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This week for Fast Bike Friday we’re taking a look at the Merida Big Trail 400 hardcore hardtail. Tough trail-focused hardtails with longer-travel suspension forks upfront are very much a staple within UK mountain biking with this simple setup being really popular amongst riders looking for a bike that can handle rowdy, technical trails and aggressive riding. It turns out that this sort of approach to mountain biking is fairly unique to the UK and so, when you begin to look at the bike ranges from mainstream brands that are based elsewhere in the world you’ll find that there aren’t always many options for this sort of hardtail MTB.
The Merida Big Trail 400 is a playful UK-focused trail bike…
Despite Merida being one of the biggest bike manufacturers in the world they obviously have their fingers on the pulse when it comes to measuring demand for all genres of bikes. The brand have an ethos that encourages comments and feedback gathered from customers via their retailers and fed back to their national Product Managers. This chain of communication flagged up the UK’s demand for a fun, agile hardtail trail bike and working closely with their UK MTB Product Manager Rey the wish list for such a bike was defined – a trail focused 29er with 140mm fork, 1x transmission, Boost standard bolt thru axles and of course a dropper post; as a result of this process the Merida Big Trail range of bikes was born.
The Big Trail 400 was born out of a demand for a more agile hardcore hardtail…
Merida have developed a bike with very modern ‘trail bike’ geometry. With a slack enduro inspired 65.5° head angle the Big Trail 400 features a 140mm travel suspension fork to handle steep, tight, technical trails. The frame geometry features a long-reach top tube combined with a short stem to give plenty of room to move freely about the bike while keeping steering sharp and responsive; the bike also features a super-low stand-over height further adding to your agility on the bike while a long dropper post means that when fully-extended seated pedaling is comfortable and effective; with the dropper activated the saddle is well out of the way to accommodate more aggressive trail riding.
The slack 65.5° head angle combined with a burly 140mm travel fork is ready for steep, technical descents…
The Merida Big Trail 400 is made from lightweight but tough AL 6061 aluminium and is manufactured using Merida’s Techno Forming System which produces cleverly profiled frame tubing that flares out at the head tube to enhance overall strength. There is also reinforcement at the junction between the top tube and seat tube and some clever construction at the bottom bracket to be able to pull the large 29er wheel in tightly to allow for super-short chainstays which help to further enhance the playful nature of the Big Trail 400. With contemporary Boost hub spacing and thru-axles the frame is stiff and the junction between frame and wheel is secure.
A tough, lightweight alloy frame keeps things light and agile…
A tapered headtube helps to keep steering sharp and precise…
Cables are routed internally for a clean, uncluttered look while cables are protected from the elements…
Merida have spec’d a Suntour XCR34 LOR Air suspension fork providing that all-important 140mm of travel to handle those big hits. These aggressive trail forks accommodate a 110x15mm thru-axle which keeps the 29er front wheel secure and in place while enhancing steering precision. The Suntour XCR34 also features a lockout on the fork crown to allow you to quickly lock out your fork when you’re riding back up the hill to take another run down your favourite trail.
The Suntour XCR34LOR Air suspension fork can take the big hits…
The Suntour XCR34LOR fork includes a lockout for efficient climbing…
Frame clearance on the Merida Big Trail 400 is really good, allowing you to fit big, aggressive tread 29” tyres with a maximum width of 2.5”. The bike comes spec’d with capable 29” x 2.4” Kenda Regolith tyres that provide loads of traction on the up hills as well as on the tight, loose downhill turns. This aggressive trail bike rolls fast over obstacles thanks to its 29er wheels; the bigger wheels and burly tyres mean you can plough through harsh terrain and remain in control with the benefit of a larger contact area between tyre and terrain when compared with smaller circumference wheels.
The Big Trail 400 is spec’d with very capable 29” x 2.4” Kenda Regolith tyres…
Merida have spec’d the Big Trail with powerful Shimano BR-MT200 2 piston hydraulic disc brakes combined with big 180mm rotors to provide a lot of stopping power even when you’re really under pressure negotiating steep, super-tight downhill turns that require you to come to an almost dead stop.
There’s ample stopping power the Shimano BR-MT200 hydraulic disc brakes…
The rear hydraulic brake caliper is tidily positioned within the frame, away from the potential for knocks and damage…
The Shimano BR-MT200 hydraulic brake levers provide loads of stopping power, below the left brake lever is the remote lever for the mechanical dropper seat post which is internally routed through the frame…
The Merida Big Trail 400 hardtail features a Shimano Deore 1x groupset made up of a Shimano Deore M5100 chainset with a 32 tooth chainring combined with a 10 speed Shimano Deore M4100 cassette with a wide user-friendly range of gears ranging from 11 to 46 teeth. A Shimano Deore M4100 shifter connected to a Shimano Deore M5120 Shadow+ 10 speed rear derailleur takes care of gear selection providing crisp, precise gear shifting in all circumstances; the addition of a pair of VP Components VPE-891 flat platform pedals is a nice touch by Merida.
Shimano Deore transmission provides reliable gear selection in all conditions…
A 10 speed Shimano Deore M4100 shifter provides precise gear shifting…
The Big Trail’s finishing kit includes a super-short 50mm stem to keep steering sharp…
A Merida Comp CC saddle is durable and comfortable when you’re spinning a low gear while seated…
If you’re looking for an affordable hardcore hardtail that is ready for aggressive riding on UK trails then the Merida Big Trail 400 is a great choice. This competitively priced trail bike packs a lot of punch for price and includes a great component spec that’s ready for action straight out of the box. It ticks all the boxes regarding what we’ve come to expect from a UK focused trail bike, namely slack geometry, a big travel suspension fork, simple 1x transmission and a dropper post all for just £1,000.00
Looking for an affordable UK-focused trail bike? The Merida Big Trail 400 is a great option…
Find out more about the Big Trail 400 on Merida’s Youtube channel…
The Merida Big Trail 400 is available in-store and online now.
Blog written by Johnny Dodgin
Bike Photos by James Vincent
