Test ride: With the Merida Big.Nine, Merida seamlessly continues the long tradition of high-quality race hardtails. Together with the professionals of the Multivan Merida team, the new racing file was developed, which not only scores with a sensationally low frame weight, but also with improved comfort and high rigidity at the same time. At the Eurobike Media Days we were able to get a closer look at Gunn-Rita Dahle and Co.'s work equipment.
The Merida Big.Nine is the youngest offspring of the traditional race hardtail family from Merida and at the same time the working tool of the Multivan Merida WC team. Unsurprisingly, the know-how and experience of the pros was also used in the development: After all, they not only 'must' compete regularly at the very highest level, but in return can also provide valuable feedback on geometry and handling delivery. The Merida Big.Nine was developed together with its little brother Big.Seven - the two bikes are similar in terms of features and frame design, there are only differences in the wheel size: While the Big.Nine is exclusively based on 29″ers, the Big.Seven also friends of 27,5″ happy.
Merida is particularly proud of the reduced frame weight: The CF 5 frame of the Big.Nine weighs just under 900g in size M, making it one of the lightest standard frames available. This is where Merdia's accumulated know-how in the field of carbon processing pays off: the clever combination of the right carbon fibers and a well thought-out frame construction makes such a weight possible without having to compromise on rigidity and stability.
There will be three frame versions: The elegant and extremely light CF5 version is used for the top models, the CF3 model has a few grams more on the tubes and the Lite version allows a cheap entry into the world of racing hardtails merida What all three frame variants have in common is the seat post, which originally had a circumference of 27,2mm to 30,9mm. In the past, the narrow 27,2 mm supports were often used on such performance racing files, as they offer more flexibility and thus noticeably protect the driver's buttocks, especially during longer journeys. So why the change to 30,9mm now? The reason for this is that dropper posts are also becoming increasingly popular in the XC area - especially in view of the increasingly demanding routes - and these are usually only available in 30,9mm or larger.
To ensure that the loss of comfort caused by the larger post dimensions does not have an excessive effect, Merida has put a lot of thought into it and the result is a newly developed carbon post that is flattened in the area just before the seat clamp and offers slight flex at this point. Despite its larger circumference, the support reliably absorbs shocks and thus protects the driver's behind.
In any case, the subject of comfort has been dealt with extensively at Merida. There are no complex elastomer constructions, such as the competition from BMC or Trek, but relies entirely on the self-damping of the frame material. Here, too, Merida's extensive experience in processing the high-quality carbon fiber material pays off. When looking at the rear end, the seat stays are particularly striking: These are not only extremely flat, but also slightly bent downwards in order to cushion impacts from the rear wheel.
We grabbed the team version of the Merida Big.Nine as a test bike. This not only comes with the super-light CF5 frame, but also with the new SRAM Eagle XX1 12-speed group and consistently high-quality equipment. The bike weighs just 8,5 kg without pedals. If you decide to replace the aluminum wheels with carbon counterparts, the weight can even be reduced noticeably.
The Merida Big.Nine on the trail
Of course, we didn't want to miss the opportunity to take the Merida Big.Nine out onto the trails for a short time, even though we would have liked to have spent a little more time on the black carbon bullet. The hardtail puts a smile on our faces right from the start – the propulsion is terrific and the handling is convincing from the first meters. The seating position on the 19″ test bike suited our tester (1,88m / 89cm SL) right away – you sit stretched out in a sporty way, but thanks to the wide handlebars and the rather short stem, the bike doesn’t appear nervous at all, as many others do wheels of this class.
The steering angle is quite steep at 70° – this had a positive effect in tight corners and also when going uphill. The Big.Nine never seemed stilted, but always exuded a pleasant dynamic and was pleasantly playful for a race hardtail. However, the steep angle at the front is a bit restrictive on very steep and blocked passages and an active riding style is required to keep the lightweight under control - but such situations are likely to be the exception when such a bike is used.
The equipment on our test bike was appropriate for the targeted price of €7.000: Thanks to the 10-50 cassette, the SRAM Eagle group easily gets by without a front derailleur, the SID fork from Rock Shox at the front is a bit stiffer as usual, but harmonises perfectly with it character of Merida. In any case, after the (much too short) test drive, we were extremely impressed by the latest Merida offspring and really didn't want to part with it again. Details on the different model variants and prices are expected at Eurobike at the end of August.
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