MERIDA ONE-TWENTY 8000 Review
You don’t need big mountains on your doorstep in order to have fun with the ONE TWENTY – or, at least, that’s what MERIDA claim. Designed for both climbs and descents, this agile trail bike promises to cut a fine figure over all terrain. So does the bike live up to its hype?
Modest and unassuming with its dark blue matte paintjob and skinny tubing, the MERIDA ONE TWENTY immediately shakes off the shackles once you get on it. For the medium and large-size frames, this rig comes with either 27.5″ or 29″, and we’re swayed to the smaller wheels in the hope of more agility. For the small-size frame, the bike exclusively comes in 27.5″, while the XL is just a 29er. Running the same across the board, the spec appears well-considered and wise for the purposes of trail riding, with the ONE TWENTY relying on a SRAM 1×11 drivetrain, reliable DT Swiss wheels, a RockShox Reverb dropper post, and well-dimensioned bars and stem. What more could we ask for?
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The suspension units come together like fine cheese and wine, with the RockShox PIKE and its 130 mm travel complementing the 120 mm suspension at the rear. Just like the sorted spec, this muscleman’s ride characteristics are just as composed. On the flats and climbs, the MERIDA ONE TWENTY glides efficiently forward, although it had a tendency to bob a bit on super-steep uphills (a quick flick of the rear shock’s lever does remedy this). The ONE TWENTY proved a mean descender, flowing over any size bumps. Its balanced geometry and progressive rear end gave us the confidence to tackle new lines, skip over off-camber sections like they were flat, and generally push our limits. This is a bike that’s proof of the joy in predictability, as we saw it rail round corners and hit some high speeds with panache.
Specs of the MERIDA ONE-TWENTY 8000
Forks: RockShox Pike RC
Rear shock: RockShox Monarch RT3
Brakes: SRAM Guide R
Drivetrain: SRAM X01
Seatpost: RockShox Reverb Stealth
Stem: FSA Afterburner 6
Handlebar: FSA Afterburner 760 mm
Wheel: DT Swiss M1700 Spline One
Tires: Schwalbe Hans Dampf 2,35″/Nobby Nic 2,25 PSC
Weight: 12.40 kg
Price: € 5,149
The MERIDA’s cockpit is spot on in terms of its 760 mm bar width and optimal 60 mm stem length. Just climb on and have fun!
MERIDA have wisely clamped the cables at the entry and exit ports to stop them clattering around the frame. Smart!
Even though we’ve moved on from 2x drivetrains, they’re still a popular option and MERIDA have catered to everyone by offering the ONE TWENTY with a front mech mount.
The RockShox Monarch DebonAir rear shock on the MERIDA ONE-TWENTY generously absorbs bumps, although we’d recommend that more aggressive trail riders fit 2-4 bottomless rings in the rear shock.
Conclusion
Das MERIDA ONE-TWENTY ist ein top Allrounder mit stimmigem Gesamtpaket. Es vermittelt sowohl auf flachen Flowtrails als auch im alpinen Gelände viel Fahrspaß und ist das perfekte Rad für alle, die einen zuverlässigen Begleiter für sämtliche Bike-Lebenslagen suchen. Temperamentvolle Biker werden jedoch sowohl optisch als auch im Handling etwas Emotionen vermissen.
Strengths
- great, balanced handling
- top spec
- potent rear suspension
Weaknesses
- bobs on steep climbs
For more information head to the MERIDA website.
For an overview of the test fleet head to the main article: 9 short-travel trail bikes in comparison
All bikes in test: Canyon Nerve AL 9.9 LTD | Evil The Following X1 | FOCUS Spine C Factory | Norco OPTIC C7.2 | Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt BC Edition | SCOTT Genius 910 | Specialized Camber Comp Carbon 29 | Trek FUEL EX 9.8 29