Merida eOne-Eighty 400 on test: Affordable E-Enduro for trail & bike park

The facts alone make the new Merida eOne-Eighty unique. No other bike on the market offers such a high weight authorisation in combination with unrestricted approval for downhill and bike park use. Ideal for heavy stunt freaks!

But the designers of the Merida eOne-Eighty have come up with even more. Super-short chainstays should make handling fans' mouths water, while the steering angle and wheelbase avoid extremes. Merida is following a consistent line: the eOne-Eighty is heavy but stable and is designed to be manoeuvrable but strong downhill. A true freerider in a modern guise.

The facts about the Merida eOne-Eighty 400

• EngineBosch CX, 85 Nm max. torque
• Battery600 Wh (removable)
• Frame materialAluminium
• Spring travel: 180/180 mm
• Wheel size: 29/27.5 inch
• Frame sizesS, M, L, XL
• Price: 4999 Euro
• Weight26.1 kg (test bike in size M, EMTB measurement)
• Max. system weight140 kg
• Guarantee: 5 years

>> Robust and powerful: First test of the new Merida eOne-Eighty from the new product presentation

Bosch CX motor of the latest generation

The down tube of the Merida eOne-Sixty, even the cheapest model 400 in our test bike, contains the new Top Bosch Performance Line CX motor. Compared to the already very good predecessor, the new one has even better response behaviour and no longer rattles downhill. The 600 battery is nominally rather small, but provides a good range. The battery can be folded out to the front for ease of use.

>> In-depth test: Bosch's new Performance CX in the lab and in practice

Equipment: Suntour suspension and Cues gears

The Bosch motor is top-notch, but the equipment with SR Suntour suspension, Tektro brakes and affordable 9-speed cues leaves some question marks. There is no printed setup guide for the suspension elements. So before the test, it's time to read the instruction manual. We would have expected a little more precision and speed from the Cues shifting in practice. The high-quality headlight from Lezyne and the Maxxis tyres deserve praise: Soft MaxxGrip rubber at the front and puncture-proof double-down casing at the rear - that's what we want on an E-Enduro.

• Fork / damperSR Suntour Aion 38X Air / Tri Air 2R
• CircuitShimano Cues U4000 (9-speed)
• BrakesTektro Gemini / 203/203 mm
• ImpellersMerida rims with Shimano TC-500 hubs
• TyresMaxxis Assegai Maxxgrip Exo+ / DHR II DD 29/27.5 x 2.5/2.4
• Special featuresFixed front light from Lezyne

Handy with short chainstays

Modern enduro bikes are getting longer and flatter. The eOne-Eighty is the exception here. Merida has deliberately focussed on compact dimensions and a steering angle that is not too extreme. This should give the bike active handling.

On the trail: strong traction on the uphill

Although the seat tube angle of the Merida is steep, the E-freerider is not too extreme. On really steep climbs, you even adopt a slightly rear-heavy position, as the shock sags quite a bit without compression adjustment. This is not ideal for uphill control and steering. On the other hand, the eOne-Eight provides plenty of traction at all times. The power of the Bosch motor is transferred to the ground without slippage.

The E-Enduro offers a lot of comfort on long tours thanks to the balanced riding position. The range is also pleasing. Bosch's 600 watt battery delivers a large range, more on a par with many competitors with over 700 watt hours.

Downhill: Manageable, but with weaknesses in the chassis

Downhill, the Merida is quite manoeuvrable for a bike with an extreme 180 millimetres of travel and rewards active riders. Somewhat surprisingly, manuals or bunny hops require a lot of effort despite the short chainstays. However, the heavy bike sits securely on the trail.

There are shortcomings in the function of the SR Suntour suspension. Whilst the rear offers pleasant comfort, it makes an annoying clacking noise at maximum rebound, the fork is over-damped. Although the 180 mm Aion is confident in its travel, it doesn't respond very sensitively and is reluctant to release its travel. We have seen this phenomenon before with other Suntour forks in this price range, for example from our test of the Bulls Sonic. In our test of the Merida, we couldn't achieve a real balance between front and rear, even after various setup attempts.

Especially on small, fast hits, the firm fork can't keep up and passes many hits on to the rider's hands. The Aion only offers reserves at high speeds and over large obstacles. The better-equipped eOne-Eighty 700 model with Rockshox suspension would probably be the solution to the suspension problem, but costs a whole 1500 euros more. On the other hand, the grippy Maxxis tyres with DD casing on the rear wheel and the generally successful geometry provide a lot of confidence in fast downhill mode.

BIKE review of the eOne-Eighty 400

Strengths

• handy geometry
• Bosch system
• Downhill and bike park approval

Weaknesses

• Overdamped fork
• heavy, simple parts
• Clattering and rattling downhill

The BIKE conclusion

The Merida eOne-Eighty has what it takes to be the perfect bike park e-bike and cuts a fine figure even without a lift thanks to the powerful Bosch unit and decent climbing characteristics. However, the simple equipment comes at the expense of trail performance. The SR Suntour fork in particular slows the Merida down on the descents. - Adrian Kaether, Editor Test & Technology