Submitted by
angstboater
a Cross Country Rider
from chattanooga, tn, usa Date Reviewed: November 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
it's a secret
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
fast, light, rolls over everything, efficient suspension, good welds, zerk fittings
Weaknesses:
i've been thinking but can't come up with any
Similar Products Used:
flux, Ti hardtail 26 and 29in bikes, haro
Bike Setup:
king hubs, stans arches with ardent up front and small block on the back. xtr, raceface and hope brakes. thompson stem/seatpost. easton bar. Ergons.
Bottom Line:
2nd best bike purchase to date.( first being the 29er SS) I love it. it climbs well, descends without thought, rolls over everything in it's path. The bushings are easy to work on. I wish I'd made the purchase/switch sooner.
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Submitted by
Poster Nutbag
a Cross Country Rider
from Grand Junction, CO Date Reviewed: September 9, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Holy Cross
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4500.00
Purchased At:
direct
Strengths:
2008 Model. This bike exhibits all of the traits that make Turners great: solid handling, laterally stiff, efficient suspension. What makes this bike even better is the big wheels. This bike rolls over holes that swallow smaller wheels. Climbing ability is insane. The bigger wheel patch allows you to hold traction in very tight and loose corners. This bike is quick responding in the slow technical stuff, but still ultra stable when bombing the fast stuff.
Weaknesses:
None. Some have cited problems with the stock shock, but I'm 225+ with gear and found it very easy to find the right balance between plush, while not wallowing.
Similar Products Used:
Turner 5 Spot, Steel hardtail 29er.
Bike Setup:
XL Frame, Fox F29 120 RLC, XT drivetrain, Juicy 7 brakes. Handbuilt wheels(WTB DDFR rims, DT hubs), Nevegal in front, Stout in back
Bottom Line:
Best handling and confidence inspiring bike I've owned. Trails around where I live are a combination of rocky and tight. Momentum and handling is key. This bike works very well in these kind of conditions. If you are over 6' tall do yourself a favor and get on some big wheels.
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Submitted by
Berry Stevens
a Cross Country Rider
from Redwood City Date Reviewed: February 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Any @ UCSC
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
Direct
Strengths:
Precise handling, floats over log overs, handles G-outs better than any 26r and climbs very well and looks great!
Weaknesses:
nada
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Stumpy 29r, RIP 9
Bike Setup:
Manitou 120m w/ 20m thru axle, Hand built wheels w/ King hubs & Mavic TN 719 rims, XT Crank, Frt Dr, Brakes, XO Grip shift & rear Der, WTB Motoraptor frt, Spec Eskar rear
Bottom Line:
Went w/ the Manitou 120 w/ T/A based on advice from Dave Turner, travel & stiffness being the features making the decision. Handles tight, technical manuvering like it was designed for it, climbs very well and lives for rough trails, drops & G-outs of any size. It exceeded my expectations and makes me ride like I'm better than I am.
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Submitted by
Rob
a Weekend Warrior
from so cal Date Reviewed: February 2, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
The Path
Strengths:
It's a Turner! perfect geometry and rides like a dream.
Weaknesses:
TNT rear end, RP23 is overdamped (not really a fault)
Similar Products Used:
I own 3 other Turners
Bike Setup:
Fox 32, Crossmax wheels, Sram, Juicy 7's...etc.
Bottom Line:
I can't say enough about this bike. I fell in love with Turner bikes back when I bought my Burner and now own a 5 Spot, 6 Pack and the Sultan. Turner nailed it with the Sultan, perfect geometry and it feels great climbing and descending. If I didn't have the other bikes I might would get a fork with 5" of travel but I'll stick with the Fox. This is my first Turner with the TNT rear end and I do notice some stiffening of the rear end under hard braking and it seems like the rear wheel locks up easily. Not a huge deal since I don't do anything too crazy on this bike but I do miss the Horst Link rear. Only thing I am going to change is to have the RP23 Push'd to make it a little more plush at high speeds. The bike keeps its momentum going and rolls over rocks/obstacles so well that it sort of feels like it has more than 4" of travel. I like the Sultan so much that I think I may have to sell my Burner as I just don't see myself riding the Burner anymore.
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Submitted by
JimmyC
a Cross Country Rider
from El Cerrito, CA Date Reviewed: January 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Changes all of the time
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1400.00
Purchased At:
Used
Strengths:
Reliability and Durability (i.e. bushings). I tend to look for durability rather than incremental (to me) performance gains in suspension systems. This is my 3rd Turner purchase--and the reliability has been awesome for each of the bikes.
