Turner Bikes

Founded by former professional mountain bike rider, David Turner, who began racing mountain bikes in 1987, and has been designing and riding his own bikes since 1992. Turner produced his first 150 mountain bikes in 1994 when the business was created. 

Many races were won over the years on variations of Turner bikes, meaning production facilities and manufacturers changed over this time to help meet demand. By 2004, they were in the top-performing bicycle brands, winning a multitude of awards. 

Despite having a robust stock dealer network at one point, this evolved into dealers only selling, not stocking and now Turner Bikes is exclusively direct-to-consumer. They specialize in bikes that are meant to be ridden hard without needing to be constantly repaired. 

Whilst they only offer a limited range, the consideration that’s been put into the designs and the customization options means you only need a couple of models when they’re some of the best on the market. 

Featured Turner Bikes Made in the USA

Cyclosys Ti: The Cyclosys is a culmination of years of variations to create the perfect hybrid bike. Built for gravel, trails, roads, and racing, Turner has created a titanium gravel bike that is perfectly tuned to bridge categories instead of staying in the limitations of only one. Every detail has been considered to make it a great ride for dirt tracks, but maintain its responsiveness on paved roads. If you’re looking for a balanced all-rounder bike, then the Cyclosys is for you. 

A.R.Ti: The All Road Ti (ARTi) has been designed from many years of testing drop bar variations to create a titanium bike capable of all terrains without being dull. With a smaller tire clearance and tire optimization than the Cyclosys, ARTi is a solid, stable road bike, whether it’s dirt or paved roads, you’ll be able to go further comfortably with this one.

Nitrous Ti: Nitrous has been seriously considered, tested, and tweaked to create the ultimate gravel/mountain bike hybrid. The result being a hardtail titanium bike that feels much more capable of handling rough terrain than a gravel bike, but something more nimble and responsible than a full-suspension mountain bike. If you’re looking for something fast that can nip between trees but also comfortably power you uphill, then the Nitrous is for you. 

Manufacturing Notes

Turner Bikes has certainly been on quite the journey since it was founded in 1994. David Turner’s expertise and commitment to creating high-quality bikes made for a multitude of terrains that would last a lifetime has meant he’s created a real devoted following.

Now based out of California and manufacturing on a smaller, more personalized scale, their aim has always been to make robust bikes that don’t need constant repairs.

David Turner has spent the last decade working on carbon bikes to keep up with the market, as opposed to the aluminum traditionally used. However, Turner has said that the market moved too quickly and the carbon designs never met expectations. This is why in 2021, he started a new phase in his business and turned back to titanium. 

At one point Turner Bikes produced solely American-made bikes made from entirely locally-sourced parts and labor. However, following their recent market shift, they found that the biggest hurdle was the high material cost. As a means to produce a bike frame that their riders could afford, Turner Bikes now works with a titanium factor in Asia and has production overseas.

Though its frames are no longer made in the USA, they still operate out of Murrieta, California where they focus on creating custom-made titanium bikes.