Test: Next year marks the tenth anniversary of the Merida Scultura. Since its market launch in 2006, the Taiwanese manufacturer's top road model has gone through many stages of development - according to Merida, the 2016 model is not only the lightest production road bike in the world, but is also said to trump its predecessors in terms of comfort, rigidity and aerodynamics. I had the great opportunity to test the noble carbon racer in the team edition on our cruise with the Mein Schiff 4 for a week on the most diverse terrain on the Canary Islands and Madeira.
Of course, the experiences and wishes of the professionals from Team Lampre-Merida were incorporated into the development of the new Scultura – as a developer, you could hardly wish for better experts and more valuable feedback. The pros' suggestions were reflected in a wide variety of areas, from geometry and aerodynamics to comfort. The minds behind the Merida Scultura have tweaked countless adjustments so that in the end a worthy 'anniversary bike' comes out.
Frame
The basis for my Merida Scultura team is the Scultura CF-4 frame, which with a weight of approx. 800g (size S) is one of the lightest representatives ever. With the lightweight model Scultura 9000 you could even go one better with the CF-5 frame: With a frame weight of only 730g and noble add-on parts, the Scultura 9000 ends up with a fabulous 6kg total weight and should therefore actually be the lightest series bike ever. One might ask why this state-of-the-art, super-light frame is not also used on the team model. There are mutliple reasons for this.
On the one hand, the 730g CF5 frame is extremely lightweight. The bike is of course undoubtedly ridable and would certainly be suitable for racing and tours, but the frame simply offers few reserves in the event of a fall and this would probably be a negative point that should not be underestimated, especially in racing. In addition, the rigidity of the CF5 suffers a little due to the sometimes very thin wall thickness. Last but not least, the pros have to bring their bikes up to the UCI minimum weight of 6,8kg anyway - so it would make little sense to accept the disadvantages of the CF5 frame without using the great advantage in the form of the sensationally low weight to be able to
The Scultura 9000 is really a case for the weight fetishists, while the Scultura Team, and also the variants Scultura 7000 and 6000 with the slightly heavier CF4 frame should be the first choice for all those who don't care about the last gram arrives
But enough talking about weight, a gram here and a gram there, because as any cyclist knows, that's just one of many factors that could affect the riding experience. For professionals and even more so for hobby riders, comfort also plays a major role. In this area in particular, a lot has happened with the new Scultura. A special construction process in combination with the flat seat stays is intended to achieve a pleasant balance between stiffness and flex - we will see later in practice whether the Scultura manages to walk this fine line.
The strikingly flat seatstays were made possible by the fact that the rear wheel brake on the new Scultura moves from there to the underside, just behind the bottom bracket. As befits its status, the Merida bike comes complete with internally routed cables and lines - in the past there have always been problems with rattling inside, but to anticipate some practical experience - fortunately we did not notice this annoying rattling on the Merida. In addition, the trend towards wider tires is also reflected in the new Scultura: the Team Edition comes standard with 25mm wide tires from Continental, with oh and no 28mm variants would probably fit, even if this is not intended by the manufacturer. Last but not least, the aerodynamics have also been improved - empirical values from the development of the aero racer Merida Reacto have been incorporated here.
Geometrie
Of course, the geometry of road bikes has also changed in recent years and the development is like a constant optimization process - so it is hardly surprising that the new Scultura also has some changes compared to its predecessors. For fans of the 'old' geometry, however, there is no reason to panic - the Merida Scultura 2016 also retains its own character. In the past, this included the great agility of the Taiwanese racing machine - the main reason for this was the ultra-short chain stays, which remain very short in 2016 at 400mm despite increased tire clearance (for comparison: Canyon Ultimate CF SLX: 410mm, S-Works Tarmac: 405mm, Trek Emonda: 410mm).
Also, at the request of the Lampre-Merida pros, the 2016 geometry is a whole notch lower, longer and sportier than before. The reach is longer, the head tube is shorter and the seating position is therefore stretched and more aerodynamic. Personally, this suited me very well, since I have a low inseam height (188cm/87cm) in relation to my height and most frames are therefore a bit too short for me or I am forced to use very long stems. The Scultura Team in size 56cm fit me like a glove with its reach of 399mm.
