Starling Cycles Announces New MegaMurmur - More Travel, Longer Swingarm

PRESS RELEASE: Starling Cycles


Longer travel and with a longer swing arm than the classic Murmur, the MegaMurmur is for race tracks, big mountains, bike parks, downhill tracks, the Enduro World Cup, and seasons in the mountains.

It’s built to go bigger, faster and harder.


The heart of the MegaMurmur is a new, longer swing arm with a 455mm chainstay length, 10mm longer than the classic Murmur.

The added chainstay length provides a few benefits.

First, it adds stability when charging big, rough, high-speed trails creating a more planted, stable and solid ride.

After testing, Starling found 455mm to be a sweet spot that creates a real heels-down, brakes-off trail plougher with only a small compromise to the playfulness, twist and pop that makes the Murmur so fun to ride.

Second, the longer swing arm provides taller riders (especially those riding size XL and above) the option for a larger bike. To many riders the longer swing arm will feel more balanced over the classic design, providing them a more central riding position and an all-around better fit.

The Mega Murmur swing arm is also handmade in the UK - bringing production back to Starling’s home country and creating a steel frame that’s almost 100% made on British soil.


But it's not just geometry changes.

The new, longer swing arm also allows the travel to increase, moving up to 165mm rear travel and a suggested 170mm up front. Riders can, if they wish, run the MegaMurmur with a dual crown fork.

Like all of Starling’s Core frames, the Mega Murmur will be available in two travel configurations - Trail with 140mm rear travel and Enduro with 165mm. The Mega Murmur can either be a big travel, big hitter or a shorter travel, trail bike with the stability of a longer swing arm.

Riders specify 'Trail' or 'Enduro' when they order and have the ability to switch using the frame's adjustable shock mount. No need to buy a new frame if you decide you'd like a shorter or longer travel setup.


V3 Features

The MegaMurmur also includes all of those new V3 design features, including a new machined main pivot part, an aluminium seat tube insert to reduce seized posts, a neater headtube gusset, an anti-flare headtube and a redesigned main pivot to offer a wider interface.

It's handmade using recycled, British-made, Reynolds steel tubing. Like all of Starling's frames, it's made to be easy to set up, ride and maintain with a deliberately uncomplicated, hard-charging single-pivot suspension platform and just two bearings to look after.

Standards are sensible and designed to be future-proof, with no hard-to-source component sizes and the ability to run both boost and non-boost rear wheels.

Frames are made from recycled steel with a lower carbon footprint than carbon fibre or aluminium frames and are repairable when damaged and recyclable at end-of-life. Starling's Environmental Footprint Assessment is available here to read.


Custom Options

Riders often choose Starling because they want a unique bike that isn't the same as everything else on the trails.

There are heaps of custom paint and graphics options and all frames are available with a range of components from Starling's partners Hope, Öhlins, RockShox, Cane Creek, Magura, BikeYoke, Michelin, Funn, DTSwiss and Middleburn.

Frames can be supplied with or without rear shocks and suspension is available from CaneCreek, EXT and Ohlins.

All frames are covered by Starling’s two-year guarantee and crash repair/replacement policy. Policies include options for non-original owners and there's a frame refurbishment and repair service available for all owners, new or second-hand.

Geometry and Specs



Features
- Front triangle hand-built in Bristol, UK, using Reynolds 853 heat-treated tubing
- Rear triangle hand-built in the UK using heat-treated Chromoly
- 29" wheels
- Up to 200mm rotor
- Boost rear axle spacing (but fits non-boost with spacer)
- Seat tube reinforcing strut on XL and XXL
- Stainless & numbered dropper port
- Starling headtube gusset
- Bottle mount in frame on medium & above


Specification

TRAIL MODE SHOCK/TRAVEL 210x55mm for 140mm travel
ENDURO MODE SHOCK/TRAVEL 230x65mm for 165mm travel
HEADSET TOP ZS44/28.6
HEADSET BOTTOM EC44/40
SEAT TUBE 31.6mm
BB 73mm Threaded
SEAT CLAMP 34.9mm
CHAIN DEVICE Integrated 28T-34T
BASH MOUNT Integrated ISCG05
REAR AXLE 148x12mm Boost*
MAX TYRE 29 x 2.6"
BRAKE MOUNT IS
MAX DISC 200mm
FRONT SHOCK HARDWARE 30x8mm
REAR SHOCK HARDWARE 35x8mm
MAIN PIVOT BEARINGS 6902 2RS

Pricing and Availability

The MegaMurmur is available to order immediately from starlingcycles.com.

MegaMurmurs will be strictly small batch with limited quantities available at launch. Lead time 16 weeks.

The MegaMurmur frame, minus rear shock, is £2330.
This price includes a Hope headset and seat clamp.

Full details of the new Starling Cycles MegaMurmur here.

Photo location: Moor Beer Brewery and Tap Room, Bristol, UK. "With an unseasonably wet British summer, our MegaMurmur photoshoot was at risk of being rained off. A friend introduced us to the team at Moor and they offered us some space for a unique location to shoot. Just like Starling, Moor is an independent, small-batch manufacturer based in Bristol, UK that ships all over the world. They brew unfined, unfiltered and unpasteurised beers that are always live, always natural and always vegan friendly. Find out Moor here.

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