The Taiwanese manufacturer pays for the best stiffness values with a relatively high weight. Nevertheless, for athletic riders who like to push hard on the pedals, the bike is worth a recommendation. The frame is well made, very stable and offers good equipment. The classically spoked wheels with 32 spokes each, which rotate around older-style Ultegra hubs with very good bearings, are a good choice, especially for heavy riders. The riding position is very stretched, mainly due to the 130 millimetre stem, and the geometry of the frame is rather moderate. Two weaknesses: The rear brake cable runs through the top tube and rattled there during the test rides. And Merida is one of the few manufacturers to still use a seatpost with an outdated screw-in clamp.
Purchase/Info: Merida & Centurion Germany GmbH, phone 07159/9459340, www.merida.de
Weight frame/fork/headset bearing*: 1,657/627/92 g
Frame sizes**: 50, 53, 56, 59, 62, 65 cm
Seat/steering angle: 73.5°/73°
Seat/top/head tube: 493/570/194 mm
Wheelbase/ caster: 1,004/60 mm
Stack/reach***: 590/394 mm
EQUIPMENT
Fork: Merida
Steering bearing: FSA, 1-1/8 inch
Brakes/gears/bottom bracket: Shimano Ultegra (50/34 t.)
Wheels/ tyres: Alexrims rims, Shimano Ultegra hubs/ Vittoria Rubino tyres
Handlebar/stem: FSA Gossamer/FSA OS-190
Saddle/post: X-Mission/FSA SL-280 (31.6 mm)
*weighted weights; **manufacturer's specification; test frame size greased; ***stack/reach: projected vertical or horizontal dimension from centre of bottom bracket to top edge of headset cap
