After the introduction of key models like the multiple award winning ONE-SIXTY, the lightning fast SCULTURA DISC, the test winning ONE-SIXTY and the super light weight BIG.NINE in 2017, our line-up of exciting innovations in 2018 is equally if not more breath-taking. For the upcoming 2018 season we are adding a large array of MTB, road and e-bike models to our international range.
Mountain Bikes
ONE-FORTY – a new trail bike concept
Today’s trail bikes become more and more versatile, capable and fun to ride. What used to be the perfect bike for a ‘long day in the saddle’ is able to perform at the highest level on the most demand trails today. The ONE-TWENTY is one of the most capable mid travel bike the MERIDA full suspension range has ever seen, and the ONE-SIXTY enduro machine which was only introduced in 2017 not only won various tests and press accolades but also changed the perception of the MERIDA brand amongst trail and enduro riders.
After the successful introduction of the ONE-TWENTY (introducing ‘Float Link’ rear suspension) to the MERIDA line-up which was closely followed by the test winning ONE-SIXTY enduro machine, it was just a question of time to close the gap between these two top performing bikes – welcome to the new ONE-FORTY.
ONE-FORTY – the latest addition to our float link equipped full suspension trail bike line-up and the perfect all day bike if you like your trails to be challenging. A brand new lightweight aluminium bike combining all the latest design thinking and can deal with far more than the 140 mm travel label suggests. Our super price aggressive trail weapon is more capable than a ONE-TWENTY but more agile than a ONE-SIXTY.
Smart entry: Cables, housings and brake hoses are clamped under tension to prevent rattling when the trail gets rough. All inlets are completely interchangeable to deal with Di2, hydraulic hoses, brake cable and gear cable housings, etc.
Float Link Suspension: The lower shock mount moves with the system to deliver plushness and pedalling efficiency. Our engineers can precisely influence the transmission ratio and progression, which means that a ‘Float Link’ system is very sensitive, delivering great support in mid-travel and the appearance of more than the 140 mm travel that the model name suggests.
Modern trail bike geometry: The geometry of the brand new ONE-FORTY has taken lots of influence from its bigger brother, the ONE-SIXTY, by mimicking the super short chainstays (435 mm) for the perfect balance between stability and and playfulness on the trail. A long reach and low centre of gravity combined with a short stem and wide handlebar deliver fun packed, confidence inspiring handling.
Tyre clearance: The new ONE-FORTY has clearance for up to 2.6” wide tyres, allowing plenty of extra room to fit the right tyre for the track. Extra wide tyres deliver increased levels of grip and traction when the track gets rougher and more demanding, significantly improving the overall handling and riding experience.
Metric shock and Trunnion mount: New metric shocks give our frame designers more flexibility by using a shorter shock with increased stroke. Combined with the ball bearing bushing of the upper trunnion mount, sensitivity is increased, and the suspension performance can be perfectly tuned.
1x specific drivetrain: Modern trail bikes are all about simplicity, durability and efficiency and 1x drivetrains offer a huge gear range whilst remaining lightweight. Building our frame around a 1x specific setup allows us to keep chainstays short, adding to the agility and playfulness of the bike. Perfect for today’s demanding trails.
ONE-SIXTY – now also available in an all aluminium option
Following in the footsteps of the test winning carbon/aluminium version of the ONE-SIXTY which was introduced to the MERIDA line-up in 2017, the new for 2018 all aluminium version offers the same outstanding geometry and handling but at a more affordable price point.
Similarly to its carbon/aluminium brother, our all aluminium ONE-SIXTY combines super short 430 mm chainstays for increased agility and playfulness, with a long reach, slack head angles and a low centre of gravity, delivering an aggressive enduro geometry.
Further features of our entry level enduro bike are boost technology, trunnion mounted metric shocks, ‘Smart Entry’ internal cable routing and our proven ‘Float Link’ suspension system.
BIG.NINE/SEVEN TFS – a new and exciting frame concept
Within one of the biggest segments of the MERIDA range the entry level of our BIG.NINE/SEVEN hard tail range – the TFS frame – gets a complete makeover.
The introduction of slim tube shapes creates a new look. A more relaxed geometry, achieved through a longer top tube and a higher head tube, offers a more upright riding position and enhanced trail visibility. The new frame also comes equipped with kickstand and fender mounts.
In comparison to the previews model, the new TFS frame has a lower stand-over-height and a long head tube. It also features a slack head angle and steeper seat angle for more control as well as a more ‘sitting within the bike’ seating position. The updated geometry also features longer reach for the perfect combination with short modern stems.
