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This new 2024 Merida Silex gravel bike is quicker, extra succesful, and a significantly better wanting bike than the unique Silex. Whether or not you trip quick gravel or head off on bikepacking adventures, the fully revamped Silex could possibly be an ideal match for you. And it’s simply as reasonably priced as ever in full carbon and even cheaper in aluminum.
2024 Merida Silex versatile gravel bike
In actual fact, it’s so significantly better a gravel bike, Matej Mohorič already raced it to a UCI Gravel World Championship win simply over per week in the past.
And at some point earlier than we had an opportunity to place in some dusty kilometers on each new carbon and alloy gravel bikes.
The Merida crew even additionally raced Badlands on it, too.
Whereas from the skin the brand new Silex appears fully totally different in comparison with its predecessor, a lot of the easy versatile idea stays. That is and has all the time been a do-it-all gravel bike with lengthy, steady geometry impressed by mountain bikes, and sufficient carrying capability for any kind of gravel rides. Some new gravel bikes have begun to distinguish themselves as both quick gravel race bikes or off-road bikepacking journey bikes. However the Merida Silex stays an all-rounder.
Race it, trip it to work, or head off on an journey.
What’s new?
The most important outdoors shift is the brand new look – eliminating the large headtube of the unique Silex. Merida says the Silex has been fairly widespread for its versatility. However in addition they admit it’s been a little bit of an “ugly duckling” of their line-up. Two issues assist shrink that headtube.
First off, the brand new bike will get an all new longer fork. Now with a 415mm axle-to-crown (vs. earlier 398mm lengthy fork that glided by old-fashioned CX fork size requirements), there’s elevated tire clearance. But additionally room to place a short-travel gravel suspension fork just like the Rudy if you need down the road.
Second, is lowered rider place for a extra efficiency oriented bike match. Which means on my Medium take a look at bike, the 607mm Stack is sort of a bit decrease than earlier than, however the headtube size is now an inexpensive (and good wanting) 170mm vs. the large 200mm of the OG Silex.
One other large shift on these shorter headtubes, is inner cable routing. Using Merida’s Wire Port cable administration via the headset, brings compatibility with full 1-piece or 2-piece cockpit, or traditional semi-internal bar & stem setups from FSA. It even works for a mechanical internally routed dropper publish, in the event you’re into that type of factor. And there’s routing for dynamo wiring down within the proper fork leg.
The longer fork crown additionally means greater tire clearance – now formally 700 x 45mm at each ends, which is fairly conservative in our opinion. Additionally 42mm clearance with common full-coverage fenders.
New Tech Particulars
On the identical time, newly double dropped chainstays imply large tires and 1x or 2x chainring choices. And there’s a detachable entrance derailleur mount and area for highway compact chainrings. A brand new 27.2 seatpost clamp will get built-in. It’s now a wedge-style clamp tucked into the toptube from the highest. And the bike shifts to larger 180mm brake rotors on normal builds with inbuilt disc cooler warmth sinks on the carbon bike for further braking consistency.
On the carbon frames, the primary bottle cage mount is now a flush-mount Fidlock setup, however you may nonetheless run a daily cage in the event you desire. On the alloy body, it’s normal 3-bolts so you may mount a cage excessive or low, or an Something cage (and even rear rack mounts). Plus, there’s one other regular bottle cage mount on the seattube, an adjunct cage mount underneath the again of the toptube, a set of toptube bag mounts up prime behind the stem, and one other set of mounts underneath the downtube. The brand new full carbon fork additionally brings 3-pack something cage mounts.
Each frames and the carbon fork are designed for full protection fenders, with the carbon body utilizing a bolt on seatstay bridge adapter.
Gravel Journey- & Race-Prepared Geometry
The brand new Silex will get a 1.5° slacker 69.5° headtube in comparison with the unique Silex, whereas the seattube is now 0.5° steeper at 74.5°. Mixed with greater than a centimeter lengthy body Attain and the identical 430mm chainstays, the brand new gravel bike has greater than 2cm longer wheelbases throughout all body sizes.
That longer wheelbase and the elevated stability over free surfaces, was apparently the one largest deciding issue for Matej Mohorič selecting the brand new Silex to race Gravel Worlds over a extra racing-focused highway, all-road or gravel bike.
It’s nonetheless a comparatively upright place, however the Medium & Giant sized bikes I attempted each featured nearly 2cm decrease body Stack vs. the unique. You’ll be able to nonetheless get a snug upright place. However now it’s a greater compromise for riders in search of a extra performance-focused match on the bike too.
How gentle are the brand new gravel bikes – in carbon or alloy?
Merida’s new gravel bike is available in both carbon or aluminum. Neither are ultralight, however constructed for consolation and sturdiness. The Silex CF carbon body is claimed at 1220g or the Silex LITE aluminum body at 1900g. Each share the identical full carbon Silex fork at a claimed 540g. So, that’s simply an additional 680g for the alloy bike.
And only a half kilo distinction in the actual world on my scale.
2024 Merida Silex – Pricing, Choices & Availability
The brand new Merida Silex is out there in 6 full bike builds – 3 in carbon and one other 3 in aluminum.
The entry into the carbon bike prices simply £2250 / 2700€ for the 2024 Merida Silex 4000, utilizing a low-cost 2×10 Shimano GRX groupset to maintain prices low. A £3000 / 3600€ Silex 7000 steps that as much as the wide-range new GRX 1x 12-speed group.
Then, on the foolish extravagant stage, there’s a £8750 / 10,500€ Silex 10k that goes all-in with a full SRAM Pink x Eagle AXS construct together with a powermeter crankset, a AXS dropper publish and Reynolds Black Label carbon wheels. It’s a ginormous leap from that GRX construct to Pink on the identical frameset. And I may think about many budgets in between that might construct a extra logical & reasonably priced Pressure AXS setup, however to every his personal, I assume?
There’s additionally technically a 4th mysterious Silex 8000 mannequin that’s priced at £5250 / 6300€, however we don’t have any official particulars on that. Presumably, that’s an digital shift pricepoint, however the lack of particulars counsel a brand new groupset past what’s already out there from SRAM or Shimano. Hmmm…
Or in additional reasonably priced aluminum…
On the way more reasonably priced finish of the spectrum, a £1275 / 1500€ 2024 Merida Silex 200 will get the aluminum body and an excellent budget-friendly Shimano Sora 2x9sp construct that might make an excellent commuter or entry into gravel.
At £1650 / 1980€, you get the Silex 400 although once more with that also reasonably priced GRX 2×10 construct. Or at £2350 / 2820€ the Silex 700 will get the correct new GRX 12-speed groupset.
It’s fairly fascinating to me that these 400/4000 & 700/7000 construct kits are equivalent for each the aluminum/carbon body choices, letting the client see the actual distinction in value. And it means you may choose a carbon bike with an inexpensive construct or an alloy bike with a greater element spec for nearly the identical value, relying in your priorities.
Both method, all six builds can be found now from Merida sellers. Simply FYI, the € pricing is particular to the Irish market, and can fluctuate a bit nation to nation throughout the EU.
First Gravel Trip Impressions?
I had an opportunity to get in a number of rides final week on each the brand new carbon Merida Silex 7000 and its alloy analogue Silex 700. Sharing the very same geometry, the identical spec, and surprisingly shut weights – each appeared like nice gravel bikes.
Keep tuned for an in depth evaluation breaking down the Silex and evaluating the 2 body choices, quickly…
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