Merida road bikes
About Merida
Merida is a bicycle manufacturer from Taiwan founded in 1972. Founder Ike Tseng, during a business trip to the US, was appalled to see how negatively bikes from his home country were perceived. Back in Taiwan, he decided to change this negative image about bikes "Made in Taiwan" and founded Merida Industries. Initially, he made his production facility available to established bicycle brands and focused on producing bikes for the U.S. market, including BMX bikes, road bikes, and mountain bikes. In 1988, Ike Tseng finally founded his own brand, Merida. Cooperation with international distribution partners began, and Merida itself became a valued brand for road bikes, mountain bikes, and e-bikes sold worldwide. The Taiwanese bike manufacturer was also the first to use robotic welding in production. The high-quality bikes are used in professional cycling and even in the Olympic Games. Today, Merida still has one of the most advanced production facilities in the industry, offering innovative product development and the highest quality. The manufacturer is also the supplier of the Bahrain Victorious cycling team. Road bikes from Merida are available in various designs:
- Road Bikes: the Merida Scultura offers a high level of lightness with good aerodynamic performance, without sacrificing a certain level of comfort. It is particularly well-suited to steep terrain and is only available with a carbon frame and disc brakes. The road bike also features excellent compliance and fully integrated cables. Sub-variants include the Scultura Team, the Scultura 7000, Scultura 8000 and Scultura 9000, and the Scultura Riva edition. The Merida Reacto with CF3 or CF5 carbon frame is the manufacturer's aero road bike and offers particularly good aerodynamics. Even on uneven terrain such as cobblestones or over potholes, high performance is still possible with the Reacto. The Merida Reacto with also fully integrated cables is available in sub-variants from Reacto 4000 to Reacto 9000, Merida Reacto Team and Reacto Rival-Edition. For more affordable options, consider checking out road bikes under $500, road bikes under $1,000, or road bikes under $2,000.
- Endurance Bikes: In addition to road bikes for top performance, Merida's range also includes endurance bikes with particularly high comfort for long-distance rides. Compared to the classic Merida Scultura road bike, the Scultura Endurance in various sub-variants such as the Scultura Endurance 9000 and Scultura Endurance Rival-Edition offers a frame geometry designed for more comfort and a longer head tube for a more comfortable riding position on the bike.
- Mountain bikes: In the MTB segment, Merida offers just as wide a range as in the road bike segment. This includes full suspension mountain bikes with models like the One-Twenty, One-Forty, One-Sixty, and Ninety-Six and hardtail mountain bikes with the Big.Nine, Big.Seven, and Big.Trail in various sub-variants. Both the Hardtail MTB Big.Nine and the Full Suspension MTB Ninety-Six are suitable for XC and Marathon, while the versatile One-Twenty and the robust Big.Trail are well-suited for Trail.
- Gravel bikes: The trendy gravel bike is also not missing from Merida's range with the Silex. The all-road bike with carbon frame is equipped with numerous attachment points, which makes it a good companion for bikepacking tours. The geometry is oriented towards an MTB. With a long head tube and short stem, the Merida Silex with sub-variants like the Merida Silex 400 enables agile handling and offers high comfort with good performance even on uneven terrain.
- Trekking bikes: The trekking bike from the Taiwanese bike manufacturer is the Merida Crossway with sub-variants like the Crossway XT Edition. The all-rounder with a lightweight aluminum frame is suitable for relaxed leisure tours or commuting in the city and is particularly comfortable to ride thanks to an upright seating position and adjustable stem. It is also available as a version with a low step-in.
- Fitness bikes: With the Merida Speeder, the manufacturer also has a special fitness bike in its range. The Speeder combines the low dish and high speed of a road bike with a comfortable, upright riding position. This makes it perfect for fast, sporty rides through the city for commuting or fitness purposes.
- E-bikes: Merida is very familiar with e-bikes; after all, the bike manufacturer developed a so-called pedelec back in 1995 and was way ahead of its time. Merida's gravel bike and fitness bike are also available as e-bikes with the eSILEX and eSPEEDER models. With the motorized trekking bike eSPRESSO, you can also ride comfortably in the city. Some mountain bikes are also available as motorized versions with the eONE-SIXTY and the eONE-FORTY, each available with a carbon frame or aluminum frame, as well as the eBIG.NINE and the eBIG.TOUR. Classic road bikes, on the other hand, are not available from Merida as e-bikes.
