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Death to Derailleurs

The Best Descender We've Ever Made

The Starling Spur ditches the derailleur in favour of endless grip and perfect suspension performance.

Packing 170mm (150mm now available) of travel, 29″ wheels (mullet now available) and the Effigear system, the Spur is the bike for big-terrain enduro racing, double-black bike park laps and hassle-free seasons in the mountains.

The Spur’s high-pivot, gearbox design is deadly fast on rough, technical terrain. Zero chain growth,  zero chain forces, zero worries about smashing mechs. You’ll experience incredible small bump performance, endless grip in all conditions, a beautifully light rear wheel and the best descending bike we’ve ever made.

New for 2022 – The Spur is now offered in either mullet or 29″ and with either 150mm or 170mm travel.

29″ / 27.5″wheels
For Double-Black Laps and Alpine Seasons.
170mm / 170mm

Features

  • Front triangle and swingarm hand-built in Bristol, UK, using Reynolds 853 heat-treated tubing
  • 150mm or 170mm rear travel
  • 170mm front travel
  • Comes complete with Effigear 9spd drivetrain with 440% range, including cranks, shifter and cogs
  • 29″ or mullet wheels
  • 2.6″ tyre clearance
  • Up to 200mm rotor
  • Designed for single speed 142x12mm rear hubs
  • Unique Starling dropouts system means rear wheel can be removed without adjusting tension
  • Seattube reinforcing strut on XL
  • Integrated seat-clamp
  • Stainless & numbered dropper port
  • Starling headtube gusset
  • Bottle mount in frame on medium & above
  • Custom colour options available
  • Choose frame-only or full builds
  • Funn, Hope, Öhlins, RockShox, Middleburn available
  • Production cable-routing will be on top of down tube

Spur

  • SHOCKS FROM £195

Why starling Cycles?

Starling Cycles are made by real flesh-and-blood humans. The perfect blend of precision and passion.

Our frames are hand-crafted with quality, lightweight steel for an unmistakable feel and undeniable speed.

Our single-pivot suspension design eliminates complexity. A blast to ride and a breeze to maintain.

Geometry and sizing

MediumLargeExtra Large
Wheel size29″29″29″
Rider size range5’6″ – 5’10”
167cm – 177cm
5’9″ – 6’1″
175cm – 185cm
6’0″ – 6’4″
183cm – 193cm
A.Reach440mm475mm
505mm
B.Stack651mm651mm660mm
C.Head Angle64°64°64°
D.Seat Tube Length410mm440mm480mm
E.Head Tube Length110mm110mm120mm
F.Fork Length170170170
G.Chainstay450mm450mm450mm
H.Wheelbase1244mm1279mm1309mm
I.BB Drop38mm38mm38mm
J.Seat Angle77°77°77°
K.Effective Top Tube589mm624mm654mm
Max Seat Post Insertion265mm295mm335mm

Spec

Travel 170mm
Shock 230 x 65mm Metric
Headset Top ZS44/28.6
Headset Bottom EC44/40
Seat Tube 31.6mm
BB Effigear gearbox
Seat Clamp Integrated
Chain Device None
Bash Mount Gearbox Integrated
Rear Axle Rear Axle, 142x12mm
Max Tyre 29 x 2.6″
Brake Mount IS
Max Disc 200mm
Front Shock Hardware 25x8mm
Rear Shock Hardware 35x8mm
Main Pivot Bearings 6807 LLB

Why Spur?

The Spur pairs two of our favourite things, high-pivot suspension and gearbox drivetrains.

This combo of technologies creates a bike with incredible grip, a super light rear wheel and the most capable suspension we’ve ever made. There’s no rear mech to maintain or damage, there’s no annoying grip-shift like on other gearbox bikes and the system is single speed for simplicity and silence on the trails.

Add 170mm of rear travel (or 150mm) and the beautiful ‘feel’ of our steel frames and you’ve got one hell of a bike.

Take note, the Spur is a big bike for bike terrain and, as with all gearbox systems, there is an element of inherent drag. Riders looking for a no-compromise downhill machine that’s still capable of getting from the lift to the trailhead will love it. All-day XC whippets may not. Pinkbike’s Starling Cycles Spur review explains it well.

Build kits

Your dream build needn’t be a nightmare. We can supply your frame with or without a shock and with build-kits to help you complete your masterpiece.

We’ve hand-picked some of the very best brands in the business, brands that we’ve personally ridden and rated. This includes Funn, Hope, Öhlins, RockShox, Middleburn, Magura, BikeYoke build components available.

Review

LoamWolf
July 2021
“Starling’s Spur gearbox-equipped Enduro bike is a real force to be reckoned with in the correct terrain…you’ll be grinning from ear to ear as your envious riding buddies witness the Spur in action.”

Review

Pinkbike
February 2022
“On the descents, the Spur is stable, predictable and quiet, with smooth and sensitive rear suspension. It’s a joy to ride on fast, blown-out trails. It’s also surprisingly easy to chuck around in the tighter stuff and the lack of a derailleur gives you one less thing to think about when squeezing through boulders or tree stumps.”

Review

NSMB
Sep 2018
“This is simply a shredder of a mountain bike… The idea of a simple, low-maintenance frame that I’m not afraid to ride hard, put away wet, and toss into the weeds on occasion, is appealing. Perhaps a bit indicative of my predilection for slightly off-kilter rides, but this is the kind of bike I’d keep for a good long time, and never get bored of. “

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