In line with the trend towards cross-country bikes with improved riding characteristics - especially downhill - Merida has not just given the Big.Nine a facelift, but has completely redesigned the popular 29-inch hardtail. With sporty genes and a light weight, the old Big.Nine was a coveted BIKE test winner in its day. That was six years ago, and the last major update of the Merida Big.Nine was seven years ago. The demands placed on XC hardtails have increased significantly. Expectations of the successor to the race bike are correspondingly high. The Big.Nine family is traditionally large. Merida also offers affordable hardtails under this name. Only two carbon models of the new Merida Big.Nine 2024 will be available in Germany for the time being.
The Merida Big.Nine 2024 at a glance
Manufacturer information
- Area of application: Crosscountry
- Fork suspension travel: 100 millimetres
- Wheel size: 29 inch
- Price: 2999 Euro (Big.Nine XT) / 9499 (Big.Nine 10K)
- Weight: 10.2 kilos (Big. Nine XT) / 9.3 kilos (Big. Nine 10K)
- New carbon frame with "Agilometer" sizing system
- Two equipment versions, each in two colour variants
Geometry update for the Merida Big.Nine
Even the Merida Big.Nine hardtail cannot escape the continuing trend towards longer and slacker frames. The head angle of the new carbon frame has been slackened by a full two degrees to 68 degrees. In size M, the reach has increased by a full 31 millimetres to 452 millimetres. At the same time, the seat angle is now modernly steep at 75.3 degrees. Similar to the Merida One.Sixty and One.Forty, the Taiwanese now rely on their proven agilometre size concept. Relatively short seat tubes with long seat posts are used so that riders can choose the frame size based on their preferred riding characteristics rather than their height.
In the case of the Big.Nine, the seat tube in size M is radically short at 410 millimetres. Riders who want a longer and therefore smoother-running hardtail can choose a size L without a long seat tube getting in the way. If you prefer manoeuvrable bikes, you can also ride an S frame - thanks to the long seat tube. People who value balanced riding characteristics above all will stick with the familiar M frame. Merida combines this progressive geometry approach on the new Big.Nine with size-specific chainstays for a better balanced weight distribution on the bike. Depending on the size, the Keck now measures 430 to 442 millimetres.
The significantly shorter seat tubes and lower standover heights are intended to give the rider more freedom of movement and control on the descent. At the same time, the shortened seat tubes allow the use of long-travel dropper posts. Merida equips the two models of the new Big.Nine available in Germany with rigid seatposts. With these, the longer extension leads to more flex and therefore increased seating comfort. To ensure that the long frame concept is fully realised, Merida uses shorter stems and only suspension forks with 44 millimetres of travel. A shorter head tube allows the cockpit height to be flexibly adjusted from very low to high via spacers.
New details on the Merida Big.Nine
Of course, Merida is also using the new edition of the Big.Nine hardtail for a visual and technical update in detail. The increasingly widespread flatmount mounting standard is now used on the rear brake. The cables pass through the Acros headset into the frame and run completely internally. Merida relies on the maintenance-friendly BSA standard for the bottom bracket. The Boost rear triangle now fits tyres up to 2.4 inches wide. There is no option for a front derailleur; the new Big.Nine is designed exclusively for modern single drivetrains. For compatibility with the electronic Sram Eagle Transmission groupsets, there is now a Sram UDH derailleur hanger on the frame. A chain guide can also be fitted to the bottom bracket.
The long down tube of the new Merida Big.Nine has room for two bottle cages in a row. There is an additional tool mount under the top tube. The cross-country hardtail adopts further equipment details from its all-mountain and enduro brothers: there is a multitool under the saddle and a removable lever with hexagon spanner in the rear wheel axle. The new Merida Team CC III stems also come with mounting points for lights and a bike computer.
The models of the new Merida Big.Nine for 2024
Merida offers two models of the Big.Nine carbon hardtail. The frame of the more affordable XT model for € 2999 is manufactured with the so-called CF3 carbon layup and is said to weigh from 1100 grams. The significantly more expensive top model, the 10K, which costs 9499 euros, has a CF5 carbon frame weighing 880 grams with higher quality fibres. Of course, the two models also differ in terms of equipment.
As the name suggests, the Merida Big.Nine XT is equipped with a Shimano XT groupset. The brakes also bear the Shimano XT logo. The affordable build is completed with Merida's own wheels and the new Rockshox Sid SL with a single damping unit. In terms of equipment, the more expensive Merida Big.Nine 10K leaves nothing to be desired. In addition to the wireless Sram XX Eagle SL Transmission and the top Rockshox Sid SL Ultimate fork, the high-end hardtail is fitted with carbon wheels from Reynolds. Both equipment variants roll on Maxxis Recon Race tyres. The new Merida Cross Country hardtail is available in five sizes from XS to XXL.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
