2019 BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

DREAM BIKES! BUDGET DEALS! AWESOME TECH!

STAGE RACE SUPERSTARS MERIDA ONE TWENTY 6000

MERIDA ONE TWENTY 6000

WWITH THE ONE TWENTY, MERIDA HAS BLURRED THE LINES BETWEEN CROSS-COUNTRY, MARATHON AND TRAIL RIDING. It’s calm and composed on the climbs, whether you’re in or out of the saddle

– the modern geometry offers lots of room to move around and stretch your legs. An easy reach down to flip the rear shock into lockout mode, and the bike rolls like a hardtail on smooth drags.

I tested this bike on the fire roads of Table Mountain, and was surprised at how easily it handled rock chutes, drops and small jumps. Then I tried some more technical downhill trails, which would have suited a burlier set-up, and I was only a few seconds slower than when I’d charged down on a full-bore enduro bike. Sufficient lateral stiffness up front, coupled with excellent grip, gave me lots of confidence through the corners.

The build kit is great for the price: Maxxis tyres, SRAM Eagle GX 1x12 drivetrain, 175mm Descendant cranks, Shimano brakes, 130mm RockShox Revelation fork, 120mm Deluxe rear shock and a 150mm dropper post. Everything combines well with the carbon frame and alloy rear triangle, to deliver a smooth, spritely, silent ride.

All too often, mountain bikes are boxed into specific categories. The One Twenty ignores categorisation. You’ll find that it’s simply a very good mountain bike that will keep you happy for the other 51 weekends of the year when you’re not riding Sani2C.