After reviewing the Starling Murmur Factory early last year, I placed a deposit for one myself, springing for the made in the UK front triangle, made in Taiwan rear swingarm model, in a larger size than the demo large I reviewed. Joe and I discussed the bike, I sent in the money needed and waited. A few months later, Joe alerted me that the bike was done and he shipped it to the United States. Little did I know that I wouldn’t see the bike for almost 8 months later.
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Radar
Introducing Fustle Bikes and Their Causeway GR1 Gravel Bike
Fustle Bikes is a new brand out of the UK, bringing MTB design and pedigree to the world of gravel bikes. Their flagship model, the Causeway, features a modern fit, with a 69º head angle, a 73º seat angle, 430mm stays, and a longer reach. The Causeway is designed to be ridden with a shorter stem, much like a modern mountain frame and comes in three sizes, S/M, M/L, L/XL with a fourth, XS/S coming in September 2020.
Features:
– 6061 Aluminium frame, (tested to ISO 4210 MTB Certification)
– Full UD Carbon Fork and Steerer
– 12x142mm and 12x100mm axle spacing
– Dropped Top Tube for dropper-post compatibility
– Internal Cable routing and dropper post routing
– 31.6mm Seat post diameter
– Tyre clearance for 700x50mm (650x 2.1”)
– Red, Green, or Blue frameset color options
– Frameset £849.99, build kit similar to as shown £1999.99 with plenty of upgrades from Shimano, Pro, Hunt, ENVE, DT Swiss.
Check out more information at Fustle Bikes and see more photos below!
Radar
Restrap Launches their Lightweight Adventure Race Range
For almost two years, Restrap has been developing their new Adventure Race Range with their sponsored athletes. This lineup consists of one “on-body”, a musette, and four “on-the-bike” products including the Race Top Tube, Race Frame Bag, Race Saddle Bag, and Race Aero Bar Bag.
These bags were built with the highest quality, lightweight materials, from CNC/laser cutting techniques, and the entire lineup weighs less than 1kg in total. See the full lineup at Restrap.
Features:
-X21 waterproof materials
-210 denier nylon
-Hypalon
-YKK zips
-Reflective detailing
Radar
Hope’s New Road Center Lock 2-Piece Floating Design Rotors
With the growth of disc brakes in the road and gravel market, center-lock rotors have become a standard. So much so that Hope recently launched their own Road CL rotors. Hope took their stylish and strong disc design, complete with floating technology and combined them onto a splined spider.
160mm – RRP £65.00 // €80.00 // $82.50(ex tax)
Key Features
-Round edge braking surface
-The rotor is machined with a radius on the inner and outer edge
-2 piece floating design
-Available in 6 standard colors
Radar
Meerkat Hooptie: Dear Susan Collaborates with Dynaplug to Construct a Hooptie Bridge Between US and UK Builder Cultures
It’s been almost a year since NAHBS. I was pretty nervous about going to America, but just before I left I heard that the Dynaplug people; who I’d developed a vague online relationship with, were here in London so we met up for fish and chips. Long story short, they were awesome, we really hit it off, and they totally put my mind at ease about my trip. We made plans to meet again in Chico while I was there, but my whirlwind schedule around NAHBS and subsequent road trip with the legendary Anna Schwinn (which was probably one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life) didn’t allow time-wise.
Radar
Introducing Unpaved Podcast: The UK’s First Gravel and Bikepacking Podcast
If you live in the UK and have been hankering for some local bikepacking and gravel coverage, then check out Unpaved, the new podcast from Katherine Moore! Unpaved Podcast investigates the the bikepacking and gravel scene with stories of riders, route designers, and their local trails, while exploring the reasons why and how the off-road movement is booming. Read the full press-release below!
Radar
Ragley’s Trig is a Gravel Bike from a UK MTB Brand
At this point, if you’re a MTB company, you need to have a gravel bike in your lineup. While the UK brand Ragley might be known for their Blue Pig 27.5 hardtail and other MTBs, their Trig is a gravel bike that checks a lot of boxes, including a stout carbon fork with cargo cage bosses, fender mounts, and clearance for a 27.5″ x 2.1″ tire.
-5 Year Warranty and lifetime crash replacement
-4130 Chro-mo steel frame & Carbon fork
-ISO 4210 Certified
-Head Angle: 70˚Static
-Effective Seat Angle: 74˚
-Chain stay length: 425mm
-Seat post: 27.2mm
-Front Axle: Ragley 12mm x 100mm Thru-Axle
-Rear Axle: Ragley 12mm x 142mm Thru-Axle
-BB Shell: 68mm BSA
-Headset: ZS44/28.6 | ZS44/40
-Wheel Size: 700c
-Max Tyre Size: 700x40c/27.5×2.1”
-BB Drop: -66mm
-Size Options: S – 19”, M – 20”, L – 21.5”, XL – 23”
-Rack & Fender mounts
Check out more at Ragley!
