Bike Test: Turner Cyclosys All Road Ti

Turner’s Cyclosys All Road Ti Limited Edition Cuts Loose in All Conditions

Company namesake David Turner was a pro mountain bike racer three decades ago who eventually turned his prowess as a bike racer to a bike designer in 1994. And, as the company name implies, Turner Suspension Bicycles is a bike brand that focuses on designing and building full-suspension mountain bikes. 

Funny thing about David, but in recent years his enthusiasm for turning pedals has turned increasingly towards riding cyclocross and gravel bikes. Being as much a rider as he is a designer and business man, David made the decision to look beyond fat-tire bikes to fulfill both his personal and business needs. This evolution has now bled into the road category, and the result is the Cyclosys All Road Ti (ART) that balances road performance with off-road capabilities. 

THE FRAME

The ART frame takes the knowledge that Turner has acquired from years of testing and racing to deliver a bike that not only looks good but offers modern performance. One of the first things we noticed on the titanium frame was how shapely the tubes are. Since titanium is a very rigid material, it can be hard to work, so seeing the unique shapes
was a sign that this frame had some unique qualities. 

The downtube and seat tube both flare as they mate to the T47 bottom bracket for added stiffness. The seat tube is the most noticeable since its tube diameter is much smaller but flares from edge to edge on the bottom bracket shell. The chainstays have also gotten the tube shaping as they too, meet up with the bottom bracket. There is a tapered 16cm head tube at 71.5 degrees for responsive steering. All these small details add up and deliver a very responsive and stiff platform with a 102cm wheelbase.

“While the bike is more road-oriented, it still has plenty of room for knobby ’cross tires and offered more bike than we need for our cyclocross racing goals.”

Our size-medium frame has an effective top tube of 54.9cm and a frame reach of 38cm but a fairly tall stack at 57cm. In the rear, the 42cm-long chainstays lead to a 12x142mm thru-axle that threads to the derailleur hanger. For added compliance, the seatstays have an S-shape bend that maintains big tire clearance while allowing a longer tube to fit in a shorter distance and maximize the material’s natural damper properties. 

THE PARTS

Our ART test rig is built for road riding in mind, as David Turner mentioned, “This is as road-oriented as we want to get.” We have the dependable Shimano Ultegra gruppo with hydraulic flat-mount brakes. They are matched to mechanical derailleurs with the Ultegra RX version in the rear that has the added retention, thanks to a clutch-style spring. The Praxis Zayante Carbon crank is fitted with 48/32 rings and matched to an 11-34 cassette.

For cockpit and seatpost, the bike was spec’d with the latest Easton EA70 offerings. The AX bars have a 16-degree flare in the drops, leaving the hoods at 42cm and the drops at 49cm. The new Easton stem also has the ability to mount a cycling computer to the front with their direct-mount accessory. The Easton seatpost has independent tilt and saddle rail adjustments. To top off the seatpost is a Pro Stealth short saddle with carbon rails and large
center relief. 

To keep things rolling, Turner supplied a set of carbon Knight Composites 35 clincher disc wheels that were set up tubeless with a pair of Maxxis Rambler 38mm tires. The wheels are built around the dependable DT Swiss 240s hubs. Despite the industry standard of running a 160 front/140 rear rotor combo, we were stoked to see 140mm Centerlock rotors front and rear. 

THE RIDE

The ART has been floating around the office for a few months, and when not used on the weekend group rides, it ended up doing double duty at some local cyclocross races. Talk about dual-purpose! While the bike is more road-oriented, it still has plenty of room for knobby ’cross tires and offered more bike than we need for our cyclocross racing goals.

Transitioning into winter riding, the disc brakes and large-volume tires meant we were confident on the tarmac no matter what Mother Nature sent our way, and it has been wet. We even swapped over to a more paved, road-specific 28mm tire, and the Turner then blended into the local group rides except for the wide flare bars. 

No matter which tire we chose, the titanium frame offered a performance-oriented ride quality that damps the small road imperfections. Larger bumps are felt but muted, and the larger the tire, the less we had to rely on the frame for compliance. 

The carbon Whiskey fork matched to the tapered head tube and the 12mm thru-axle mean that the bike tracks predictably through turns. No matter if we were on twisty and fast paved road descents or loose, access dirt roads, the ART responds instantly to input. The overall geometry is more road performance than gravel stable, but we never felt over our head on the fastest dirt descents. 

THE VERDICT

Just like its designer, David Turner, the ART is hard to designate in a specific category. It is road-oriented with performance and quality, but the off-road love is sprinkled in. Room for large-volume 38mm knobby tires converts this multi-functional bike into a perfect option for exploring the roads that many have forgotten or dismissed. Thanks to the quality craftsmanship, attention to detail and titanium tubing, this bike will most likely outlast your cycling aspirations.

While we were able to easily fit 40mm tires with minimal knobs, the ART is just at home living with a pair of 28mm tires on it. For those looking for a gravel-specific bike that fits the largest tires, this might not be the top pick, but for those who don’t want to be constrained by the pavement, then this is your performance option and, might we say, forever machine. The design and engineering are all done in the USA, but the frame is manufactured in Asia.

PUNCH LINES

• “All Road” doesn’t mean less performance

• Shapely titanium tubing

• Built to last

STATS

Price: $6600 complete, $2500 frameset

Weight: 19.06 pounds

Sizes: XS, S, M (tested), L, XL, 2X

www.turnerbikes.com