- Cyclocross bikes: Merida is also planning new cyclocross bikes for 2022.
Good to know: Merida sees bikes not only as a means to an end but above all as reliable companions. That's why the manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty on all new frames.
High-quality components from Shimano and Co.
In the manufacture of its bikes, the Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer relies on high-quality components from established brands such as Shimano, Vision, or Reynolds, but to a large extent also on its own production.
Gearshifts and groupsets
Merida bikes use gears and groupsets from Shimano, such as the Shimano Dura Ace, Shimano Ultegra Di2, and Shimano 105.
Brakes
A distinction is made between basically two types of brakes: Rim brakes and disc brakes. Rim brakes are the older braking system, which sometimes has worse braking characteristics in wet conditions. This disadvantage does not exist with more modern disc brakes because wet conditions do not affect their braking properties. Merida is also at the forefront when it comes to brakes: in 2016, the manufacturer was among the first to offer disc brakes and recognize the advantages of the technology for road bikes. While other bike manufacturers are reluctant to follow suit and also equip their models with rim brakes, Merida was convinced of the newer technology right from the start. Therefore, it is not surprising that most bikes from Merida are only offered with disc brakes. However, some models are also available with rim brakes. The brakes are selected with models such as Shimano Dura Ace, Shimano Ultegra, or Shimano 105 to match the shift groups.
Saddle / Seatpost & Handlebar / Stem & Wheels
When it comes to the saddle, Merida relies on in-house designs with models like the Merida Comp SL or Merida Expert SL, but also saddles from partners like the Prologo Scratch M5. The seatposts come from their own production. Handlebars and stems are also made both by Merida itself and by partners, such as the Merida Expert CC or the Vision Metron 5D. The wheelset comes from manufacturers as diverse as Reynolds, Vision, Zipp, and Fulcrum.
Which Merida road bike is right for me?
Which bike suits you best depends entirely on the routes you want to ride it on and what your sporting ambitions are. If you're a demanding road cyclist, whether you're an amateur or even a professional, Merida road bikes like the Merida Scultura and Merida Reacto give you top-notch road bikes with excellent aerodynamics and a high degree of lightness that also offer a certain level of comfort. If you want to be sporty on the road but also be able to endure long rides comfortably, the Scultura Endurance, designed for long distances, is the right bike for you. While Merida's road bikes don't stop at bumps like cobblestones and potholes, a gravel bike is the right companion for off-road tours on uneven terrain like gravel and dirt. Gravel bikes have the sportiness of road bikes but are as rugged as an MTB. Merida's Gravel Bike Silex is the perfect bike for bikepacking adventures with its many mounting options. If you prefer it sportier on your cross-country tours, then a cyclocross bike with a more dynamic frame geometry is right for you. When it comes to steep terrain, Merida's mountain bikes offer a wide range of options, depending on your preference as a hardtail or full suspension. If you're a city dweller who doesn't venture into the countryside often but still wants to be sporty, then the Speeder fitness bike is exactly what you need. With the mixture of a lightweight road bike and a comfortable, upright riding position, like a trekking bike, the Speeder is the ideal bike for city dwellers for whom bike rides are part of their fitness routine. For those who only need a bike for commuting or relaxed tours through the park or along the riverbank, a trekking bike will suffice. With Merida's Crossway, you'll enjoy a comfortable, relaxed riding position. For even more comfort and speed, consider an e-bike from Merida as a motorized version of a gravel bike or mountain bike. To ensure you sit comfortably on your bike and can deliver optimal performance, be sure to check that the frame height and size fit you. On the manufacturer's website, you can choose the right frame size for each model, be it size XS, S, M, L, or XL. Don't forget to explore women's road bikes for options tailored to your needs.
An alternative to a new Merida road bike is a used bike from the Taiwanese manufacturer. Second-hand road bikes are in no way inferior to new models. They are often sold by previous owners looking to switch to the latest model. Nevertheless, the used bikes are still in very good condition and offer you the opportunity to start with a high-quality road bike from Merida without having to dig too deep into your pocket. On the used market, you can also find older models like the Merida Matts or Merida Ride. If you are not yet sure which Merida bike best meets your needs or if you have already decided on a bike but do not know which model to choose, the buycycle team will be happy to help you.