The new TFS frame is aimed at the beginner to advanced rider who prefers less demanding trails and forest roads. The bike invites the rider to also use it on the daily commute which will make the fixing points for a rear rack, mudguards and a kickstand a real plus.
Road Bikes
REACTO – the lightest, fastest and most comfortable aero road bike in MERIDA’s history
Completely redesigned for 2018. The wind tunnel honed shape improves aerodynamics by 5%, and a new carbon lay up reduces the over all weight significantly. Simplicity was also the key objective as overly complex solutions create a nightmare for mechanics resulting in costly workshop bills. A new DISC version was also added. The difference in aerodynamic efficiency between calliper and disc is less than one watt, but with all that speed on tap, disc brakes make real sense for high speed descending and controlled cornering.
The new REACTO is the lightest, fastest and most comfortable aero road bike in MERIDA’s history with a weight reduction of over 17% and an increase in comfort of 10% in comparison to the previous model.
All that was achieved without creating an overly complicated concept, making servicing and maintaining the new REACTO a straight forward affair – aerodynamics simplified.
Improved aerodynamics: We could improve the aero performance over the previous model by around 8 Watts which equals somewhere around 5 %. This was achieved by slimming down the tube shapes, introducing a lower seat stay connection and adding a one piece cockpit with integrational features to our bike. To put this in perspective: If you do a solo ride with the new REACTO over 100 km, you save as much energy as riding the same distance with a traditional round-tubed road bike but drafting 30 km of the whole distance.
Improved comfort: Comfort could be improved by redesigning the seat stays and the S-Flex seat post with a slimmer cross section and a bigger window. Improvement here is around 10 %.
Improved weight: The total weight improvement of the complete frame kit including seat post is:
The weight reduction of 18,5 % has been achieved by slimming the tube diameters and using different layup combinations.
Keeping stiffness: Due to its oversized BB area and huge cross-sections, we were able to keep the great stiffness of the previous version.
Taking advantage of new UCI rules: Modified seat stays with a bigger bend towards the cassette lead to a greater aerodynamic performance.
Added disc brake option: As technology develops, our REACTO bikes are ready to run the latest technology. More control, less noise and improved safety!
Integrated cockpit design: The head tube and top tube section are designed to match with the FSA Metron 5D Cockpit, offering the perfect balance between gains in performance without sacrificing the serviceability of the cockpit and cable routing.
SILEX – something never seen before in the MERIDA range / Every road is yours
There’s a certain beauty in just riding without watching the time, heading wherever you feel the urge. For those rides, our new SILEX makes total sense; our most comfortable and versatile road bike ever. With its modern MTB inspired geometry; long top and head tube and short stem it offers nimble and confidence inspiring handling.
Our SILEX is a new and exciting concept at MERIDA, creating a bike that is at home in a variety of environments and talks to a broad range of riders. From bike packing, via commuting all the way to joining the odd chain gang and from pristine tarmac, via gravel tracks all the way to the occasional bit of off-road single track.
Our SILEX is at home pretty much everywhere you can imagine riding your bike.
The key feature of our SILEX concept is the frame and with that the geometry which makes this bike what it is. A very long head tube and long reach combined with a short stem (80/90 mm) and relatively low stand-over-height give a unique riding experience. This leads to a very upright position on the bike which creates less tension in the back and neck area. There are many bikes out there with a so called ‘endurance’ geometry, but the actual difference is very small. Usually, the difference is just a longer head tube and a shorter reach. We have noticed that many customers still put a significant amount of spacers underneath the stem to bring up their position on the bike. This reduces the stiffness noticeably as well as having a negative effect on the clean appearance of the bike. With our new concept, we’ll have a long tapered head tube which makes the use of several spacers obsolete. Not only will the bike look much sportier, but it will have a substantial increase in front end stiffness which is quite important if you take it off-road.
Furthermore, the rider has the opportunity to ride safe and comfortable in the drops which is not that easy on many road bikes. Riding comfortably in the drops provides additional safety on descents (especially on ‘trails’) because you can have better braking control while the centre of gravity is still in a central position on the bike.
CROSSWAY TFS (new frame concept)
A perfect blend of comfort, enjoyment and all-round functionality, suitable for fitness training, commuting and leisurely rides through forests and on trails. Made from high-quality lightweight aluminium, with the ability to mount mudguards, racks and kickstands, the CROSSWAY range is the perfect choice for everyday riding.
