Merdia is revamping its SILEX gravel bike. Following the successful introduction of the SILEX in 2018, the Taiwanese brand now comes out with a new SILEX, bringing with it some fine new innovations. For this go-to gravel bike for bikepacking and adventure tours, the most eye-catching is the room for wider, more robust tyres up to 45mm width. The world really is at your feet now!
Photos: Merida Benelux
Like its predecessor, the new SILEX is a versatile, comfortable gravel bike. So with the ability to fit 700x45mm tyres, you have a great bike on your hands. Not only that, the geometry of the bike has also received a facelift; a longer REACH and a slightly 'lazier' headtube angle contribute to improved stability. You especially notice this when the bike is heavily loaded during challenging bikepacking trips, especially on rougher terrain. Aesthetically, you also have a slightly shorter, sportier head tube, combined with a longer fork. This makes for a comfortable riding experience, building on its predecessor.
Internal cables
In a world where details count, the new SILEX comes with WIRE PORT cable routing, a feature that ensures a clean look and minimises annoying cable rattling and chafing. There is also flexibility in your choice of groupset, with options for both 1x and 2x configurations. You can also mount mudguards on your frame. The aluminium frames can be fitted with luggage racks, making the bike even more versatile.
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Bigger is better
What's really nice: Merida has equipped the new SILEX with extra-large 180mm brake discs. Bigger is definitely BETTER in this case because bigger write is more braking power. Especially if you go bikepacking with a lot of luggage, you just want to have this. Won't that brake disc go on fire then? No way, because combined with their DISC COOLER technology in the carbon models, you're completely safe.
King of the gravel
The performance of the new SILEX speaks for itself, as was evident at the World Gravel Championships, where Bahrain-Victorious rider Matej Mohoric rode to an impressive victory. This proves that in addition to its versatility, the SILEX also offers speed and power in the most demanding conditions.
The new Merida SILEX gravel bike is already available for €1349, in an aluminium version of course. The top of the range is the SILEX 10k, which changes hands just under that 10k.
You can find more info on the bikes and options at the site of MERIDA