Radar
The 2019 Pan Celtic Race
On the 6th of July 2019, 84 riders arrived at the Scottish city of Inverness to take on the Pan Celtic Race is the longest ultra-endurance race in the British Isles.
Radar
Hope’s HB.T is on Sale Today
We feature a lot of balleur builds here on the Radavist and to be honest, I’m often very conflicted about that! Cycling is about seeing new places, meeting people that can change your life, and getting hooked on endorphins, not $8,000 gravel bikes. Yet, I just tell myself that we try to mix it up as much as possible and it’s great to give framebuilders a showcase so that their work gets out there on the internet for public consumption. Plus, a lot of people use those builds to inspire their own bikes. Then something like the Hope HB.T comes out and suddenly I don’t feel so bad about posting $5,000 road bikes! Check out those prices! Now… who’s gonna put risers and toe clips on it?
Frames
Standard Frameset (Frame, seatpost, Fork, Stem) | £15,550 + VAT
Pursuit Frameset (Frame, Seatpost, Fork, Integrated Stem and Handlebar) | £17,100 + VAT
Upright (Omnium) Frameset (Frame, Seatpost, Fork, Integrated Stem and Handlebar) | £18,200 + VAT
Sprint Frameset (Frame, Seatpost, Fork, Integrated Stem and Handlebar) | £19,600 + VAT
Wheels
Disc Rear £2,450 + VAT
Disc Front £2,100 + VAT
Trispoke £2,250 + VAT
Radar
Wizard Works Has Designed a Very Unique Wald Basket Bag the Alakazam
Remember that sick stem caddy bag Wizard Works made for Morgan and Stephanie? Well, the UK-based bag magicians have been very busy designing a new Wald basket bag called the Alakazam with some very unique details. Check out all the info below.
Radar
GMBN Interviews Starling Cycles
Joe from Starling, the maker of that steel full suspension bike I loved so much, just got interviewed by Global Mountain Bike Network. They ask a simple question: is boutique best?
Radar
Hope and Lotus Develop a New Track Bike for the Great Britain Cycling Team
When it comes to the Olympics, you can expect to see the highest of tech, especially with track bike design. Hope Technology and Lotus Engineering have done just that! Read all about it at Hope’s blog.
Radar
Win this Brother Cycles Frame Painted by Cole Coatings
Brother Cycles is giving away a Big Bro frameset (size Medium) custom painted by Cole Coatings Workshop – a London-based custom paint specialist. This ‘Big Bruv’ livery features orange and green paint with an elaborate leaf pattern marching across the front of the frame. All you’ve gotta do is sign up for Brother Cycles’ email list by 11:59PM on November 15th.
Radar
Second City Divide
For the Hell of It takes on the Second City Divide, a 600km between Glasgow and Manchester.
Radar
Meet Jack
Temple Cycles in the UK sponsored a young rider named Jack who wanted to ride self-supported 6000km through Africa. This is his story.
Radar
Cotic’s BFe ‘Burly Iron’ Hardtail
Cotic’s BFe is their veritable do-it-all hardtail trail shredder. The BFe can be built with a 120-160mm fork, 26″x3″ or 27.5″ x 2.6″ tires, with completes starting at £1799 or £549 with 148mm Syntace X-12 thru-axle, Seat QR, chainstay protector, and all your hose clips and parts. The BFe is the UK brand’s answer for a versatile hardtail. See more at Cotic.
Radar
Gaëlle on the Second City Divide Trail
If you’ve ever wanted to ride between Glasgow and Manchester on dirt roads, then check out the Second City Divide Trail. In their latest video, Gaëlle takes on this route for Bombtrack.
Radar
Wizard Works and Get Wild Matty: Custom Embroidered Collab
Our bud Harry over at Wizard Works just sent over this fun project that he’s got going on with fellow British creative and adventurer Get Wild Matty. Harry and his partner V were part of the original crew that helped us get a regular coffee outside gathering happening here in Vancouver, and since then they’ve traveled a whole bunch, lived in New Zealand for a bit, traveled again, and have now landed back in Harry’s home town of London, UK.
Harry started sewing bags for fun during that first winter of @coffeeoutsideyvr, and has since turned his hobby into a full range of products at Wizard Works. The collab with Get Wild is hand-embroidered by Matty himself, with a 6-panel cap and a Wizard Works Voila Snack Bag. Only 10 sets are available and the embroidery on each piece is unique, since they’re done by hand.