Weaknesses:
The stock RP23 seemed to be overdamped. I installed Push 5 Spot rockers on the Sultan and had the shock PUSHed to address the issue. This may have been overkill but I am quite happy with the results.
Similar Products Used:
My experience with other 29ers is quite thin (Ok, I admit it---I have never ridden another 29er). Recent bikes that I have owned include a Turner Flux (awesome bike), Turner 5 Spot (nice bike for rougher terrain), and a Santa Cruz Superlight (very nice and durable bike).
Here is a little riding background. I am about 5'11" and 195 lbs. I generally ride moderately technical terrain in the SF Bay Area (75%) and more techncial terrain in the Sierra Nevadas (25%). I tend to ride XC style and rarely catch more than 3 feet of air.
After building up my Turner Flux in mid-2006, I thought I finally settled on bike nirvana---and was done with bike purchases for a while. In early 2007, a buddy up in Tahoe purchased a Sultan to replace his 5 Spot (he LOVES the Sultan). I gave the bike a test ride and was instantly smitten. It didn't have the acceleration of the Flux or the plushness of the 5 Spot, but it seemed more than capable of replacing both bikes. I decided to sell my Turner 5 Spot---which is a great bike for rougher terrain but it was a bit overkill for 75% of the trails I ride in northern CA. I kept the Flux for a while until I decided if buying a 29er was the right choice for me.
I found that the Sultan climbs quite admirably, especially on long fire road climbs. The Sultan dosn't seem to get up to speed as quickly as the Flux but it really moves once you get into your stride. This is totally subjective, but I feel faster when climbing on the Sultan.
I appreciate the traction and attack angle of the 29-inch wheels---and the bike seems to roll over obstacles quite well. It is a 4-inch travel bike--so it doesn't feel as plush as 5-inch travel bike, but it sure seems to allow me to maintain speed in rough terrain as if it were a 5-inch travel bike.
The bike also feels pretty nimble in tight singletrack and switchbacks---altough not quite as nimble "to me" as my Flux. In any case, it was quite easy to adapt to the advantages/idiosyncrasies of the 29-inch wheels.
I liked the Sultan enough that I ended up stripping my Flux frame and using the parts to build up another Turner bike for my girlfriend. Do I sometimes miss the Flux? Sure, it is a great bike (and I still really enjoy the ride of a nice 26-inch wheeled bike). However, I have no regrets jumping on the Sultan/29er bandwagon.
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Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from Pittsburgh, PA, USA Date Reviewed: October 1, 2007
None so far. Why don't they paint the whole frame?
Similar Products Used:
Niner RIP. Titus Racer X 29er.
Bike Setup:
Reba race. DT wheels. RF crank. XT gearing. Marta brakes.
Bottom Line:
It simply works. Great geometry. Rear suspension has no unwanted flex. It is tight due to journal bushing - noiseless due to zerk fittings. I cannot imagine anyone not thoroughly enjoying the Sultan. If your interested in buying one, I highly recommend you see Adam @ Rbikes.com.
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Submitted by
Kiel Marley
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, Az. us Date Reviewed: September 7, 2007
Favorite Trail:
schultz pass
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1800.00
Purchased At:
rage cycles
Strengths:
This is an amazing frame! It climbs like my hardtail and downhills like like heavier bikes. It's stiff riding but is plush when it needs to be.
Weaknesses:
Don't want to ride my other bikes.
Similar Products Used:
Titus Racer-x
Bike Setup:
Stans 355 w/ XTR hubs, Kenda small block 8 tires. Magura louise disc, reba fork, race lite bars and saddle, race face seat post, Sram x9.
Bottom Line:
I used to ride a Titus Racer-x and fell in love with the stiff feel and all around speed. After riding my sultan I have a new love. I can carry speed through climbs and still fly while going downhill. This bike is amazing and look forward to everyday I can ride it. If you are looking for an amazing XC 29er this is it!
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Submitted by
TK Miller
a Cross Country Rider
from Malta Date Reviewed: September 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Little Rockies
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At:
Red Barn Bicycles-Hamilton Montana
Strengths:
This bike was built for the big boys. The rear shock location is superb for access to the controls on the fly. Feels like when the shock is activated the front fork also comes into play and when it's locked out the front stiffens also. The ride is top notch and seems to float on clouds. Point it in the right direction and your off and running.
Weaknesses:
Haven't found any, yet.
