Merida make great bikes. They aced our short-travel group test and their eMTBs are top-notch. With a great build kit, there is a lot to like about the Merida ONE-SIXTY 700. However, for aggressive riders it has a problem that’s hard to ignore.
There’s a lot to like about the 15.1 kg Merida ONE-SIXTY 700. With a solid build kit, drop-dead gorgeous paintwork and masses of travel, we were excited to put it to the test. Merida’s carbon bikes are things of beauty and we loved the black chrome paintwork of the 27.5” wheeled ONE-SIXTY 700. However, unlike the carbon models, the separated tube shapes around the headtube give the aluminium model an ugly-duckling look (in frame sizes L and XL). Aesthetics aside, the build spec is good, including a RockShox Yari RC fork with a whopping 170 mm of travel and a RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ rear shock controlling 160 mm of rear travel. Unfortunately, the latter is just the basic model with no external low-speed compression adjustment aside from the climb switch. The drivetrain is the excellent 12-speed Shimano XT and the brakes are the formidable SLX M7120 four-piston stoppers paired with 200/180 mm rotors. Merida use their own brand 150 mm Expert TR dropper post and 40 mm stem and bars. The bike rolls on Merida’s own brand aluminium wheels with a 29 mm internal width shod with Maxxis Assegai/Maxxis Minion DHRII with EXO+ sidewalls.
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