Starling Murmur review: an addictively smooth trail bike

Starling Cycles’ Murmur is a UK-made, steel-framed, 135mm-travel single-pivot bike, aimed directly at the trail/all-mountain segment. It’s claimed to be the antithesis of increasingly complicated bike designs.

Costing £7,000, this full build weighs 16.12kg and headlines with Öhlins dampers front and rear. The five-size line-up shares a 65-degree head angle, steep 78-degree seat tube angle and 445mm chainstays.

A soft, muted feel dominates on the trails; rattly, worn-out surfaces are glossed over impeccably. The bike’s coil shock, suspension design and frame construction work wonders to insulate you from unwanted chatter.

This composure enables you to push hard, but some deep-stroke hits aren’t absorbed as well as they could be. Here, it’s important to remember it’s a 135mm-travel trail bike, not a downhill shredder.

Its ride position is balanced and comfortable on both the ups and downs; it’s a very adaptable bike, riding well everywhere at all speeds, but also excelling in quite a few areas.

Starling Murmur frame and suspension

Built from Reynolds 853 steel, the front triangle’s slender outline is synonymous with the frame material.

With simplicity being a large part of Starling’s modus operandi, it’s no surprise brake and gear cables are routed externally, the bottom bracket uses a threaded BSA standard, and the head tube forgoes any tapering or complicated integration.

SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger features at the rear end and there’s some light chain-slap protection. A pair of bottle bosses sit under the top tube.

Thanks to the single-pivot suspension design, there are only two pivot bearings, building on the premise of simplicity.

There’s 135mm of suspension travel on tap as standard, but this can be decreased or increased with different length and stroke shocks, utilising the alternative mounting points on the down tube.

The main pivot sits just above the front 32t chainring, positioned to create the Murmur’s kinematics.

Starling says the bike has a linear, almost constant leverage rate through its travel, providing a supple initial stroke and good mid-travel support, with the shock’s bottom-out bumper helping to cushion harsh landings.

It also has close to 100 per cent anti-rise throughout its travel, designed to reduce the impact of rider weight shifts on suspension performance when braking.

Combine this with the in-built flex of a steel swingarm and Starling’s convinced its bike is both smooth and fast.

Starling Murmur geometry

The five-size range starts at medium; its 450mm reach is designed for riders from 167cm to 177cm tall.

The range tops out at extra-extra-large, with a gigantic 545mm reach; riders taller than the smallest height recommendation should be able to find a Murmur to fit.

Each size shares a 65-degree head angle, 78-degree seat tube angle and 445mm chainstays.

Stack heights for the first three sizes (medium, medium-plus and large) are 629mm, but then increase to 638mm and 647mm for the XL and XXL respectively.

Its figures thrust it firmly into the trail bikes category.

Starling Murmur specifications

As the only full build available directly from Starling Cycles, it’s no surprise the Murmur’s decked out with high-performing parts.

Up-front is Öhlins’ RFX36 m.2 150mm-travel fork, matched with a TTX coil rear shock from the same brand.

It rolls on DT Swiss EX 1700 wheels, wrapped in 29x2.4in Michelin Wild AM2 tyres. Starling has fitted inserts to the tyres to improve puncture resistance.

Shimano’s XT M8100 drivetrain is paired with Hope cranks. Also from Hope are the Tech 4 E4 brakes, stem and headset.

There’s a BikeYoke dropper post with 185mm travel and Renthal Fatbar 30mm-rise bars.

Without pedals, the size-large Murmur test bike weighs 16.12kg.