And for 2018 we have a new CROSSWAY TFS frame in the range. Our new frame looks more like a mountain bike with a heavily sloping top tube for easier mounting and hidden cable routing underneath the down tube. The tapered head tube provides extra steering precision and the seat tube increases to 30.9 mm, enabling a dropper seat post to be fitted. We have also increased the tyre clearance to allow high volume tyres to be run, giving the rider the choice to fit wider tyres for increased off-road grip or for extra comfort on the way to work.
eBikes
Our hugely successful and award winning PERFORMANCE e-bike range will only see minor changes and improvements along the lines of the e-bike specific DT Hybrid wheelset, an additional XL size for our award winning eONE-SIXTY 900-E and further colour options in our eONE-TWENTY range.
eBIG.TOUR: Shimano E8000 battery and a more fluid battery integration for our ‘active’ e-MTB with E6000 power unit
Our eBIG.TOUR is our ‘active’ e-MTB. Depending on the chosen frame size the bike comes equipped with either 27.5” or 29er wheels. It is powered by the proven E6000 STePS motor from Shimano and comes equipped with a 100 mm suspension fork. The short seat tube offers a low step over height while the longer head tube paired with a short top tube create a more upright and with that very comfortable riding position. Full equipped versions with rear rack and fenders are also available.
Up to now our eBIG.TOUR was powered by the E6000 battery, but for 2018 we have specced our e-MTB with the ‘range extending’ E8000 unit which offers 500 Wh. Besides that, we have also given the eBIG.TOUR a new down tube which allows a far neater and cleaner battery integration and thanks to our ‘Smart Entry’ system has all cables run internally.
eSPRESSO and eSPRESSO CITY with further integration and E8000 moto from Shimano
Being active is an important part of our day-to-day life, however, sometimes the ride to work or to the shops is that little bit too long or too hilly. Our eSPRESSO perfectly combines day-to-day usability with staying fit and healthy. We offer an array of frame and specification tyres: the eSPRESSO with the classic ‘diamond’ frame, the eSPRESSO L (low) with a heavily sloping top tube and the eSPRESSO CITY models with a low step through frame. All bikes are fully equipped or are ready for a rear rack, mud guards or a kick stand to be fitted.
Similarly, to our eBIG.TOUR models, the eSPRESSO also relied upon the proven combination of E6000 motor and matching battery. While keeping this option in the range we will also have the powerful E8000 setup of motor and battery in our 2018 eSPRESSO offering. Further to offering our customers more choice when it comes to the power unit and battery, we also upgraded the down tube of our eSPRESSO range for a more fluid integration of the power source as well as to add internal cable routing via our ‘Smart Entry’ system.
Our low step through model, the eSPRESSO CITY features a completely new frame in the E8000 version. The new frame features vertical battery positioning in front of the seat tube to improve the centre of gravity on the bike as well as allowing an even lower step through. All cables are routed internally. The E6000 models of the eSPRESSO CITY range remain in the 2018 offering largely unchanged.
A particular stylish addition is the eSPRESSO URBAN with its understated ‘bad boy’ appearance, long list of individual spec highlights (for example Supernova lights, suspension forks with through axle, 2.0” balloon tyres etc.) and powerful E8000 motor and battery combo.
eBIG.NINE and eBIG.SEVEN: new battery integration and E8000 motor
With regards to the riding characteristics and its geometry our eBIG.NINE (29er wheels) and eBIG.SEVEN (27.5” wheels) fit right between the more relaxed eBIG.TOUR and the more trail focused and playful eBIG.TRAIL. That makes it the perfect bike for everyone who is looking for the perfect balance between riding a sportier e-bike companion which offers fantastic day-to-day usability. Our eBIG.NINE and eBIG.SEVEN can be equipped with mud guards and even kick stand, giving the bike huge versatility for the daily commute or trip to the shops. If you are looking for a reliable and fast commuter who also likes a more off-road bias route on the way back home, than the eBIG.NINE and eBIG.SEVEN are the ideal choice.
Up to now our eBIG.NINE and eBIG.SEVEN were only available in the Shimano E6000 motor and battery equipped version, but for 2018 we also offer the more powerful E8000 motor and battery (500 Wh) combination. The more entry level orientated version of the eBIG.NINE and eBIG.SEVEN range will carry on with the E6000 motor but will be specced with the range extending E8000 battery.