Similar Products Used:
Demo'd Specialized FSR's. Rode K2's for 10 plus years and Gary Fisher bikes.
Bike Setup:
WB135 front shock/ Sram:chain, shifters, rear derailure, cassette/Size XXL/ Magura Louise Carbon BAT brakes/XT Crank/CB SL peddles/Thomson seat post and stem/ TruVativ handle bars/ Chis King head set/Hope Pro II Hubs/ ZTR Tubeless rims/WTB Pure saddle and numerous other top end components
Bottom Line:
You won't be dissapointed with the frame and shock. The rest of the build is up to you. I won't go back to anything else, but 29's and Turner is one of best frame setups out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Olney, MD, USA Date Reviewed: July 8, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$3000.00
Purchased At:
EBay
Strengths:
Rolls through technical features very well while also climbing exceptionally well. Stable handling. Has all of the normal Turner plusses (bushings, build quality, CS etc). Good BB height (13.3") for it's travel (4")
Weaknesses:
I still get toe overlap in the medium size. I have large feet for my height however. It's slightly flexier than my 5-spot, but that's to be expected in a 29er.
Similar Products Used:
Lots of 26" FS bikes and a KM.
Bike Setup:
Reba, SRAM drivetrain, I9 wheels.
Bottom Line:
Best bike I've ever ridden. I wasn't super happy with my 5-spot (mostly due to the rear shock and the somewhat low BB) and was thinking of buying a Flux or Racer-x instead since I wanted to focus on endurance racing. My friend pointed me to this bike selling on EBay and I decided to take the chance. As soon as I hopped on and took it for a ride I was in love. It descends almost as well as my 5-spot and climbs worlds better. After riding it for a few weeks I decided to sell my 5-spot as I simply wasn't riding it anymore.
This is a very versatile bike. With a 5" front fork and beefy tires it can act as a burly trail bike, and with a shorter/lighter fork and fast tires you can take it racing.
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Submitted by
MARK
a Cross Country Rider
from HENDRESON, NEVADA, USA Date Reviewed: June 30, 2007
REBA Race Fork, 07 XTR Crankset, Scram X.O. Rear Derailleur, XTR Front Derailleur, SCRAM X.O. Grip Shift, Magura Marta SL Discs, Easton EC 90 Seatpost, Hope Headset, Easton Monkeylite riser bar, Custom Built wheelset (DT Swiss 190 hubs 3X laced to Salsa Delgado Race rims)WTB DEVO Saddle.
Bottom Line:
I jumped on the 29er band wagon 4 years ago with a Soulcraft 29er Singlespeed. I discovered I was riding the 29er much better than my 26er Single speed and geared bike so I began my search for a 29er FS geared bike. Unfortunately Turner did not offer a 29er so I opted for a Titus Racer-X 29er. Although I liked being on a 29er FS geared bike I wasn't sold on Titus. It built up reasonably light but just didn't pedal nearly as efficiently as my old Turner XCE or 5 Spot. It felt heavy, slow and sluggish.
One day, I was climbing a long fireroad with friends. One friend was on my old Turner XCE. Here he was pedalling along with an old coil Fox shock with no bobbing going on at all. I glanced down and my Titus was bobbing despite having a new Fox RP2 (Adjusted properly) and set on Pro Pedal. After much tinkering, I was able to reduce the pedal induced bobbing but never did get it to perform nearly as efficiently as my old Turner.
I called Turner asking "not if but when" would they offer a 29er. Finally, at INTERBIKE DIRT DEMO I was able to ride the Turner Sultan 29er. What an amazing experience. It looked like a Turner, pedaled like a Turner and most importantly it handled like a Turner but with the favorable characteristics of a 29er. I really don't pay any attention to reviews of bikes "demoed." One must realize how important it is to set the bike up for proper fit and really spend time making adjustments before evaluating a bike properly. I bought the demo bike and spent time getting the fit perfect. A friend rode it, loved it and begged me to sell it to him. I ordered a new one That I could build up with the components I wanted.
I have waited 6 months to post this review. I have ridden the bike extensively and have raced the bike. The handling is amazing. It is a very good technical trail bike and built up light enough to race XC. Not to brag but I took 3rd place Clydesdale in a field of 45 riders. At 56 years old I am nearly twice the age of a majority of those I competed against. There is no doubt in my mind that I would not have placed so well if I was on the Titus Racer-X 29er. In fact I would have opted for my Single Speed before choosing the Titus for that race. The Titus Racer_X 29er feels slow, sluggish, harsh and heavy compared to the Turner Sultan even though the racer-X weight is almost exactly the same.
