Only 1.72 metres tall and as energetic as a fidget spinner on the bike: Spaniard José Hermida, 2010 Cross-Country World Champion, is notorious in the World Cup for his riding style. But he never really felt comfortable on the 29-inch format. The 63-kilo athlete accelerates too explosively out of corners, he pushes his bike too actively underneath him in the pedalling stroke. "Tailor-made for José. You can feel who the bike was developed with," says World Cup colleague Florian Vogel, himself an explosive rider on the mountain. Compared to the twentyniners in the test field, both Merida hardtails are much more lively, and the steering on the narrow 660 handlebars sometimes even surprises the rider with its agility. Racers who have previously ridden 26-inch bikes will not notice any difference, the handling is too similar with the short chainstays (424 mm). What is no problem for the World Cup elite, even in steep rock garden passages, can quickly be too much of a good thing for hobby marathon riders. The double XX groupset, which adorned every second bike on the World Cup start line last season, seems unusual for a top model. With its wider range, it is the better choice for marathon riders in particular. Unfortunately, the sensible model has to contend with some additional weight, 900 grams of which is in the wheels alone. These weigh more than all 29er wheels and equalise the 27.5-inch advantage. The riding position on the 100 gram heavier frame is not quite as compact, but the lively handling remains.
Conclusion More than 3500 euros separate the two Merida racers. A hefty sum that is clearly noticeable on every climb, acceleration and gear change. Thanks to the super-agile handling, both bikes remain close to their 26-inch predecessors, clearly distanced in character from Merida's 29er range. An aggressive CC file for high speeds.
Merida Big.7 CF Team
PLUS Available in five frame heights, carbon bottle cage, lightweight frame
MINUS Extremely agile handling, narrow handlebars
Merida Big.7 CF Edition
PLUS Available in five frame heights
MINUS Narrow handlebars, cheap rubber compound for tyres, high total weight, heavy wheels
