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  • Circus giant rides proper size bike
  • TooTall
    Free Member

    Right – a few words about my test ride of the Turner Sultan – XXL (23” frame) ridden. I’m 6’7” tall, weigh in at 250lbs, so a rare treat to actually get to test ride a bike of this size!

    I was in the USA visiting family and found out that Competitive Cyclist were 200 miles from my mother in law – then that they were 25 miles from my brother in law! When they confirmed they had an XXL Sultan on the test fleet, I tweaked our visit so I could get there and ride. A massive thanks to Ryan and the guys at CS – made me feel really welcome, nothing was too much bother and the directions to the trails very accurate. So, on a day of high 90s temperatures and humidity, I rode a genuine monster truck of a bike.

    Initially, the bike looks right at that size – even 29er haters would have to agree on that one. It weighed 30lbs all up – pretty good for all that bike.

    It always helps when something looks right. I’d have wider bars, but the rest felt pretty good. Initial mile on tarmac was smooth and almost no pedal bob even when trying. It felt like it picked up speed more than my own 29er and really span along with little effort. Once I found the singletrack (twisty, turny, up & down, rooty, rocky) I could give it a blast.

    The bike really responded well from the off. I noticed the sharp steering straight away and this continued as a theme throughout. I guess this goes with the newer geometry of the bike and the forks and I loved it. As expected, 29er wheels with 2.3 tyres on just ate up the trail (but the clearance is there on the frame for British mud)

    and rolled over small stuff without it registering. The suspension added to that so much that I could remain seated for far more of the ride and pile on the pedalling – which led to me having to stop as my lungs couldn’t cope with full on riding in that heat and humidity! When not drinking water, I played with the air in the sus – dropping the pressure a little bit to feel how the bike would be when sitting further down. It was better for pointing it down hills but still rode very well overall.

    I did my best to throw it around and the stiffness was noticeable – even my tubby ass couldn’t force any flex in the frame or the wheels and that added to the growing confidence in the bike. I did my best to put myself in awkward positions with the bike (oo-er) and it never flickered – held the line, responded and climbed superbly – standing or seated. The front end felt a little light, but with 20mm more travel than my own bike I expected that.

    Overall, I got the ride down to this:

    In the ‘forward, up and down’ directions, this felt like a great 29er with all the advantages that brings. In the ‘left, right, turny’ directions, this felt like a great 26er with all the responsiveness that brings. The competent suspension ate up so much of the smaller stuff and enabled me to pedal more, which in turn made me ride quicker – so I wanted to push faster. I hope this is a good thing – it may end up hurting more!
    Yes – I’ll be buying one – but I have some things to sell and trips to unfortunate places to make first – before 2010 I hope!

    I was suffering by the time this picture was taken – sweating like a fat lass in a chocolate factory and breathing was laboured! Not my optimum riding temperature.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    cheers TT (from another 29er rider, even if only a diddy 6’4″ of me 🙂 )

    Ive got those forks on the Ti29 and they are superb.

    What price the whole bike? or is it frame only?
    What rims did they build into the wheels?

    Lucky for you you can get the in laws to post you the frame as a present 🙂

    TooTall
    Free Member

    They were Mavic wheels – I’ll have a look at the full size pics later and tell you. C29 SSMax I think.

    You mean you’ve never been to the CC website? Like pr0n for bikers:

    http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCM?PAGE=BUY_FRAME&PRODUCT.ID=5189

    Just build it up to what you want! It would work out at just over £3k for a complete bike. About £1800 over here for the frame alone.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    ouch that’s expensive 🙂

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    NOt being funny TT but it does look big for you in that pic – I am guessing your shorts are hanging a bit low.

    We miss you btw 😥

    twohats
    Free Member

    I thought this was going to be about Houns getting a tall bloke to ride that mahoosive gate of a new bike he has! 🙂

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    i think that looks totally in proportion with you TT, infact at first glance i thought it was a 26″

    bad news for your wallet though 🙂

    TooTall
    Free Member

    al – the shorts were low – I had loads of standover – perhaps this pic shows it in a different light – with me actually on the beast – with the required sag ater applying 250 lbs:

    Amazing how hard it is to get on a bike with 10 sec of self timer to go!

    I miss many peeps too al – but can’t be dealing with some of the pap – so just concentrating on moving and riding a bit and using my new mountain bike coach qualification 🙂 – and selling stuff and buying the Sultan.

    MrOvershoot
    Full Member

    Assuming your sat on the saddle that still looks like its set up a bit high?

    TooTall
    Free Member

    sheesh – I’m leaning against the wall – not sat proper on the bike. Believe me – I truly understand the proper position and, with my heel on the pedal, I had a straight leg. As previously said, it isn’t long to press the shutter, climb on bike and clip in before the camera takes a pic.

    singlespeedstu
    Full Member

    Looks like you need a 36er to me……. 😉

    Steve-Austin
    Free Member

    freak!

    miketually
    Free Member

    sheesh – I’m leaning against the wall – not sat proper on the bike. Believe me – I truly understand the proper position and, with my heel on the pedal, I had a straight leg. As previously said, it isn’t long to press the shutter, climb on bike and clip in before the camera takes a pic.

    Come on, surely you realise that someone looking at a photo on the internet will have a better idea of how well a bike that you’ve ridden fits you! I’d spend thousands on the size down instead if I were you.

    🙄

    TooTall
    Free Member

    freak!

    Just genetically where you are struggling to get to Mr Austin 😀

    36er would be great fun to try – but my holy grail was getting to ride a 23″ 29er – I’ll rest from my quests for a wee while now as I found what I was looking for.

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