They say you don't talk about money. However, this is absolutely necessary when testing the Merida, because with the One-Forty 6000, the industry giant sends by far the cheapest bike in our comparison test in the all-mountain category. That's why the Merida can't draw on the full range of equipment - in contrast to the competition. Rocky Mountain, Mondraker and Arc8 (here in the test!) all cost an average of 1400 euros more and therefore have more financial leeway to invest in lightweight and high-quality components. The price disadvantage is particularly noticeable in the suspension. The Rockshox Lyrik in the affordable base version responds well, but is much more timid than the forks of the competition. The affordable Shimano Deore drivetrain and the in-house wheels also fall behind the rest of the test group. This costs the One-Forty important points in terms of weight and component quality.
The most important information about the Merida One-Forty 6000
| Category | details |
| Model | Merida One-Forty 6000 |
| Total weight (without pedals) | 15.20 kg |
| Suspension travel (v/h) | 150 / 143 mm |
| Wheel size | 29" |
| Price | 5199 Euro |
| Frame material | Carbon |
| Max. system weight | 135 kg |
| Guarantee | For life |
| Special features | Agilometer geometry |
| Weight of wheels | 5608 g |
| Impeller inertia | 4153 kg × cm² |
Also in the test of all-mountains up to 7500 euros:
Merida One-Forty 6000: Equipment
| Category | details |
| Fork / damper | RockShox Lyrik Base / RockShox Deluxe Select+ |
| Circuit / bandwidth | Shimano Deore 1×12 / 510 % |
| Brakes | Shimano Deore / 203 / 203 mm |
| Impellers | Merida Expert TLR, Shimano hubs |
| Tyres | Maxxis Minion DHF; MaxxTerra EXO / Dissector; MaxxTerra EXO+ TR, 29 × 2.5 / 2.4 |
| Seat post / stroke | Merida Team TR II / 230 mm |
Sporty seating position
The One-Forty is the sportiest bike in this test field. 78 degree seat angle, more than 500 millimetres of reach and a 40 mm stem - these values stretch the rider across the front triangle of the frame - including a lot of pressure on the front wheel. This creates maximum control on technical climbs. As a result, the Merida achieves top marks in the uphill classification despite the highest weight.
However, if you prefer to take it easy on tour, simply choose a size smaller to defuse the stretched seating position. The in-house telescopic seat post with a stroke of up to 230 millimetres makes this possible. It can be adjusted to its maximum height and allows riders to choose the next smaller or larger frame depending on their preference. Agilometre - that's what Merida calls this versatile size concept. Also good: Thanks to the flip chip, the Merida One-Forty can also be equipped with a 27.5-inch rear wheel for more playfulness.
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Uncertainty on the downhill
The Merida's sporty geometry is its downhill undoing. Due to the short head tube and the short steerer tube, the front of the One-Forty is very low. Coupled with the extremely long reach, a lot of weight rests on the front. What enables good traction in corners and direct handling on flat terrain turns out to be a limiting factor on steep descents. A secure position low behind the control centre? Not a chance. "You almost feel trapped in the front-heavy riding position," says one tester. And he is right. Bunny hops and other manoeuvres on the Merida require a lot of effort and an extra dose of courage on steep trails.
It's clear that the fork can't keep up with the more expensive models of the competition due to the lack of damping control. Unfortunately, the rear-end performance also falls short of our expectations. In particular, fast sequences of hits push the Select+ shock to its limits without a reservoir. Despite the long geometry, the One-Forty gets nervous early on rough, fast straights.
Review of the Merida One-Forty 6000
| Area / Criterion | Weighting (%) | Merida rating |
| Driving behaviour | 65 | 2,99 |
| Uphill | 13 | 1,5 |
| Efficiency chassis | 10 | 2 |
| Play instinct | 12 | 3 |
| Downhill | 10 | 3,5 |
| Chassis | 20 | 4 |
| Laboratory | 10 | 3,65 |
| Total weight | 6 | 3,75 |
| Impeller inertia | 4 | 3,5 |
| Equipment | 25 | 1,78 |
| Equipment quality | 5 | 3,39 |
| Usability / added value | 5 | 2,5 |
| Transport volume bottle cage | 5 | 2 |
| Saddle retractability | 5 | 0,5 |
| Quality / Processing | 5 | 0,5 |
| Guarantee | - | for life |
| Service friendliness | - | medium |
| Frame stiffness front/rear (N/mm) | - | 5,4 / 22,6 |
| BIKE grade | 100 | 2,75 |
Conclusion on the All-Mountain
Admittedly, the Merida has the worst cards in this test due to its price disadvantage. Apart from the cost-related weaknesses in the suspension and weight, the basis - i.e. the chassis - is not completely convincing either. Above all, the geometry, which takes some getting used to, with the low front end and the stiff suspension limit the bike in demanding terrain.
Max Fuchs
Editor
