Cyclists like to see themselves as athletes. This can also be seen in the long-standing fact that when buying a bike, many people first reach for a reduced bike with a sharp look. After the first rainy day, the customer stands at the counter and buys mudguards and plug-in lights. So why not combine both worlds at the same time, asked the developers at Merida in Magstadt near Stuttgart. Merida is a global player from Taiwan that has made a name for itself in the MTB and road bike sector: Several world championship titles have already been won on Merida bikes. So it's no wonder that the engineers' wealth of experience is also evident in the Crossway: The lightweight, elegant sports friend comes in shiny, elegant black, allowing it to be parked inconspicuously in the city without a bright colour screaming: Steal me! For the more daring, however, other colours (and equipment) are also available in the Crossway series.
Merida Crossway Urban: City-focussed athlete
With its extensive XT drivetrain, our test bike works with the usual precision and crispness, pure sporting spirit. A double crankset saves weight and, with a 38/24 gradation, delivers a high gear yield uphill and on undulating terrain. On longer downhill stretches, you miss the really big gears a little. The brakes come from the groupless mid-range, but impress with their simplicity, fine modulation, high power and ergonomically favourable two-finger levers. This means you never have to take all your fingers off the handlebar grip to operate the brakes in critical situations. Lightweight own-brand mudguards made of plastic are firmly mounted with relatively strong struts. They can also be unscrewed if necessary. Now, in the wet late autumn weather, we are grateful that they reliably keep dirt and moisture away from the rider. The real surprise, however, is hidden under the paintwork: the powerful frame responds to spirited acceleration with lossless propulsion and impresses with its high level of riding safety. The tapered full carbon fork with thru-axle contributes to this in particular: it steers the light front wheel extremely precisely and with such ease that a steady hand on the handlebars is an advantage. The short stem further increases the tendency towards nervousness. This makes the Crossway a playful companion for dynamic sprints. And it loves to shred round the next corner.
The complete article "Top bikes 2017" was published in Trekkingbike issue 1/2017.