The Scultura is therefore a dream for sporty riders who prefer a low seating position and like to sit a little more stretched out in the saddle. On the other hand, if you like to sit a little more upright, you will probably have to make do with a shorter stem and a corresponding number of spacers underneath.
Equipment
The equipment of the Merida Scultura Team really leaves nothing to be desired - not surprising, after all, the built-in components have to withstand the toughest stages and races of the season. As befits its rank, Merida has installed a Dura-Ace group from Shimano in a mechanical design. Of course, the frame is Di2-ready, so conversion is not a problem. The crank comes from the Spanish manufacturer Rotor - the 110mm bolt circle allows gradations from 50/34 to 53/39. The crank comes with a 52/36 from the factory, which probably offers a good middle ground for most types of riders and terrains. On top of that, the Rotor cranks can be quickly and inexpensively converted to Rotor InPower power measurement cranks (see test).
The cockpit and seat post come entirely from FSA: the elegant K-Force Compact handlebars are ergonomically very successful and visually blend in perfectly with the OS-99 carbon stem. The wheels also come from Italy: The Fulcrum Racing Zero Carbon are currently among the best that money can buy in this area. The wheelset in the clincher version weighs 1358g and comes with 30mm high carbon rims, aero spokes made of aluminum and hub bodies made of carbon. Ceramic bearings ensure correspondingly little resistance and good longevity values.
In the street
Enough theory, hit the road with the Merida Scultura team. At first glance, the very sporty seating position is striking. Not uncomfortable, also because I personally like to stretch out on my bikes, but that definitely sets the Scultura apart from most of the competition. Especially when we were traveling in a larger group on the Canary Islands and I looked around, it seemed to me that my fellow combatants were on a pedestal. Personal preferences decide here, of course, and subsequent adjustments are also no problem thanks to the stem length and spacers.
Otherwise? The Scultura presents itself as really strong when accelerating – the power feels like it lands directly on the asphalt and it definitely puts a smile on my face to pedal here. It is also pleasing that there are really no cracking, rattling, squeaking or other disturbing noises - only the quiet rattling of the chain or the pleasant rattling of the freewheel can be heard.
The Scultura also presents itself as pretty stiff: My 83kg with the 800g light frame only makes me smile tiredly and I really can't make out any twisting or other negative properties at any time. Regarding the aerodynamics, I honestly don't allow myself a final judgment, I just don't have the sensitivity. What was positively noticeable, however, was that the Scultura sat firmly on the road and conveyed the necessary security at all times, even on fast descents through the notorious gusts of wind on Fuerteventura.
The climbing properties also convinced me, but I would probably have preferred to use the 50-34 gradation on the crank, because the Canary Islands offer one or two steep and tough climbs - but it's good that you have this option thanks to the 110mm bolt circle. The comfort is in the range to be expected for a bike in this class, but it wasn't outstanding in my opinion. I was traveling with around 6,5 bar in the 25mm tires and the bad roads on Madeira, La Palma and Co shook me a bit. As I said, this was to be expected for a bike of this class, but I had hoped for a little bit more - also because of the otherwise outstanding performance of the Scultura.
The equipment was pleasantly unobtrusive. As expected, the Dura-Ace drive did its job reliably and quickly, the cockpit and saddle gave no cause for criticism. The braking behavior with the Fulcrum Racing Zero wheels was very good, even on longer descents, although we were very lucky with the weather and I didn't 'enjoy' a longer rain descent.
Conclusion
So what's the bottom line for the Merida Scultura team? The €6.599 and 6,5kg light racing machine was as expected both on paper and on the road - unsurprising for a team bike of the pros. There really isn't much to criticize - maybe the not outstanding comfort, which is only noticeable because it wasn't on the same extremely high level of the other driving characteristics. The sporty and long geometry may not be for everyone, but I personally really liked it. All in all, with the Merida Scultura team, the Taiwanese manufacturer has put together an all-round successful overall package at a very attractive price – measured in terms of weight, equipment and workmanship.