Merida Big Trail 500 2025

The ALL NEW Merida Big Trail - TRAIL FUN SIMPLIFIED

For as long as we can remember, hardtails have been the backbone of Merida. The hardtail is for many, the first step into the exciting world of off-road riding. The last generation hit the trails on 29er wheels, with 140 mm of fork travel and progressive hardtail geometry. Loved by the international cycling press and hardtail riders alike, the Big Trail has made a name for itself and enjoyed great popularity.  However, similar to the short-travel full-suspension bikes, riders are looking to tackle even more challenging trails on their trail hardtails. Here’s what Merida had to say about the All New Merida Big Trail;

Originally developed on the back of a napkin by our R&D team, Merida UK and some of the UK’s most knowledgeable dealers, the Big Trail had a rather unconventional start to life.
The aim was to create a super capable trail hardtail with progressive geometry, featuring 29er wheels, long travel forks, dropper posts and trail-ready components. The result is more affordable, easier to set up and requires less maintenance than a full suspension bike. Entering the world of trail riding, the Big Trail featured a slack 65.5° head angle and a steep seat angle, both of which made it a solid descender even when the trail was littered with roots and rocks while maintaining impressive climbing ability due to the central seating position over the bottom bracket. It featured internal cable routing, bottle bosses for two bottles, trail-ready tyre clearance, and long insertion depth for dropper posts, paving the way for upsizing or downsizing, allowing riders to find the perfect size for the riding characteristics they were looking for.

As well as bringing the frame size into line with the existing MTB range,