Video: Leo Sandler Rides Starling Cycles' New Murmur 29 Factory

Feb 19, 2019 at 3:03
by Starling Cycles  

PRESS RELEASE: Starling Cycles

The Starling Cycles Murmur Factory Edition is our 29” mountain bike frame, hand built in Reynolds 853 steel. It has 29” wheels with 140mm rear travel and room for disc rotors up to 200mm and 2.5” tyre clearance. It is built for metric rear shocks and 148 x 12mm Boost rear hub spacings.

The new ‘Factory’ frame has been designed at home in the UK and hand built in Taiwan by ORA, the world’s very best steel mountain bike frame manufacturing facility.

Starling Cycles Murmur Factory

You probably know Leo Sandler already. He's a Kiwi, living in the UK and is an absolute animal on two-wheels. If anyone can put the Murmur Factory through its paces... Leo is the man for the job!

We lent Leo the Murmur Factory and sent him to South Wales to give it a shred. The weather was up against him and a few the jumps at Black Mountains were closed (damn UK winter weather!) but he still managed to have a big day of shredding on the bike. Thanks Leo, we're stoked to see you ride the Starling!

The Murmur Factory is available now. Click here for more details.

You can buy a Murmur Factory direct from Starling Cycles, with prices for a complete (but unassembled) bike from £3600. Frame and shock prices start at £1850.

Music thanks to www.psychedelicporncrumpets.com
Thanks also to:

Goodyear/Stans/Paligap
EXT Racing Shocks
Middleburn

Video: Dom John and Open Wide Agency

photo


Author Info:
Starlingcycles avatar

Member since Mar 6, 2018
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38 Comments
  • 12 2
 Looks sweet and bombproff, I like it so much and the Swoop would fit me nicely, but really..simple steel single pivot frame with shock for a price of a basic Capra...what is so expensive here? Development? Manufactoring? Boutique image?
  • 15 0
 Probably scale
  • 7 12
flag mate1998 (Feb 20, 2019 at 6:31) (Below Threshold)
 Overpriced and even Taiwanese... good joke. Manufacturers want to surf on the hype wave, here is the exact result.
  • 4 4
 @mate1998: except they're not even manufacturing anything, the factory in Taiwan is.
  • 12 4
 The element you’re missing is elegant design. The phenomenon you’re describing is gestalt theory: The sum of the bike’s aesthetic and performance is greater than its individual parts- simple kinematic, cost effective material, and easier manufacturing.

Don’t assume that unnecessary complexity, exotic materials, and timely manufacturing process = better performing. There is value in creating a simpler, accessible and timeless design rather than use the same old industry formula year after year. Less is more and in my opinion you’re actually getting a bargain for this refreshing design approach.
  • 5 0
 @generationfourth: could say the same for example about Production Privee and Cotic and still being like half grand less for frame
  • 13 1
 @mate1998: you must have a serious lack of understanding when it comes to manufacturing to think that manufacturing quality in Taiwan is anything short of exceptional. This seems to be a general misconception among some, uninformed keyboard surfers. Taiwan isn't some third world country with factories filled with low-wage laborers who bring home a few cents a day, Taiwan is a bustling economy lush with the middle class and often compared similarly to the likes of Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. Chances are nearly every bike you've ever owned or ever will own will be made there. As for the price you have to consider that EXT shock is among the highest regarded luxury/boutique shocks out there, and the cost of manufacturing a proper Reynolds 853 frame. Clearly, you didn't.
  • 1 0
 @ryanandrewrogers: just to fair, the 1850 GBP is for frame with debonair, not EXT
  • 2 0
 Almost 2800 GBP with EXT
  • 5 1
 @bok-CZ: Sure I could find frames that are “half a grand” cheaper than those frames as well. Keep in mind the factory murmur isn’t intended to compete or outsell other production bikes. It was a compromise for those who wanted the murmur but didn’t need custom geo/pricing. And most importantly to fund his other design visions and experiments- like the sturn, gearboxes, etc. I even spotted what appears to be a ti prototype of the murmur.
  • 3 0
 @ryanandrewrogers: lot of companies out there right now making in house frames for a cheaper price. I don’t think Tawain makes bad bikes and agree with you on that. But if someone is looking for a truly boutique made in house frame for a better price a lot exist at the moment. Nothing against this bike.
  • 1 0
 @generationfourth: I'm pretty sure that prototype is stainless steel.
  • 2 4
 Huh, even Murmur doesn’t get a pass here. Only cheap ass stuff doesn’t fall apart directly does
  • 1 0
 @generationfourth: okay now it makes a sense
  • 10 0
 skinny steel tubes look sweet and ride even sweeter
  • 3 0
 I know right? I somehow, like the look of skinny steel tubes with fat wheels.
Since I don't have an engineering background, is that the best position for the shock mount? Looks a bit out of sort on the bike.
  • 7 0
 Downtime did a really good podcast with the owner of starling well worth a listen.

itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/downtime-the-mountain-biking-podcast/id1202593158?mt=2&i=1000426016156
  • 7 0
 This and the Privee just make modern bikes look, well, bad. Love it!
  • 1 0
 Iv got a "shed" build one, ride is excllent but I can't ride it like Leo. I would say build quaility / paint isnt perfect but I never expected it to be. I would think the factory build on the new ones has solves this.

Its alway going to be a Marmite bike, yes you could buy an Specialized SJer Evo but if you want a unique steel bike then there is a limited number of people out there.
  • 4 0
 why does it squeak on every lip? is something rubbing under compression?
  • 1 0
 its probably running a heavier compression tune than most shocks, hence the noise
  • 1 0
 @housem8d: Compression? I'm hearing the squeak when he unloads, hence rebound circuit. Seal drag?
  • 2 0
 @sngltrkmnd: yeah I guess i meant heavy damping and seal drag
  • 2 0
 Every time I hear someone say that a trail bike climbs like an xc bike and descends like a dh bike it makes me want to smash my face into my keyboard
  • 1 0
 but it really does.
  • 3 0
 Awesome bike, rider, and venue combo right there.
  • 3 1
 Clean and simple looking, the bike that is.
  • 4 2
 1 year warranty.... no chance
  • 2 1
 If you read website, you'll see it's two years. And past that, being a framebuilder Starling can sort any issues for cost price.
  • 1 0
 What is with the kids now and send nudes stickers? That sticker is totally useless unless they give us a number anyhow
  • 4 0
 My new favorite hatred is for the people who put their Instagram handle on their cars.
  • 2 1
 Finally 29” full sus dirt jumper
  • 1 0
 what's the brand of this mud fender?? THANKS
  • 1 0
 Mudhugger, when I got into this bike it introduced me to all these quaint little parts from across the pond!
  • 2 3
 bet i could crack the rear triangle
  • 1 1
 Looks like a Cotic
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