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The offshoot of the world champion bike combines an aluminium frame with a steeper seat tube with a full carbon fork and a rather slack steering angle. Instead of being springy at the front and bumpy at the rear, it's the other way round. Merida has obviously managed to make optimum use of the metal with many very special raw shapes. These include the thin saddle rails, the asymmetrical chainstays and the narrow top tube at the rear, which only widens at the front, giving even riders with strong legs enough room to pedal. No matter how strong, the weight is distributed very neutrally between the two wheels, and it is the short wheelbase that gives the bike a lot of directional stability and manoeuvrability.
However, the Merida Silex 700 remains easier to control than a 3T Exploro Primo or Corratec Allroad C2, for example. The range of use here is quite broad, just like the XT cassette. Its twelve gears are spread over 42 teeth, the spread of the gear range is almost in the range of 2x cranks, the gear jumps as a logical consequence are consistently large to huge; you shift very frequently, especially at the beginning, because the gear ratio never fits perfectly. The sportier you ride, the more annoying this becomes. The overall weight doesn't necessarily invite you to race. You don't notice the Silex's ten kilos in its entirety. The great wheels in particular "save" a lot of dynamic points, while a larger brake disc at the front keeps the dynamics in check.
With a little less on the ribs and a less rigid fork/handlebar combination, the Merida would also have been one of the very best in terms of numbers. In the balancing act between accelerating and rolling along in a relaxed manner, it was very well received, and off-road beginners in particular will be pleased with its good-naturedness.
Big comparison: 16 gravel bikes in the test
- 3T Exploro Primo (Tip: sports equipment)
- Bergamont Grandurance Expert >> available here
- Bulls Machete
- Canyon Grizl CF SL 6 AXS (Tip: Test winner)
- Conway GRV 9.0
- Corratec Allroad C2
- Fuji Jari Carbon 1.3
- Giant Revolt Advanced 2 (Tip: All-rounder) >> available here
- Koga Colmaro Extreme >> available here
- Marin Headlands 1 >> available here
- Megamo West 10 >> available here
- Merida Silex 700 (Tip: Offroader)
- Rondo Ruut AL1
- Rose Backroad GRX RX820 (Tip: Test winner) >> available here
- Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 (Tip: Price/performance) >> available here
- VSF Fahrradmanufaktur GX-500 >> available here
Merida Silex 700: Note & Details
- Note: 2.3 (tip: off-roader)
- Price: 2599 Euro
- Weight of complete wheel: 10.1 kilos
- Frame sizes: XS / S / M / L / XL (test size greased)
Geometry
- Seat/top/head tube: 525 / 580 / 172.4 millimetres
- Stack/Reach/STR: 621.6 / 408 millimetres / 1.524
- Stack+/Reach+/STR+: 673 / 584 millimetres / 1.152
- Wheelbase/caster: 1080 / 82.8 millimetres
Equipment
- Drive/gear shift: Shimano GRX 822 (1 x 12; 42, 10-51 t.) | Note: 3.0
- Brakes: Shimano GRX 822 (180/160 mm) | Grade: 1.5
- Tyres: Maxxis Rambler Exo TR 700-45c (eff.: 45 mm) | Grade: 2.0
- Impellers: Easton EA 70
- Impeller weights: 1593 / 2307 grams (front/rear)
Advantages and disadvantages of the Merida Silex 700
- Plus: 12-speed groupset with 180 mm brake disc, easy to control
- Minus: huge rescue sprocket, little damping on the handlebars, min. weight
