A Perfect Fit: the Revelate Hopper Frame Bag on John’s Starling Cycles Murmur 29er

Radar

A Perfect Fit: the Revelate Hopper Frame Bag on John’s Starling Cycles Murmur 29er

Full suspension bikes can be used for bikepacking. It just takes a little problem-solving in terms of bag design, fitment, and capacity. Yet, that’s not what we’re discussing here. Modern mountain bikes seem to be designed for shuttle runs in perfectly-groomed bike parts, not all-day rides on backcountry trials. Most new bike models fit a bottle and by “a bottle” I mean a small bottle. I ride XL-sized frames and every time I throw my leg over one, I’m baffled at the lack of bottle carrying capacity. This is a gripe for another day, however, because I recently found a way to solve this problem on my Starling Murmur 29er and it was easier than you’d think.

The Revelate Hopper Frame Bag is an off-the-shelf option that fits like a custom solution. Let’s check it out below. Yes, I’m excited about this one!

Save on a Starling Cycles

Radar

Save on a Starling Cycles

A lot of people are offering up deals on their bikes and with their announcement of moving production back to the UK on their front triangles, Starling has a lot riding on this first season of sales. To spice up their already solid deals, they’re offering something special.

Frames are now £1,327.50, that’s 10% off and they’re offering a free custom paint upgrade, worth £120.

TO ORDER: A 25% non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your frame. Once frames are ready to ship, the remaining payment will be requested. Use the code starling2020, at checkout. This will reduce your basket total by 75%, allowing you to pay a 25% deposit.

They will then invoice you for the remaining 75% once frames are ready to ship.

See more information at Starling Cycles and check out John’s review of the Murmur Factory from 2019 and his own bike review to get a sense of what these bikes truly are.

Radar

Starling Cycles Brings Front Triangle Production Back to the UK

Starling Cycles has been busy ramping up for the 2020 production year. When John bought his Murmur, there were two options: made in the UK front triangle or the made in Taiwan complete bike, aka the Factory Murmur. Joe from Starling decided to switch back to a made in UK front triangle for 2020, for various reasons which he outlines in this video. As always, Starling Cycles ships to the USA. Just don’t use the USPS. ;-)

Radar

Starling Cycles’ Sturn SS DH Bike is Something Else!

When you think about what a downhill bike does, go downhill in bike parks, then a singlespeed makes sense. Starling Cycles tackled the DH SS problem with a truly unique suspension design… out of steel! See the full reveal at Starling and check out the video for Brett Wheeler from Wheelers MTB Holiday Portugal shredding this almost silent trail killer.

Starling Cycles’ Murmur Factory 29’r

Radar

Starling Cycles’ Murmur Factory 29’r

You may or may not have heard of Starling Cycles before. They’re UK frame builders of mountain bikes, including the Murmur 29’r, a full suspension, steel, made in the UK frame. Well, the UK brand has now offered a Taiwan-built version of the Murmur, called the Murmur Factory 29’r and it’s currently available to order. There isn’t much difference between the Murmur and the Factory, except cost. So if Made in the UK isn’t as important to the consumer, they can save some money. Head to Starling to see more information on the Murmur Factory 29’r.

Otso Cycles Hoot Ti Review: Titanium Hardtail Gets the Last Laugh

Reportage

Otso Cycles Hoot Ti Review: Titanium Hardtail Gets the Last Laugh

Launching today, the Hoot Ti from Otso Cycles is the brand’s first foray into designing a truly modern and progressive hardtail mountain bike. Built around 140 mm of front suspension with short 425mm chainstays across all sizes, the Hoot is meant for demanding trail riding yet is playful enough for riders who like to get airborne. It’s an evolution of where the brand, which has been innovating since day one, is going while also showcasing its ability to deploy new technologies to solve challenging design problems.

Josh has put considerable mileage on the new Hoot over the past few weeks, both in his usual testing grounds of southern Arizona and a big week in the steep mountains of northern New Mexico. Continue reading below for Josh’s review of the Hoot and a peek inside Otso’s Minneapolis, MN-based operations.

Double Feature Review: Alex and Nikki’s Starling Swoop Steel Full Suspensions

Reportage

Double Feature Review: Alex and Nikki’s Starling Swoop Steel Full Suspensions

The Swoop is Starling Cycles‘ versatile single-pivot steel full-suspension bike designed for 27.5 wheels. With its adjustable shock mounts, the Swoop can be set in “Trail” mode with 130 mm of rear travel or “Enduro” with 160 mm. Partners Alex and Nikki each have Swoops in respective enduro and trail modes that they’ve been riding for some time now. Below, they share a review of both iterations of this adaptable built-in-UK platform from one of our favorite bike makers

Radar

VIDEO: Starling Cycle’s Joe Varndell – Full Time at MTB University

Not only is he super talented on a mountain bike, but he actually studies mountain biking at college. Yep – that’s actually a thing you can do now! Joe joined the Starling Cycles team a few years back and went on to enroll into BASE College in Scotland, studying mountain biking full-time.

