Merida's 29er premiere was the testers' favourite bike. Everyone praised the riding position, the great climbing characteristics, the downhill stability and the manoeuvrability. It is surprisingly light-footed. First place in the subjective handling ranking. The Twenty Nine doesn't look very spectacular: a classic aluminium frame with a fine design and inconspicuous laboratory values. Very good: the geometry (similar to the Specialized) and the large brake discs. The Matchmaker clamp makes for a tidy cockpit. Only the fork falls slightly short of the competition. Rock Shox Recon is not Reba, at least there is a lockout on the handlebars. Good: five frame sizes available.
ConclusionThe Merida Twenty Nine was the testers' favourite bike. Top handling, the equipment is average.
+ Driving characteristics
+ Large brake discs
- Moderate fork
- Inexpensive tyre model
Web: www.merida.de
