Sultan and racing

coff1962 said:

I am trying to decide between a Sultan or Pivot. From what I read on the Pivot form, I could get the 429 to around 26lbs. How light could I get a L Sultan.

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I had a large '07 Sultan right at 26 lbs. as well, without anything too crazy. The '09's are about 1/2 lb. heavier, but a light build could still easily be in the 26-27 lb. range. I don't think a half pound one way or another should be the deciding factor though. I would concentrate more on geometry, quantity/quality of travel, and other things that may seem small at first glance but will have a much larger impact than a few ounces on how much you enjoy the bike in the long run. The Pivot's integrated headset, bottom bracket, and front derailleur may help keep the overall bike weight down even though the frame itself isn't all that light, but you have to decided if it's worth it to be locked in to the (semi)proprietary parts it uses.

I haven't raced my '09 Sultan yet (picked up a Nitrous at the end of last season for that purpose), but will probably give it a go at some point. I had some success racing the '07 the last two seasons, winning one race and taking second at a few others, including state championships last year. The bike's (and my own) strong suit has always been courses that were rough but relatively fast and flat. With the extra 20mm of travel this year the '09 should only be better in those conditions, with the DW link helping it maintain/improve it's "pop", on top of being a welcome addition for steeper, climbing oriented courses.

I raced my Sultan last season (Nov 08-Mar 09), South Florida Coconut Cup Series. Finished 8th out of 24 in my class this year with no training plan, no 'race specific' changes other than running a Python out back.

This year, I'll run the same bike with very minimal modifications (different seat (lighter), different rear tire (heavier), different bar (heavier)). Weighs in at about 28lbs with a front thru-axle.

My goal is to have a durable, weight conscious (not weight weenie) build I can take to the trail and race one day, then take on vacation and explore the next. Aside from my Phenom SL saddle, nothing really weight weenie on the bike.

With a fist full of cash, I could probably see 26lbs but at 6'3", 210lbs - I'm not too concerned with 2lbs of bike weight. This year I just plan to show up with a coordinated kit and road racing helmet so I look faster on the starting line. That's enough to psych out my opponents and give me the edge.



PS - I took the Ritchey WCS stem off in favor of a 30gm heavier Kore unit designed for XC and enduro. The WCS was too flexy.

The longer the race, the better

I have raced my 2008 Sultan a ton since building it up last summer and I have had some of my best results on this bike...but I can't help but wonder whether a lighter version of the Sultan would be an even better race bike. People often rationalize extra weight in exchange pedaling efficiency but overall weight does matter over the course of a long event with tons of climbing.

My 08 LG frame & shock weighs 6.5 lbs which is respecatable for a frame in this category. Many folks gravitate to the Jet9 because it is marketed as a "race" bike but a large Jet9 & shock weighs 6.2 lbs...pretty close to the Sultan.

The reported pedaling efficiency of the DW Sultan is appealing but the extra weight & travel was a deal breaker for me since my primary use is for the Sultan is racing. I plan to race my 08 Sultan until DT releases the Sultan-Lite. (DT, if you are listening, I would like to put in my pre-order now).