Competitive Cyclist

TURNER SULTAN

Who said classics can't get better in time?

With its crisp guitar riff, impeccable percussion, and driving base line, "Sultans of Swing" is arguably Dire Straits finest work, found on their self-titled debut album. Anchored by Mark Knopfler's resonant, dark vocals, the classic song takes us on a journey through rock, blues and folk in a tight, flashless package.

The Turner Sultan was an equally strong debut -- the frame was the first 29er for Turner, and it blew away the expectations of both Turner and the 29er community, selling out for the better part of 2007. Turner took a conservative, yet obsessive, approach to designing the 120mm (5") travel Sultan, assimilating data of hundreds of actual 29er builds, logging countless hours riding dozens of models, and ultimately tweaking geometry to balance the advantages of a larger wheel and the nimble, versatile nature of the Flux. The result -- the Sultan of Singletrack, ready to take on most any trail.

In 2009, the Turner Sultan got upgraded -- it gained 20mm of travel (now 120mm), and uses the dw-link suspension design that specifically enhances small bump sensitivity and traction, and allows it to float over rocks, roots and ruts, yet still remain firm while hammering out of the saddle. Turner was drawn to the dw-link because of its anti-squat characteristics -- it both counteracts the rearward transfer of mass and allows the axle-path to change to meet the demands of the trail. Paired with balanced geometry and a 7.5 x 2.0" Fox Float RP23 rear shock (View our set-up video) the Sultan is ready for all takers -- XC to trail.

The zerk fittings at the pivots are now crafted from stainless steel, and they screw into the frame (as opposed to past iterations which pressed in), which means that your zerks will stay put. Turner enthusiastically touts the benefits of bushings over bearings, citing the incredibly tight tolerances, low and easy maintenance, long life, all of which translate into a torsionally stiff rear swingarm. Evocative of its brethren, the Flux, the Sultan can deliver either a firm pedaling platform or a plush, responsive trail riding machine, depending on how you choose to tune it. The Sultan has adaptability for virtually any situation you throw it in, as the larger wheels allow you to: 1) maintain greater speed because of the larger rotational mass, 2) attain better traction and drive over obstacles with ease because of the larger contact patch of the tire, and 3) larger riders may sit between the wheels instead of above them, providing a more stable center of gravity.

The Sultan features all the critical details that set Turner apart: the grease ports at each of the pivots, its flawless welds, the sleek, CNC-machined lines of the swingarm, the boxy rear stays to accentuate stiffness and strength, the reinforcement yoke at the juncture of the seat and top tubes, and an incredibly simple, well thought-out approach to the bike’s design. On top of that, the Sultan has loads of the trademark Turner tire clearance, giving you room to run any 29er tire on the market, including the WTB Weirwolf LT 29 x 2.55.

The disc-specific Turner Sultan is available in Translucent Grey or Candy Apple Blue powdercoats in Small, Medium, Large, and XL. For those of you 6’5” +, an XXL size is available for an additional $200 (which includes your choice of any custom color.) Or with a short wait and no upcharge, you can get it raw -- that's right, no finish whatsoever. Twenty custom colors are available with the following upcharges: $150 (front triangle only) and $225 (both front and rear triangles.) Each is finished with the Turner stainless steel headbadge. It requires a 30.9mm seatpost and a 34.9mm Traditional Top Pull Front Derailleur. It has a replaceable derailleur hanger. Post-mount disc brake tabs now provide a clean, direct fit for the brake caliper.

Please note: SRAM XX is compatible, however we recommend only the Q166 crank with 28/42 front chainring configuration due to the height restriction on the front derailleur. Simply put, the derailleur clamp won't slide down the seattube far enough to position the cage as closely to the big ring on the 26/39 as you'd need it to deliver the amazing shifting performance that you could normally expect from XX. The Q166 is necessary to clear the stays on the dw-link Turner bikes.

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2010 Turner Sultan Pricing