|   Info on Lucky 7? (Paging Tscheezy) | loop
Nov 24, 2002 5:27 PM | | Notice that Tscheezy mentioned that Turner was not going to produce the Lucky 7.
Anyone know why they decided this? What does the 2003 Turner lineup look like now? Burner=XC, 5-spot=XC/FR, then what? |
| re: Info on Lucky 7? (Paging Tscheezy) | Hammerheadbikes
Nov 24, 2002 5:47 PM | | There just wasn't enough interest in the L7 to justify the expense of making a batch. A small company like Turner just can't afford to have a bunch of frames hanging around.
now, if everyone who was seriously considering one would ante up with some $ and a deposit, they would probably do it.
Charles |
| Turner was over on "Downhill" a few days ago and said... | Tscheezy
Nov 25, 2002 12:17 PM | | that they had only sold 70 RFX frames this year, and that the freeride market was their weakest area of sales. The L7 had only received 3 orders so far and so they decided to scrap the project and focus on other frames (C-note, etc). They seem to be in a state of transition (upheaval?), so once the dust settles in the spring we will know what direction they are going. I am very sorry they had to abandon it. Not being a freerider, I have some schizophrenic feelings towards this area of mountain biking. I resent how this fringe group (both a compiment and an insult) is quickly taking the sport hostage. On the other hand, the need to accomodate freeriders is forcing the industry to innovate (stronger, more travel, etc), it has elevated the visibility of mountain biking (both good and bad), but the amount of press they get is totally out of proportion to the number of practitioners.
Still, Turner is my favorite brand and I hate to see anything they do, no matter how substance- or fashion-driven, fizzle. Why they decided to retool the ENTIRE line in a single winter is totally beyond me. They have some stuff which which is considered the pinnacle of the sport (and sells well), and they basically dropped those bikes as well. The Burner is close to the O2, so why change the name? The 5-Spot is close to the XCE, so why change the name? For that matter, why change the bikes at all, except for some suspension tweaks (some might say that is all they did, but angles are growing slack, and there is more going on here...)? The evolution of Turner frames has worked for them in the past, so why attempt a revolution? I dunno...
Casey at Turner made some good points: if everyone reports the RFX (and L7 by association) as being the ultimate freeride frame, why isn't anyone buying? Price couldn't be a major consideration seeing as how the Fly and Id actually cost more, and cater to the essentially the same crowd (Id less hardcore, Fly perhaps more hardcore). Others responded that the wait for Turner frames is what drove most people away. 3-4 months IS absurd. I would counter the previous reply by saying that having a few frames laying around may be a GOOD thing, as those impulsive buyers among us could actually see a little gratification. When you research the poop out of your future purchase you work yourself into an incredible slobbering frenzy. Once you have deciced on your dreambike, 3 months might as well be forever because of all the second-guessing/further-shopping you do while waiting.
Turner would love to hear from you. Send them an email and tell them what you think. You could well help shape their future lineup! In the end, my only hope is that the 5-Spot rides JUST LIKE the XCE, but with a tiny bit more travel. That would keep me a satisfied customer!
Tscheezy |
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