BASE is the Borders Academy of Sporting Excellence (BASE) Mountain Biking Performance course, based out of the Borders College in Peebles, Scotland. Joe’s time at BASE is spent learning how to be a better rider and racer, but also sports science, psychology, coaching skills and everything you need to be an all-round expert two-wheel athlete. Because Starling thinks Joe is rad and the brand thinks his story is rad, it decided it was time to tell his story.

A Titanium Chariot: Esker Cycles Hayduke LVS Longtail Review

Reportage

A Titanium Chariot: Esker Cycles Hayduke LVS Longtail Review

Announced at this year’s Moab Outerbike, the Esker Cycles Hayduke LVS –available as a frame ($2,950) or a complete ($4,950)–is a hardtail mountain bike with 600-millimeter chainstays and touring accouterments aplenty. Esker even developed a specialty rack for this bike, dubbed the Molle Rackwald ($300.) Needless to say, it’s a unique offering from the brand.

John was able to ride one for a bit, including on an overnighter with the Esker Cycles team and Sincere Cycles in Santa Fe, so read on for an in-depth look at this rare and funky bike!

2023 MADE Bike Show Coverage: Part 02 – Albatross, Baphomet, BTCHN, Caletti, Frances Cycles, HotSalad, Neuhaus, Schön Studio, Sour Bicycles, and Tonic Fab

Reportage

2023 MADE Bike Show Coverage: Part 02 – Albatross, Baphomet, BTCHN, Caletti, Frances Cycles, HotSalad, Neuhaus, Schön Studio, Sour Bicycles, and Tonic Fab

We’re here in Portland, covering the 2023 MADE Bike Show, looking for bikes that we thought you, the readers of The Radavist would appreciate. Josh and John have been scouring the halls of the show for bikes to document, and we’ve got Part 02 of our coverage for you to enjoy…

Thanks to 1-Up USA for sponsoring our continued 2023 MADE Bike Show coverage!

An Evolved Steel Trail Bike: REEB Cycles SST Full Suspension Review

Reportage

An Evolved Steel Trail Bike: REEB Cycles SST Full Suspension Review

While steel full-suspension bikes are nothing new, there has been a resurgence in recent years with many small framebuilders making trail-ready, competent bikes that leave their genetic predecessors in the proverbial dust. When I first rode a Starling Murmur in 2019, I wasn’t prepared for how engaged I felt with the trail or the flex and movement the Murmur provided. If you like the feel of steel hardtails or gravel bikes, chances are you’ll vibe more with a steel full-suspension than a carbon model.

These bikes are incredibly niche (though you can find them being made in workshops worldwide), and they still feel like a product from a cottage industry, not an engineered machine. It wasn’t until I spent some time with the REEB Cycles SST that I felt like steel full suspension bikes had finally leaped into the next stage of their evolutionary process. Let’s take a look at the SST below.

Engin Cycles Port Royal Crankset Review: A Modern Crank With a Vintage Silhouette

Radar

Engin Cycles Port Royal Crankset Review: A Modern Crank With a Vintage Silhouette

Modern tech, bikes, and components were lost on me over the previous few years. Sure, I talk about all that here at “work,” but in my personal life, I have spent more time looking backward, not forward, with bikes. Maybe it was because all the major manufacturers wanted journalists (if I can even call myself that) to review new gear that wouldn’t hit consumers for another year or so. Or perhaps I felt like there was inherently more to learn from the past than new tech and its marginal gains mantra.

Having spent a lot of time curating a few vintage builds, re-evaluating my own stable, and pouring over old bike catalogs, there’s something about the aesthetic found in the 1980s and early 90s mountain bike components that hits the nail on the head. Be it the eeWings cranks, those nifty Cyber Cranks, or these Engin Cycles Port Royal cranks, what’s old is new again in terms of design silhouette.

When I first saw these cranks, I immediately felt like they were an homage to the first gen M700 Deore cranks by Shimano, which did in fact come in black. (Ritchey Commandos were specced with an all-black Deer Head group!) Yet, the thing I liked about them the most was the slim profile, 30mm spindle, and the fact that Engin Cycles, a framebuilder I hold in deep regard and respect for, machines these in Philly!

I’ve had the Engin Cycles Port Royal Cranks ($575) on my Starling Murmur for a while now and finally have some thoughts I can share with y’all, so read on below for a quick review…