DHR (As have I).
How can your comment not be specualtion when you have not ridden one and this is a totally different bike than SGS?
That's like saying that a 2005 Toyota Tacoma won't be durable b/c you had problems with your 2002 Carolla.
Click to expand...
Sort of, it's more like saying you'll have problems with your '05 Tacoma because about 1 in 4 people who owned a Toyota made form '01 - '04 had problems. The issues the SGS bikes had, as far as the repair bikes we've seen, were partially due to shortcomings in the design (some of the material wasn't burly enough for hard DH use IMO), but mostly it seems like the slop people were experiencing was from a lack of regular maintanance. So I guess the best analogy for this argument would be expecting the '05 Tacoma to suck because you never changed the oil in your '03. But who would say a Toyota is going to have problems? You'd be crazy.
 
zane

zane

Turbo Monkey
Mar 29, 2004
1,036
1
Vancouver, WA
Either frame would be great, it just depends if you're feeling like something new and cool or something old and cool. Both are tried and tested: both corner well, both pedal well (shock setup), both turn really well...... It's all up to you.

I heard Iron Horse isn't even making the USA sundays themselves..... just a rumor....
 
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