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Awesome. Plans sound sick. I really dislike Paul stems, I'd rather stick with something more subtle with everything else going on but sounds rad all the same
https://eu.enve.com/collections/components/products/alloy-mountain-stem -
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This thread has all the right chaos to it...keep us posted!
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Wow, wasn't expecting that Jones curveball at the end! This should be fun.
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Thanks all, I'm going all in on the 'buy well buy once' logic.
@PhilDAS I hear you on the Paul stems, my one is just black (31.8/35mm) so one of the less in-your-face options, and I quite like all the machining personally. It might need changing anyway depending on the fit of the BLE, but it'll do as a starter for 10.
Jones-wise, it should arrive as a rolling chassis+finishing kit. The Hope V4 brakes from my Stooge will go onto it, and it'll be singlespeed too - gearing TBC once it arrives. I have a nice Boone Ti 20t cog in the parts box so that'll probably go on as a starter for 10. It'll also have my C17 carved up top too.
I understand the current lightest Starling build is c13.5kgs, so there's the line in the sand. Hoping to be a decent chunk under that by the end!
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Subscribing to this one. Nice to see another Starling on the forum! That raw finish could look amazing.
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and within 1hr of a tentative 'this will be for sale soon, anyone want first dibs?' post on the Stooge owners page, the MK4 F+F are spoken for, with a queue of other buyers behind! I thought it might go quick but wasn't expecting the flurry it caused!
Jones now due to arrive on Thursday, only thing that might need a tweak out of the box is the stem length, but we'll see how we go.
Looks like Joe has ruled out any raw customer frames: https://www.starlingcycles.com/raw-starling-frames/. It's a shame but I get it. When it comes time to nail the colour down I might ask if the position has changed now that you can do clear powdercoat, but suspect that'll be a 'no'...
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Currently neck deep in the fork debate: The heart wants the new Factory 32 Stepcast (https://ridefox.com/products/fox-32-factory-sc-grip-sl?variant=45811620446432), the head says either get a previous MY set 2nd hand and save 2/3rd of the price of the new ones!
Contacted my local suspension guy to see if he can price up going direct to Fox rather than through Balfe's or Biketart...
Next question is black, orange, or gold?
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Agree. For me orange>black>gold
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Correct answer, but frame colour currently to be decided. Feel like orange might be the top of the list, but does limit frame colour options slightly, but the gold is a limited run so is a bit more special.
As a curveball, I might have tracked down a set of Intend Samurai XC forks in the UK and it's possible they'd be sold for the right price. More to come on that as it develops but those really would be the chefs kiss for this build!
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Intend Samurai XC forks
Those would certainly complement the Trickstuff brakes
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The excitement of the build is very much real, and I've been ploughing my furrow again a bit this morning. A quick call to the good folk at Saddleback has seen a rather large number removed from my bank account, and the Maximas on their way to me, with a set of new rotors for good measure. Also on the way from them is the 'Matte Slate' CK headset in preparation for the build.
In fork related news, a call yesterday afternoon lead to rumours of an Intend Samurai being potentially available for sale. A follow up today has confirmed those rumours to be true (although in 'TR' spec rather than 'XC' spec, and a full 30g heavier!), so a price has been agreed for them, pending them being prepped for sale and me paying.
Although no matching Kashima, I think the Intends are likely to be a bit more befitting the 'special' build I'm aiming for!
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Do you need a second set of eewings? 😉
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Pictures incoming but by way of update:
For the Starling, the Maximas from Saddleback arrived yesterday, and although I've taken a small bit of bubblewrap off just to oggle at the levers, I'm leaving them in the box so they are fresh for when the frame arrives. The headset also arrived at the same time, as did the (less exciting) new Trickstuff rotors.
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Have you picked out a suitably bling dropper post for this?
PhilDAS
Marcootsee
t-v
Browndonneur
atk
si_mon628
cheekysnaker
kjlem
BareNecessities
Black_Rainbow_Project-
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About
MF builds his dream bike(s): a Starling and a Jones.
Posted by
@mf
Timing's a funny thing. Many of you will have seen my beloved Stooge MK4 spammed across the SSMTB thread, I have ridden that bike day in, day out, for 4 + years. It's damn near perfection for me, but there were two bikes that I had considered that could replace it - a Jones with a Ti truss fork, and a Starling Beady Little Eye.
I had a Starling BLE as my desktop wallpaper for years, and even rode one of the new V3's at this year's SSUK, but the cost of a UK-made frame was prohibitive. However I was recently a benefactor in a relative's will, and it coincided with the V3 ordering window being open. This was all too good to be true, but due to the suspension pivot design, the V3's can only run cranks with a 24mm spindle. That's a problem as I have a rather nice set of eeWings that are a must-have for any dream bike.
I had a chat about this with Joe at SSUK, and sent in an email expecting the worst. What I got back though, after a bit of experimenting at the Starling end, was the green light that (with a small surcharge) they could do me a custom variant that'd run a 30mm spindle. With that news, on the last day of pre-orders, my deposit went in.
If one if going to have their dream frame built, around their dream cranks, then they might as well go all in on the rest of the build. Another set of non-negotiables for any bike I'd refer to as 'the dream bike' are a set of Trickstuff Maximas. Yes, a lot of money when a set of XT brakes are probably 90% as good for about 10% of the price, but frankly I want them, so that's that. With Saddleback now as the UK importer, it's far easier to get hold of them, so a few emails and calls with the good folk over there, and a set of silver Maximas with orange caps, and a fresh set of discs and mounts are winging their way over to me. In a stroke of good fortune, Saddleback had the right Chis King headset (in a fetching 'matte slate') at half price, so one of them has been snapped up too.
Suspension-wise, the rear doesn't need to be overkill as it's only 90mm and run at zero sag to avoid pedal bob. I'm a longtime Fox fan, and Merlin had the Factory DPS in the right size at half price in their sale so that was bought in preparation for the build. Currently deciding on forks, between a Fox Factory 32 SC or 34 SC - more news to follow on that, but Kashima is a must.
The wheelset will come off my Stooge, and are a set of Enve M70 rims on Chris King ISO hubs - already peak wheelset as far as I'm concerned, so no changes required there. Finishing kit will be Enve, again mostly taken from the Stooge, with a Paul Boxcar stem (assuming the fit turns out broadly similar). Frame colour is yet to be decided, and might depend on whether the forks are factory orange, or black and gold. Starling have a few nice options for the Beady, but I suspect I'll be going dark and classy as opposed to wild and lairy, might go left field and get it raw with a clearcoat (see attached), time will tell.
While all this is going on, something pops up in the STW classifieds. The 2nd of the 2 'dream bike' options. A Jones SWB custom select, with a ti truss fork, ti H bars, and ti seatpost. I email the owner, take some time to think about it, decide to leave it, and try to move on. But it gnaws it me. Oh, what the hell, I finally think - timing's not ideal with the Starling deposit already paid and some expensive parts on order, but they come up so rarely in my size and desired spec, it's almost too good to be true. I spoke to the seller, it's still available, and so a deal is done and the bike is on the way down South...
More to follow...
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