MERIDA EONE SIXTY 700
As well as manufacturing frames in Taiwan for many leading brands, Merida have their own range of bikes, designed in the e-bike heartland of Germany. Among the first to go deep into e-MTBs, they’ve built a solid reputation with models like this eOne-Sixty. It’s a slightly more trail- than enduro-focused machine, with a ‘mullet’ wheel set-up and 150mm of rear wheel travel.
THE FRAME
Made from Merida’s ‘Racelight 61’ alloy, the second-generation eOne-Sixty frame gets double-pass welds for a seamless look. The oversize head tube incorporates an internal steering limiter, while the huge, triangulated down tube houses a 630Wh battery, which not only powers the Shimano EP8 motor, but also an included headlight. A single-pivot swingarm keeps things simple out back, with a linkage to actuate the shock – here, a shorter-stroke Fox Float DPX2 mounted to a frame brace above the motor.
Merida have positioned the drive unit so the crank arms are 17.5mm below the wheel axles, giving the eOneSixty a marginally higher BB than some rivals, but also great standover clearance. A 65.5-degree head angle is combined with a traditional-by-today’s-standards 460mm reach and 1,234mm wheelbase on the large size, although the latter is reduced by 439mm chainstays – very short for an e-bike.
THE KIT
The mixed Shimano XT and Deore drivetrain shifts smoothly, and is decent quality for the cash, while four-piston SLX brakes pack plenty of grunt to halt a hauling e-bike if you overcook it. Marzocchi’s Bomber Z1 fork is essentially a Fox 36 with more basic GRIP damping. The Merida wheels aren’t so good, though – even with a 36-spoke build, the rear got seriously bent during testing. They at least come with top-notch Maxxis Assegai and Minion tyres, in the right compound (3C MaxxGrip front, MaxxTerra rear) and with durable Double Down casings. While Merida aren’t alone in speccing 2.6in rubber (here, on the rear only), these tyres aren’t ideal in wet UK conditions. Unless you run them on super-wide rims, they tend to blow up with a rounded profile, which can make them ‘surf’ over grease and mud rather than biting in.
THE RIDE
A true all-rounder, the eOne-Sixty is lively, easy to ride and packs enough juice to feel zestier than duller, soggier and heavier rigs. It’s one of the easiest e-bikes on which to manual or loft the front wheel over obstacles, and it also cuts from side to side on the trail quickly, with reactive and precise steering. The Merida’s middleof-the-road sizing and geometry, and taut suspension, gives it a more agile and responsive attitude than you get on some longer, lower, slacker bikes. This is really felt when cornering – it’s mega fun ripping through linked berms, with weight on the super-grippy 2.5in front tyre and the back end slinking and snaking to mirror shifts in body weight.
While the rear suspension is active, it doesn’t feel quite as deep or smooth as on some other e-bikes with similar travel when things get really chunky. Conversely, the 160mm fork is crazy-supple, and tracks every nuance of the terrain. This creates a slight imbalance on steep downhills and means it’s harder to dial in enough support if you like a more propped-up front end. Compounding this is a tendency for the back end to bind or sti en slightly under heavy braking down steep chutes and DH tracks.
Climbing grip is great in the dry – one area where the fatter rear tyre excels – but the 75.5-degree seat tube angle and stubby chainstays pitch your weight back marginally on the steepest uphills. Even with the saddle inched right forward, this can cause the front wheel to lift, reducing power and traction. In common with every other Shimano EP8 bike here, the pedalling assistance is smooth, but there’s also an annoying motor clack when freewheeling. Merida either got lucky or their frame is better acoustically-damped than some rivals’, though, as the eOne-Sixty is quieter than some.
If you regularly ride a mixture of terrain, from bridleways to trail centre loops and occasional enduro tracks, the Merida will be a perfect ally that feels light and rides naturally. Hard-charging, DH-focused riders will soon find the limits of the geometry and suspension, though, and may be better o looking elsewhere.
Mick Kirkman www.meridabikes.com
IT’S ONE OF THE EASIEST E BIKES ON WHICH TO MANUAL OR LOFT THE WHEEL OVER OBSTACLES