While Merida are extremely established in the world of XCO and endurance racing, with Olympic and World Champs titles to their name, they’re relatively new to the trail and enduro markets; but on this evidence, they’re set to stick around.
At a recommended retail price of R59 999, the Merida ONE SIXTY 5000 is a carbon front triangle mated to an aluminium-rear-end frame, and is sleek and sassy in appearance. A ‘Float Link’ rear suspension system with a vertically mounted shock drives the single-pivot design, and none of the manufacturing appears over-designed or over-built.
In fact, we’d say it’s rather functional and sleek in appearance, with well-thought-out, minimalist engineering on the rear alloy section. Very much on trend are the deep, sloping top tube (providing ample stand-over), a steepish seat…
