Merida One Forty & One Sixty: Newer - Better - Greater?!

Product news Merida One: With the new trail bike One-Forty and the new Enduro One-Sixty, Merida has done more than just facelifts. According to Merida, completely new platforms were necessary in order to adapt the bikes to what riders today demand of modern bikes. They want to have completed the most complex development and test program that a Merida is said to have ever gone through. We have prepared all the information for you.

Merida One Forty

“In a world of constant technical innovation, it's easy to lose sight of what a bike is made for: those perfect moments when everything disappears beneath you and only the trail exists. The new One Forty is designed for these moments of perfect trail flow." So promises Merida and further: "Our brand new sizing system gives you the freedom to choose your personal, optimally fitting handling without worrying too much about your body size . Our new, progressive geometry and chassis platform allow you to master climbs, descents and everything in between, so you can lose yourself in the here and now.” That sounds like an all-rounder at first, a promise often heard. What has been devised in the house of Merida to breathe life into the promise?

 

In any case, Merida seems to have understood that no one knows how a bike should ride better than the rider. The One Forty uses a new size system for Merida, called "Agilometer". The term, well, striking in any case. The idea is to choose the reach and thus the handling almost independently of your body size, while at the same time you can use the maximum possible drop (between 30 mm and 230 mm) of the dropper post. Playful fun bike or iron, that's for the buyer to decide. The idea isn't entirely new, but it's still good... It should be helpful to use short head tubes next to your own telescopic support with a very large adjustment range. A rather steep seat tube angle, a slack head angle and decent reach are promised and also expected by customers.

The new chassis kinematics are called "Fast". The progression increases with increasing reach, so harder and heavier riders should also get the support they need. A flexstay design (the absence of a pivot point) should combine high rigidity, low maintenance and low weight. It is not common that these flexing struts (called P-Flex technology) are available in the two frame variants in aluminum and carbon. In addition, they want to have integrated a whole range of other new features that make the bike even more low-maintenance and durable. Since both frames have been tested by the renowned testing institute Zedler and since there is a 5-year guarantee even in racing or in the bike park, there is no need to worry. More driving, less service is the idea, which is why large rear triangle bearings are used. Wrapped in a pure 29er wheel setup as standard, with 143 mm travel at the rear and 150 mm at the front, with an option for a mullet setup thanks to the flip chip in the rocker. Then the suspension travel at the rear even increases to 151 mm. According to Merida, the bike is tuned to offer the right mix of downhill fun and pedalability; a coil damper can also be installed.

Other noteworthy details are a so-called "Tube Base Plate" with which a replacement tube can be neatly attached to the frame. The carbon models also have an integrated Fidlock bottle cage. Even with the smallest frame size, a full 600 ml bottle fits into the frame triangle. The "Merida Service Port" is also reserved for the carbon models, which offers storage space and good access to the cables and lines. The "Wire Port" is the name given to the headset, which together with the "Service Port" is a simple, elegant and noiseless internal cable routing. Incidentally, the installation on the aluminum model is also completely internal.

All homework has also been done in terms of frame protection: the chain stay protection is three-dimensional, there is an elongated down tube protection and an integrated mudguard at the rear. Even protective films fitted at the factory have been thought of and there is an optically almost invisible chain guide. What pleases me is the BSA bottom bracket and the UDH derailleur hanger as well as a "normal" boost measure at the rear. Why not just rely on the tried and tested that works, look here, dear competitors.

The One Forty 2022 - the most important specifications

Frame weight (carbon): 2460 g in size M +/- 5%
Frame weight (aluminium): 3660 g in size M +/- 5%
=> without damper, axle, frame protectors, seat clamp, bracket, headset bearing and cable guides (weight also depends on the frame color)
● 73mm BSA bottom bracket (including our ISCG05 adapter)
● 34,9mm seat post
● fully integrated headset
● 148×12mm Boost
● max. 2,5″ wide rear tire
● 230×57 mm shock
● SRAM UDH derailleur hanger
● 180mm post-mount rear brake
● optimized for 1x drive train (with 55 mm chain line)

● Steep seat angle: 80°
● flat head tube angle: 65°

There will be 6 different Merida One Forty models between €2.799 and €11.699.

We also want to mention that there is also a second color variant for each model. It is then a simple but also timeless black or gray.

Merida One Sixty

The One Forty was developed as a super strong trail weapon that can be used to conquer impressive mountains or longer climbs without any problems, without tiring and without the bike feeling sluggish. The One Sixty, on the other hand, is a potent enduro with a lot of suspension travel and equipment that can withstand tougher paces. The weight plays a subordinate role. When Merida started developing the new Long Travel platform, they came up with the idea of ​​developing two separate bikes that not only differ in travel but also in their responsiveness. Both bikes, whether made of carbon or aluminum, share the essential components: the Agilometer size concept, modern geometry and the kinematics of the Fast chassis. The driving behavior and the chassis are the main differences here.

The One Sixty is designed with significantly more spring travel (up to 171mm) for the much rougher pace. If you want to know more about this bike, read on from our colleagues at Gravity Magazine:

www.gravity-magazine.de

www.merida-bikes.com/de