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<\/a><\/p>\nThe frame<\/h2>\n
For now, the One-Forty range is offered only as an aluminium frame with sturdy looking tubes clearly indicating the intentions of the bike. The platform is right up to date with trunnion mounts for metric shocks, boost axle spacing, and internal cable routing that clamps the cables firmly in place on the entry and exit ports.The One-Forty is designed to accept 650b tyres up to 2.6″ wide and Merida show they mean business filling all the allotted space out the box with broad Maxxis DHR and Rekon tyres.<\/p>\n
The Float Link suspension is a single pivot design that places the shock between the chain and seat stays (via a rocker link), avoiding any direct mounting of the shock to the front triangle. The upside of this design is said to be supple small bump compliance and traction while achieving a bottomless feel on the bigger hits. Merida also claims that the design has allowed them greater tuning control of the shock.The frame geometry adheres to the modern trail bike trend with a 66.3-degree head angle. Reach is not the longest and upsizing may help should you want more length. Take a look at the table below for all the figures across the size curve.<\/p>\n It’s a very black bike. The black decals melt into the black frame making it rather impossible for passersby to ascertain what brand of bike you’re riding. Perfect if you simply want to get on with your ride without the judgement of fellow riders. However, should you prefer to shout from the rooftops, there is also a sharp yellow colour option that can’t be missed. The extra large frame does look somewhat like a farm gate with the gap between the top tube and down tube at the head tube but, for the aesthetically conscious, these three tubes do all meet neatly as one in smaller sizes.<\/p>\n The component selection in this price point is a big talking point for the One-Forty 800’s R45,000 asking price. All too often mid-range trail bikes cut a corner here or there but the One-Forty’s components appear to be equally matched and capable of standing up to the demands of rigorous trail riding.The suspension is covered by RockShox with a Deluxe RL shock and 150 mm Revelation fork. The new Revelation matches the chassis of the Pike making it an equal in stiffness while continuing to use the tried and tested Motion Control damper.<\/p>\n The drive system is SRAM’s workhorse 12-speed Eagle GX<\/a> with a 32 teeth chainring pulling the 50-10 cassette. The 2.6″ wide Maxxis DHR II and Rekon tyres boast a large contact patch which is well matched to SRAM’s Code R brakes. The new Code brakes use larger reservoirs and pistons than the company’s Guide brakes for extra stopping power. The wheelset features Merida branded rims with an adequate 29 mm internal width laced to Joytech hubs.<\/p>\n Merida alloy components make up the handlebars and stem with a trail-trendy 760mm width and 45 mm length respectively. Of course, an essential item for any trail bike these days is a dropper seatpost and the One-Forty 800 employs the services of a KS LEV Integra fitted with a Prologo Nago saddle.<\/p>\n If the One-Forty 800 is too much of a budget stretch, there is also the 700 model which features the same suspension and tyres but with a Shimano XT\/SLX mix drivetrain and M500 brakes, retailing for R36,000.<\/p>\n From the initial few hundred meters down the first trail, it is evident that Merida One-Forty is ready to rumble. The stability of the wide tyres, the confidence-inducing geometry, and coddling rear suspension all worked together to produce a fantastic first impression.<\/p>\n On flow trails, the One-Forty rips through turns and boosts off humps and roots. The big tyres and supple suspension make easy work of brake bumps and ruts. The floating suspension design does seem to slightly sacrifice the quality of feedback the rider receives with a hint of dullness at times, possibly also a consequence of the high-volume tyres, which can make it feel cumbersome on easier trails.<\/p>\n Point the One-Forty down a steeper trail and the bike starts to shine. The deep suspension and big tyres make it a ripper on the fast and technical descents. It\u2019s a bike that tries to boost your confidence, egging you on to go bigger and faster. The bike holds a line excellently, be it through a banked turn or a precarious rock garden, the One-Forty does its best to bring you out the other side upright.When the trail turns got tight, the One-Forty changed direction well with the larger tyres providing and traction filled platform to throw the bike around whilst staying on track. The bike tends to stay perky under pedalling if you keep the cadence on the higher side. Mash down in a heavy gear out of a corner and the One-Forty will lurch deeper into its travel.<\/p>\n While a great fork in shorter travel models, I felt that the previous Revelation<\/a> sometimes struggled to deliver with its 32 mm chassis on the longer travel models. The new Revelation has solved that, borrowing the same 35 mm chassis from the Pike. The resulting boost in stiffness is exactly what the fork needed to hold its own out on the trails. Although the suspension feel cannot match with Pike, the Revelation is smooth, provides good feedback, and can take a beating.I found the geometry to be on point for Western Cape trail conditions. I often find modern trail bikes a better match than full-blown enduro geometry for the majority of my trail riding. The One-Forty is such an example that hits a sweet spot for my local Tokai and Jonkershoek trails. That said, I’m itching to try out Merida’s longer travel One-Sixty bike.<\/p>\n Merida went with wide(ish) and slammed for the cockpit arrangement. While the 760 mm bar is on the narrow side of my prefered width (yes, an easy fix), the short 45 mm stem is spot on for a direct, responsive steering feel.The One-Forty is designed to accept tyres with a width of up to 2.6″ (this width range is also sometimes labelled as mid-plus<\/a>). While I genuinely enjoy the grip and forgiveness of Plus sized tyres (2.8″ and up) on trail bikes, I do find myself struggling with the sensitivity to pressure, the unsettling feeling of sidewall roll, and durability issues. I find that 2.6″ answers my need for mountains of grip, a sturdy sidewall, and reliability.As mentioned, the Maxxis DHR served up what felt like endless grip. The Rekon provides less rolling resistance and served well for grip on the climbs and braking on the downs, proving to be a worthy adversary when it came to trying to slide through the turns. I found that a smidgen under 20 PSI (on a Ryder digital pump) to be my happy place with the Maxxis tyres.<\/p>\n The wheels are Merida branded. In-house branded wheels can be a cause for alarm but in the case of the Merida Expert rims and Joytech hubs, I found no reason for doubt. A good sign is the respectable 29 mm internal diameter that complements the bulky 2.6″ tyres. On the trail, the wheels rolled without drawing any attention to themselves holding their form and line admirable through the rougher obstacles. Usually, the manufacturer branded wheelset would be a no-brainer upgrade but these wheels certainly match the level set by the other components equipped on the Four-Forty.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nBuild kit<\/h2>\n
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On the trail<\/h2>\n
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