Bristol-based steel mountain bike manufacturer, Starling Cycles, have released their Murmur enduro frame in limited edition stainless steel. There will be just 15 of these bare-metal beauties knocking around, in sizes Large and XL only. With that clean-looking raw finish, you’ll surely have to act fast if you want to get your hands on this little number.
Starling Murmur Stainless
The Murmur is Starling Cycles most popular frame, hand built by ORA in Taiwan. Designed around 29″ wheels, it runs a 140mm travel rear end serviced by a single-pivot suspension platform, paired with a (recommended) 160mm fork. A large Murmur sports a 485mm reach and 445mm chainstays. The head angle is a slack 64.6° and while the seat tube angle is on the steep(ish) end of the spectrum at 76.6°.
For the limited edition run of the Murmur, front triangles are fabricated from stainless steel with the usual Starling head tube-top tube gusseting. That’s married to a heat-treated chromoly swingarm, braced laterally by a stainless steel plate featuring the Starling Cycles logo.
Tire clearance on the Starling Murmur is generous, with room enough for 2.6″ tires. The rear end also has sufficient clearance for 200mm rotors if you ever feel the need to up-size from the standard 180mm.
Why a stainless Murmur? That raw look is the obvious answer. Stainless steel makes that bare-metal finish viable without the issue of corrosion which affects all unpainted ‘normal’ steel frames.
Starling Cycles say it’s not just about aesthetics, however. They claim stainless steel can create an even more compliant and comfortable ride than standard steel tubing and with added strength.
Pricing & Availability
The limited edition Stainless Murmur is available in Large and XL only, and they are only making 15 of them. Pricing starts from £2330. Head to the Starling Cycles website for full details on custom build options.
