We’ve always made some pretty weird and wonderful frames.
But even by Starling standards, our RARE bikes are real oddballs. Proper weird and wonderful stuff.
RARE is where we put all the really weird stuff. Small batches, unusual wheel sizes, special sizes, custom colours and all the things that don’t really fit into our regular range.
Over the years, RARE has included gearboxes, high pivots, long travel bikes and even an ebike at one point. Well, two points, technically. Some ideas stuck. Some didn’t. That’s half the fun.
Unlike our Core bikes, which are produced with our partners at Fort in the Czech Republic, every Starling RARE frame is built right here in our Bristol workshop by James and Ollie.
And we’ve just made some changes to make RARE frames even easier to source. Still rare, just a little easier to track down.
What Does RARE mean?
RARE means:
Previously, you had to wait for a batch or an order window to open. That might only happen once a year, at best.
Now, if a bike is listed under RARE, you can simply order it on the website whenever you like.
No waiting around. No wondering when they’ll be available.
Order today, we’ll build it, and you’ll have it in around 8-12 weeks.
Special Sizes and Custom Paint
RARE isn’t just for strange bikes.
It also allows us to build special sizes of our standard Murmur and Twist frames.
Small, Medium+ and XXL sizes are all built under the RARE programme, right here in Bristol.
Fancy one of our older colours? RARE is also where we can offer custom paint and legacy colours. If you’ve got something special in mind, just drop us an email and we’ll see what we can do. We can’t promise everything, but we’ll take a look.
Big Bird 29″/32″
The bike that upset the internet.
Big Bird combines a 29″ rear wheel with a 32″ front wheel. One of the first Mega Mullets around and, somehow, one of the bikes we’re most proud of.
And we’ve recently added an XXL size too.
Dive 26″
The 26″ dream refuses to die.
The Dive runs 26″ wheels front and rear and exists entirely because we think old bikes are cool and because we enjoy confusing people.
It’s playful, compact and ridiculously fun. Some things are worth hanging on to.
Swoop 27.5″
The original Starling. The bike that started all this nonsense.
The Swoop is still alive and still running full 27.5″ wheels. Perfect for playful riders, short folks or simply anyone who still loves that mid-sized wheel.
We love making these. Please buy more of them.
What About The Really Weird Stuff?
The Beady Little Eye singlespeed still needs to be built in batches. It’s just too weird to do individually, and some of the parts are unique.
The Sturn downhill bike is still under development.
The Spur, Roost and some of the older models (including those ebikes!) are currently out of production. But never say never.
Frames will drop in and out of production, so let us know if there’s something you want.
How To Order A Starling RARE Frame
No batch windows. No waiting lists. No funny business.
Just weird bikes, made by hand.
Which, when you think about it, is pretty weird in itself.
Take a look at all of our RARE frames here.
