MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 5000 – PRODUCT FEATURE

Check out the all-new 2021 Merida eOne-Sixty 5000! Exclusive to the UK market this awesome E-MTB has been built to excel on the trails and take your riding to new levels thanks in no small part to its excellent Shimano Steps EP8 motor and 504Wh battery which will help propel you through terrain you previously deemed unrideable. Merida set out to make an E-MTB that is super-fun to ride and feels as playful and agile as its ‘acoustic’ non-powered cousins, so we’re not surprised to see the eOne-Sixty 5000 spec’d as a Mullet bike; what’s a Mullet bike and what are the advantages of running such a setup? Read on…

The Merida eOne-Sixty is exclusive to the UK…

…Wheel size choice used to be simple! Until recently most trail-focused riders chose the 27.5” wheel over the 29” option (29ers typically being the reserve of racey cross-country types). The 27.5” wheel replaced the original 26” wheel size and was basically the best of both worlds – faster rolling than a 26” wheel but still more agile and easier to accelerate than a 29” wheel. For while that’s how things stayed with most hardtails and cross-country-focused MTB’s featuring 29” wheels and more playful trail and enduro-focused MTB’s featuring 27.5” wheels. Then suddenly Pro Downhill Racers started running 29” wheels! They did this because they recognised that they could carry their speed better through technical terrain; 29” wheels had become lighter and more durable thanks to advances in wheel and tyre technology and all of the best bike brands were quick to tune the geometry of their bikes to accommodate these larger wheels.

So we all discovered that 29” wheels could be just as fun as 27.5” and in most cases could be quicker too; quickly those bigger wheels started to feature on a large majority of trail and enduro MTB’s. So, everyone settled on 29” wheels for riding everything right? Well, no not quite; some forward-thinking Downhill Pros started experimenting with running a 29” wheel up front and a 27.5” wheel at the back – the Mullet setup was born! Why Mullet? Because it’s business upfront – big wheel, fast-rolling over obstacles, and party out back – a smaller wheel for a playful, slightly more agile bike; this setup also suited smaller riders such as pro downhiller Danny Hart.

So why exactly have Merida spec’d the Merida eOne-Sixty 5000 E-MTB in the Mullet configuration? Their rationale for this setup has a lot to do with the extra demands of an electric mountain bike; the Merida designers have found there’s considerably more force going through the rear wheel and the smaller 27.5” wheel copes better with these forces. Because of their clever Mullet setup the eOne-Sixty 5000 is able to accelerate quickly and plough through technical terrain; the large 29” wheel up-front rolls easily over trail obstacles while the smaller 27.5” back wheel copes with the significant forces applied from both the bike’s motor and the terrain that the bike is negotiating.

Business up-front, party out-back, it’s the mullet-configuration!…

The Merida eOne-Sixty 5000 features Shimano’s new EP8 motor which is noticeably more compact than its E8000 predecessor and is considerably more quiet; this motor weighs considerably less and allows for cleaner integration into the E-MTB’s chassis. The EP8 motor gives a more natural, smoother feeling to the pedalling assistance, with another key improvement being the EP8’s heat management which allows the motor to output max torque for longer without overheating. The Shimano Steps EP8 motor has a maximum torque output of 85Nm with the power delivery being direct but incredibly smooth to ensure you are in full control with a natural ride feeling. The motor features a Magnesium drive unit casing which is more compact than previous Shimano motors as well as being 300g lighter than their E8000 motor.

Shimano’s new EP8 motor which is noticeably more compact than its E8000 predecessor…

Switching on the Merida eOne-Sixty 5000 brings the simple to understand black and white digital display to life. Once on you can toggle between the motor’s ‘Eco’ ‘Trail’ and ‘Boost’ modes using the slim ,ergonomic and easy to use switch located next to the left-hand grip.

The control display unit is simple to understand and use…

To accompany their new Steps EP8 e-bike motor system Shimano have produced an equally compact, integrated battery for the downtube, freeing up bike brands to create even more svelte-looking e-bikes, as seen here on the Merida eOne-Sixty 5000. This 504Wh integrated battery is quick charging with a 50% charge taking 2.5 hours and a full charge taking 6 hours. The Merida engineers have cleverly added vents at the headtube of the eOne-Sixty to help keep your battery from overheating which is a nice touch.

A 504Wh integrated battery is neatly integrated into the frame…

Vents in the headtube help prevent the battery overheating…

The Shimano 504Wh battery is sleek and quick charging…

Find out more about the Shimano EP8 motor by clicking the blue link below…

A Rock Shox Deluxe Select rear shock provides 150mm of progressive travel…

Durable pivots are E-MTB specific for enhanced durability…

Merida have spec’d a Rock 35 Silver R Air sprung suspension fork with 160mm of travel…

A reliable Shimano Deore 10-Speed drivetrain is activated by a M4100 shifter…

The 10-Speed Shimano Deore RD-M5120 rear derailleur with a clutch keeps the chain secure and provides precise gear shifts…

The 10-Speed wide-ratio 11-46T cassette combined with a 34T chainring upfront gives you all the gear combinations you’ll need…

Merida have spec’d a pair of powerful Shimano M4100 four-piston hydraulic brakes combined with large 203mm disc brake rotors to help you control this super-fast E-MTB…

Finishing kit from Merida includes stem, handlebar, dropper seat post and saddle which includes a neat little multi-tool stowed away on the underside…

Full Specification:

• Frame: CFA II Carbon front triangle with 6016 aluminium rear triangle
• Rear Shock: Rockshox Deluxe Select
• Fork: Rockshox 35 Silver R, air, 160mm Travel, Tapered, 51mm fork offset
• Motor: Shimano EP8; 85Nm motor
• Battery: Shimano E803, 504 Wh
• Shift Levers: Shimano Deore M4100
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore RDM5120 10
• Cassette: Shimano CN-HG54, 11-46T, 10-Speed
• Chainset: Shimano CRE70B; 34T chainring with Shimano FCEM600; 165mm length crank
• Pedals: VP Components, VPE-537
• Brake Levers: Shimano M4100
• Brakes: Shimano M4100; 4 piston hydraulic disc brake with Shimano RT30; 203 mm rotor
• Front Wheel Hub: Shimano MT400-B; 110x15mm; 32 spokes; Centerlock
• Rear Wheel Hub: Shimano MT400-B; 148x12mm; 36 spokes; Centerlock; including removable lever with 4/6mm Allen key
• Front Wheel Rim: 29” Alloy Merida Comp TR; 29mm inner rim width
• Rear Wheel Rim: 27.5” Alloy Merida Comp TR; 29mm inner rim width
• Front Tyre: Kenda Regolith; 29″ x 2.4″; wire bead
• Rear Tyre: Kenda Regolith; 27.5″ x 2.6″; wire bead
• Head Set: Merida-1901
• Stem: Merida Expert eTRII; aluminium; 35mm diameter; 0 degree rise – Length : 40 mm all sizes
• Handle Bars: Merida Expert eTR; 780mm wide; 20mm rise
• Handlebar Grips: Merida Expert EC
• Saddle: Merida Comp CC
• Seat Post: Merida Comp TR; 30.9mm diameter; in-line; XS 100mm drop – S/M 125mm drop – L/XL 150mm drop with Shimano SL -MT500-IL lever

 

The Merida eOne-Sixty is available instore and online now…