Starling Cycles has joined the 32” wheel corner of the industry. The UK steel frame manufacturer joins the likes of Vassago, DirtySixer, and others, taking preorders for a bike with the monstrous wheel size.
And, despite initial cynicism (and perhaps some that is still present) to 32” wheels, Starling said, “Why not?” Taking advantage of being a relatively small brand working with steel tubing, they felt opinion without experience is shaky ground.
So, they bumped up the front wheel size on their Murmur frame and created the Big Bird.
Is Starling the New 32”-Wheeled Brand?
Well, yes, but also no.
“It’s really fun to ride. But in my opinion, 32” doesn’t make mountain biking more fun, more affordable, or more accessible to more people,” Joe McEwan, Starling’s founder, said. “In the short term, people with money can gain an advantage (if there is one), but this is lost if everyone is forced to change wheel size and we end up back where we started.”
While Starling thinks that 32” wheels might potentially ruin the 29er standard, they also don’t want to miss out on the industry trend. If there is something with this bigger wheel size, Starling thinks they are in the perfect position to find out.
They’re a small, boutique brand hand-building frames. And, they didn’t reinvent the wheel (this is a 32”-wheeled pun) for the Big Bird frame.
Starling started with their Murmur frame, adapting the front triangle to accommodate the larger wheel. As you might imagine, the front of the Murmur needed to go up fairly significantly, thanks to the roughly 40mm higher axle on a 32” wheel.
The higher front end also impacted the reach. The Big Bird has a 15mm shorter reach than the Murmur.
Starling also chose not to fuss with the rear of the Big Bird, bringing the Murmur rear triangle over as it is. Also, the team at Starling prefers the ride feel of a mixed-wheeled bike. And, again, it’s a pretty hands-on operation over there, and the team feels they can whip up a rear triangle to accommodate a 32” wheel if they get the urge.
How Does the Big Bird Ride?
According to McEwan, pretty damn good. “Straightaway, I felt comfortable on it, no issues at all, it just feels right,” he said.
McEwan says the higher front end and higher bars are noticeable right away. But, this was a pro rather than a con, and he felt like there was ample control of the front. He also said the rollover capability of the larger 32” front wheel is much more noticeable than that of a 29” wheel.
The larger front wheel also tracks the ground really well, according to McEwan. That does come with a caveat, as he acknowledged that more effort is needed to lean a 32” wheel into corners. Once you do, however, the larger wheel hooks up and tracks well again.
Ultimately, McEwan said the Big Bird is fun to ride and doesn’t feel “unwieldy” or “sluggish,” as some might expect.
Starling Big Bird Details
Building the 120mm travel frame wasn’t the difficult part for Starling. Finding 32” components was.
They, of course, would need a fork, front wheel, and a tire. For these components, Starly worked with Intend, using their 32” Samurai fork, Maxxis Aspen tires, and 32” Nextie carbon wheels laced to Hope hubs.
Starling says the Big Bird is available now, but only for a limited time. Stock is limited, and the frame will only be made in sizes Large and XL. The Big Bird is a frame-only option (like, it doesn’t even include the rear shock) for £2456 (~$3,342), perfect for those looking to plot their own 32” course.
If you happen to have several 32” spare parts lying around, don’t spend the extra money. If you have a fork but not a wheelset, only get the wheels. Starling wants to provide its customers with options.
For an extra £860 (~$1,170), they will include an Intend Hover rear shock. You can also add on the Samurai 32” fork for £1550 (~$2,109) and the Nextie wheelset for £1500 (~$2,041). Maxxis Aspens are also available, although Starling doesn’t yet have a price for the tires. They are also open to using different tires as more 32” options become available.
The order window closes around March 31, with a 12-week lead time on frame production. If you want one, get your name on the list.
