Starling Cycles Adds UDH & Shows Off a Downcountry Build of the Murmur
Press Release: Starling Cycles
At Starling Cycles we make beautifully simple, single pivot steel mountain bikes in the UK. We have updated our frame design to include SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH). The update to Starling’s Murmur, Twist and Swoop frames sees a redesigned swingarm that is now being supplied as standard with all orders.
The new design means more affordable, easier to source, and available worldwide hangers with UDH now being the most easily available hanger ever made. It also means better performance with UDH being designed to rotate under impacts and ‘re-rail’ chains when they de-rail. Need a hanger last-minute before your holiday? They’re easily ordered and sourced online, worldwide and generally less than a round of resort-price beers.
Existing V2 and V3 customers can also purchase a new UDH swing arm to replace their existing version.
UDH is an updated hanger standard for Starling, but isn’t our first replaceable mech hanger. We began with a repairable, tough and bend backable ‘fixed’ design which saw almost zero failures. We then moved on to a proprietary, replaceable hanger, which owner Joe was hesitant to change until he saw UDH really take off. Because the bike industry has enough standards already, right?
However, the combined benefits of UDH and the low cost and ease of sourcing replacements finally offered enough benefits to justify the redesign.
The update also sees a switch from IS standard to post-mount brake mounts, another upgrade for Starling customers. This change makes for a much cleaner, slicker-looking swingarm and that means owners can now fit a 180mm brake rotor without the need for adapters. And also that those 200mm mounts are much more neatly and cleanly integrated.
But, that’s not all that’s new. The updated UDH swingarm is shown here on a Starling Murmur ‘DownCountry’ Edition, in prototype raw ‘IPA’ finish.
The Starling Murmur is a versatile, handbuilt, steel full suspension frame. The adjustable shock mount allows different length and stroke shocks to be run, meaning owners can adjust travel and completely change the personality of their bike to suit their style. It’s offered as standard in ‘Trail’ or ‘Enduro’ modes - but the Downcountry setup shows another option. The Downcountry build pairs up the Murmur frame and a 210x50mm rear shock to create a hard-charging, big-pedaling, fast and super exciting short-travel 29er.
Rear travel is reduced to 120mm with no impact on geometry and then a 120mm fork steepens the head and seat angles by 1.2° to 66.2° and 79° respectively. The build as shown here weighs in at just 12.7kg - although as we all know, bike weight doesn’t matter right? And with fast-rolling Michelin Force tyres and lightweight DT Swiss wheels, it flies.
The superbike spec shown here was built especially for the recent DT Swiss Craft Bike Days show, pieced together with a super high-end components list including:
- DT Swiss F232 ONE 120mm fork
- DT Swiss R232 ONE 210x55 shock
- DT Swiss XRC1501 wheelset
- SRAM XO T-Type drivetrain
- Michelin Force XC2 tyres
- BikeYoke Revive
- Trickstuff Piccola 180mm brakes
- Bjorn Probka cork-covered saddle
- Bjorn Palka carbon bar
- Intend Grace stem
This particular one-off MegaMurmur DownCountry is currently for sale, strictly as a one-off. Price on enquiry. And that IPA finish? That’s something special - more on that coming soon.
You can find out more about Starling Cycles at StarlingCycles.com. Existing V2 and V3 customers can order UDH-equipped rear triangles by contacting Starling.
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www.starlingcycles.com/why-our-steel-seat-stays-are-strong
(love editing options on mobile)
I feel sorry for you that you are so weak to resist the marketing you are subjected to…
Sounds like you too have the force flowing strongly in you...
Anyway, what Starling does with most of their bikes (constant leverage + coil) has merit. Those are not bikes for everyone or for every trail, but in certain situations they will work exceptionally well, since unlike progressive bikes, they have lot's of midstroke and will ride high in the travel. Progressive bikes on the other hand need lot's of sag and thus have less midstroke, especally with dual chamber air shocks ... Personally after riding progressive bike and more "linear" bike with coil, I prefer progressive with air for trails I ride, but can imagine people being very happy with more "linear" bikes, they are just different.
So different solutions to achieve the same thing?
The benefit of linear suspension curve are much better mid stroke support, and a much easier job for suspension tuners to get the best performance.
There’s something really aesthetically pleasing about Starling frames. The fact the functionality doesn’t lag behind makes it all the sweeter. One day…..
You are missing literally everything by assuming carbon parts are necessarily stiffer.
I just have carbon bars on my Murmur. Why wouldn't I?
They are literally attempting to remove the problem that’s making you mad.
My current hanger cost $30 and takes 2 weeks to get to me from the only place I can find that sells them. I've never had access to a hanger within 48 hours for less than $25 on any bike I've owned. If all my bikes were UDH I could literally keep one spare hanger in my box instead of 6 different ones.
With a UDH I could order one in advance OR be confident that any respectable shop will have one. It isnt that I "can" order a hanger in advance, its that I have no option but to order a hanger in advance.
But anyway, you took the bait!
Read this, then come back with an informed response:
www.starlingcycles.com/does-bike-weight-matter
(well ... not sure about the weight ... this is steel ...)
Maybe you just have experience of crap brazing, we certainly don't do that!
www.starlingcycles.com/whats-the-best-way-to-join-steel-tubes
Welds break too.
It's about the deign not the process.
Paul breaks everything he rides!! And it was only a paint crack in this case.
Why do you think welding is stronger? I'm interested to here your thoughts on the reasons why, or is your evidence just circumstantial.
If it was a paint crack on Paul Astons Starling Spur, then why was it reinforced? Paint cracks on the bottom bracket is enough to make me nervous. It indicates that something is bending, cracking or moving.
@The-Spirit-of-Jazz: Nothing conclusive in this case. That would have needed a more destructive investigation, and I doubt the Starling prize winner would agree. In theory, brazing is strong, but welds are stronger.
When you make that many bikes, you know how to cut the tube ends for tight alignment which is the most important characteristic you want with a tight, strong weld.
Starling is still such a small, niche player. They may not have cutting jigs for repeatable tube fitments, or if they do, they might not replace them as rapidly as a larger manufacturer would to maintain alignment across production batches.
Paul's Spur was one of the first of a batch of ten frames. We had built pre-production frames with no issues, but there was a slight change in brazing process to the production version that caused an issue. So, quality is not an issue, rather there are always teething issue with new designs going into production. It affects every company unless they are making tiny iterative changes.
So many cracked carbon frames out there from big companys. They know there job for sure, but they do cut manufacturing costs for margin. simple as that for mainstream stuff.
Joking aside, he discusses this here: www.starlingcycles.com/why-our-steel-seat-stays-are-strong
Joking aside, yes, I misread it. My bad.