The Turner Sultan is just so pleasing to ride. The handling and pedalling efficiency is superb. Climbing technical rocky sections is a piece of cake. The front doesn't get light and allows you to pedal from the saddle rather than moving forward so loosing traction on the Sultan just doesn't happen. Handling while tearing down twisty single track is very predictable. The steering is fast and precise not slow or sluggish like others I've ridden. My Sultan is a large and only weighs 25.9 lbs (including pedals, tires and tubes). I am building a stronger wheelset. The wheels I built were meant for racing only and I do feel my 205 lbs putting a strain on them.
I highly recommend the Turner Sultan 29er to any one wanting a bike that improves the mountain biking experience. You will find yourself riding longer rides because you just won't want to get off this bike.
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Submitted by
Ryan
a Weekend Warrior
from Laguna Beach Date Reviewed: June 14, 2007
xtr cranks, reba race shock, marta sl, wtb speed disc rims, sram xo rd, shimano xt fd, crank bros mallet pedals, exi wolf tires, x9 shifters, chris king hubs.
Bottom Line:
This bike is unreal. Gave up my truth to join the 29er craze and have no regrets. This bike has it all and dismissed all doubts I had about 29ers. The bike handles single track, bombs downhill, and still climbs like a champ. If you are on the fence about this bike buy it...you will not regret it. This bike makes me want to ride more.
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Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Mission Viejo, CA Date Reviewed: March 28, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Turner quality and customer sevice.
Weaknesses:
Due to the grin on my face my teeth now have more bugs and dirt in them.
Bike Setup:
2007 Shimano XTR RF+, King hubs, Reba Race, WTB rims, King headset, Easton carbon post and bars, Thomson stem, Turner saddle and Specialized Fast Track tires.
Bottom Line:
I've been riding mountain bikes for well over half my life and have always been open minded to trends and fads. The 29er thing didn't appeal to my riding needs when it first came out but it did get me thinking. I love riding my cross bike on the local mountain bike trails but never really cared for the skittish ride of the skinny tires. As more tires became available and Turner came out with the Sultan I was ready to try one out. I also own a Turner Flux, Nitrous and Five Spot and have owned a Turner XCE and Burner so I am familiar with Turner quality. After building it and admiring the way it looked my first ride was incredible. I was planning on going for a short shakedown ride at Whiting Ranch to dial in fit and setting tire and suspension air pressure but I was having such a blast that my "short" ride turned into a 3 hour grin fest. The 29er came up short in the acceleration department and in the tight singletrack turns/switchbacks of Holy Jim trail and Horsethief loop. The handling is more likely an issue with the rider me, than the bike itself but the bigger wheels just take a little more effort to get them going but once they get going it's an incredible feel. It's almost like I have an extra inch of travel so I am willing to live with the slower acceleration. The 29er is here to stay and I may even consider selling my 26" stuff. The 29er and Turner a match made in bike heaven.
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Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: March 27, 2007
Favorite Trail:
100
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1895.00
Purchased At:
Slippery Pig
Strengths:
Super stiff rear end. Climbs better out of the saddle than any other full suspension I have ever owned.
Weaknesses:
It was not free
Similar Products Used:
Ventana El Capitan, Niner Rip 9, Lenz sport Leviathan( I work in a shop and have ridden just about everything).
Bike Setup:
X0, Chris King, Juicy Ultimates, Stans, Race Face, all the goodies.
Bottom Line:
After my first ride my friend asked what I thought, I responded " I think I am going to hurt myself"(2 weeks later I crashed hard and bruised 2 ribs). This bike gave me instant confidence. I ride down trails that I used to be afraid to ride. I find that as soon as the trail starts heading down this bike excellerates like nothing I have ever ridden. Even at speeds in the upper 20's, it feels in control and stable. Turner hit a home run with this one. I would rate this bike as a trail bike rather than a crosscountry race bike. It builds light (my XL is 27.81lbs). 4" travel on a 29er feels like a 5" trailbike, which makes this bike more capable than the Stans ZTR 355 rims that I built. I tacoed the front rim in the rib bruising crash. I will see what Mavic comes out with this year, and will lose the Stans as soon as they are available. Enough about the rims. Buy this bike if you can afford one (the ventana is just as nice though). I rate this bike 5chilis for value(you get what you pay for). 5 Chilis overall because this is the best bike I have ever owned.
$
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