Gravelbike Erlkönige: Mohoric wins with new Merida Silex & Canyon scores points
The current Silex was launched six years ago, and Merida presented an unconventional concept at the start of the big gravel boom. The frame's striking sloping geometry with a steeply sloping top tube is similar to that of a mountain bike. The handlebars in particular are mounted in a very high position, which puts the rider in a very upright riding position.
In connection with this, the stack (actual frame height) also reaches an extreme value of 626 millimetres at medium frame height. In comparison, the geometry of most gravel bikes is based on marathon bikes, which have a characteristic maximum stack height of 600 millimetres. Experience has shown that the current Merida Silex, in combination with a long reach (actual frame length) and long wheelbase, should prove to be extremely track-fast.
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The next version of the Merida Silex, which according to a company spokesperson "will soon be presented to the public", retains the sloping frame. However, the second generation appears to have a sportier design and is more reminiscent of a road bike, as can be seen in pictures and videos from the Gravel World Championships in Veneto. The shorter head tube in particular leads to a slightly more stretched seating position. Merida has also optimised the aerodynamics: The head tube is now shorter and has a modern, concave hourglass shape. In addition, the cables are now fully integrated - at least on Mohoric's World Championship version.
Merida Silex Erlkönig: What's new on the seat knot?
Matej Mohoric attracted attention with a similar setup at Milan-Sanremo in 2022, when he retrofitted Merida's competition all-rounder Scultura Team with a telescopic seatpost and won the spring classic.
The Merida Silex Erlkönig is now heading in the same direction. An interesting detail here is the generously dimensioned seat node. This construction not only accommodates the seat post attachment, but is also likely to have a significant influence on suspension comfort. But similar to the Merida Scultura, there is a round seat tube in the frame, which makes it possible to retrofit a dropper seat post.
When it comes to tyre clearance, we can only speculate so far. At the Gravel World Championships in Italy, Mohoric rode a Continental tyre with a width of 40 mm. From the pictures of the competition, it looks as if the fork and frame now have even more room for slightly wider tyres.
At the moment, we can only guess which equipment variants will be available. Merida currently offers the Silex on its website with ten different equipment variants, either with an aluminium or carbon frame. The Taiwanese company also recently introduced the Scultura Endurance GR platform, which is suitable for off-road riding. However, due to the lower tyre clearance of up to 35 millimetres, this seems to be placed more in the all-road bike category.
Canyon Grail: Another unreleased bike on the women's podium
An unreleased model also triumphed in the women's gravel world championship race. Kasia Niewiadoma from Poland won on a camouflaged Canyon gravel bike. With the release, however, it is clear that this was a not-so-camouflaged Canyon Grail CFR LTDwhich has already been seen for the most part in its factory livery. In June, this gravel bike from Koblenz caused a sensation at the Unbound race when Carolin Schiff won one of the most important gravel races in the world. Although the rider from Bremen was not at the start due to injury, the Canyon bike was ridden by several athletes. Among others, the former road pro Alejandro Valverde from Spain also rode this novelty, which was recognisable as a Canyon due to the company logo on the down tube.
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The most noticeable change to the current Canyon Grail, which has been on the market since 2018, seems to be the much-discussed double handlebar. In the Gravel World Championship and also in the series models, it has had its day and has disappeared. Instead, the control centre now consists of an aerodynamically optimised cockpit. Similar to the Merida, the Canyon's seat tube has also been redesigned, with the seat stays connected to the top tube a little further forwards. In contrast to the current top version of the Canyon Grail CF SLX, Niewiadoma has used a model without the comfortable leaf spring support.
Julian Schultz
Editor
