Check out our 1st ride report for the RFX: INTERBIKE 2015: Turner RFX Ride Review

Demo Bike Availability: We currently don’t have any RFX bikes available for demo but would be happy to chat with you to see if they might fit your riding style. Feel free to reach out to me at jeff@dirtmerchantbikes.com if you are interested in getting feedback on choosing a bike to fit your needs.

Other 27.5” and 29er bikes that I can recommend for typical trail riding in the Pacific Northwest from most XC/Race oriented (better at climbing) to those that are more All-mountain/Enduro oriented (better at descending)

• Yeti SB100: Super snappy climber, that is also surprisingly stable on downhills.

• Turner Flux: The Flux is snappy and efficient in its climbing feel though may not be necessary a faster climber than the RFX. It works well in tighter trails such as ones that you might find in the Northeast part of the US. Its lower degree of descending stability (converse of it’s faster handling) requires more rider skill to ride tougher descents.

• Pivot Trail 429 - Great bike for most riders, but less stable for really chunky trails such as some that you might find on Tiger Mountain and Raging River. This bike climbs almost as well as the SB100

• Yeti SB130: Climbs pretty well (better than the SB 5.5 that was its predecessor), Feels pretty stable on the descents

• Alchemy Arktos 27.5: The Arktos felt great with a similar level of descending ability as the RFX. It climbs reasonably well, but not as well as similar dw-link bikes (Mach 6, RFX)

• Pivot Mach 6: The Mach 6 climbs well and is a stable descender. It feels a lot like the RFX in how the current version (introduced in 2017) handles and how the suspension works.

• Turner RFX: The RFX climbs exceptionally well and not just for a 150mm travel bike. It climbs as well as the Pivot Trail 429. Though not as stable as dedicated Enduro race-replica bikes (Yeti SB6, Devinci Spartan), it will handle fine for anything in the Seattle area.

• Ibis Mojo HD4: The HD4 has a longer wheelbase than either the Mach 6 or the RFX so it loses some nimbleness compared to the other two bikes at slower speed. It is surprisingly not sluggish when speeds pick up even just a little bit. Compared to the Yeti SB6 and the Devinci Spartan, the HD4 seems to have a wide range of speeds at which it works well, albeit starting at a slightly faster speed than the Mach 6 or the RFX.

Benefits of ordering from Dirt Merchant Bikes are:

1. Guaranteed delivery windows set when Turner confirms date of frame availability
2. Opportunity to do custom builds with online price matching.
3. Free shipping in the Continental US
4. No sales tax outside WA state

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The Turner RFX, first introduced in 1999, began life as one of the first purpose-built ‘free ride’ bikes renowned for excellent descending manners and efficient pedaling in a world where few bikes could do both. Subsequent models set new standards for longevity under the harshest conditions, with most RFX’s still in use today.

Fast forward to 2016 and the RFX is better than ever, using Toray High Modulus Carbon Fiber we were able to tune the ride of the new RFX to maximize its enduroability. As to be expected from a Turner Bike, there is fantastic tire clearance even with massive 2.4 tires, 160mm travel, dw-Link suspension, and an all new headtube dimension allowing customization of the head angle in half degree increments to a very slack 65° with a 160 fork. Some could build it up light as a long-travel trail bike, while others will build it up as a mid-travel Park slayer. In between is the true purpose of the RFX: Enduro domination. Whether you are riding the gnarliest local trails or the Enduro World Series, let the RFX redefine your experience.

David Turner talks about how the RFX was designed: Interview with David Turner at Interbike 2015

Interested in more ride reports on the new RFX. Check out these links:

Pinkbike: "truth be told, it checks all the boxes"
MTBR: "It could potentially be the best bike we’ve tested all year. "
BikeRadar: "the RFX is certainly a hoot once you point the front wheel downhill"
Singletracks.com: "What was particularly impressive was how easily it maneuvered up tight switchbacks, even with its relatively-slack head angle and long wheelbase."

Prices based on following Shock & Wheel choices:

• Shock: Rock Shox Monarch Debonair

• Wheels: Stans Flow rims with Stans hubs

Other available Shock & Wheels choices (at additional cost include):

• Shock: Cane Creek DB Inline, Cane Creek DB Air, PUSH Industries ElevenSix

• Wheels:

  • Enve, DT, Stans, i9 carbon wheels (At additional cost)

  • DT E1900 (subtract $357 from price)