Move over Shimano: Merida opts for Bosch motors on its new eONE-SIXTY and eONE-EIGHTY eMTBs | BikeRadar

Merida’s all-new eMTBs follow hot on the heels of the brand’s latest eONE-SIXTY and eONE-FORTY bikes, released earlier in 2024.

But the latest eONE-EIGHTY and eONE-SIXTY SL use Bosch’s full-power Performance Line CX Gen 5 and Performance Line SX motors respectively, marking a move away from Shimano.

The new range of eONE-EIGHTY bikes starts at £4,900 / €5,750 and rises to £7,500 / €8,800. The eONE-SIXTY SL starts at £6,000 / €7,000, lifting to £11,500 / €13,500.

Technical editor-in-chief Robin Weaver rode both the eONE-EIGHTY and eONE-SIXTY SL ahead of the launch, and you can read his ride impressions here:

The eONE-EIGHTY follows the tired and tested full-power electric mountain bike formula of 'more is better'.

Along with boasting 180mm of rear-wheel travel, it sports Bosch’s massive 800Wh battery, coil-shock compatible kinematics and a chunky spec designed for descending.

Its gravity-focused geometry is based around Merida’s Agilometer sizing, with the Mid frame getting a 460mm reach, and, of course, it runs mixed wheels (29in front, 27.5in rear).

The new eONE-SIXTY SL also follows recent trends. Along with Bosch’s SX electric bike motor and internal 400Wh battery, its full carbon-fibre frame and full build contribute to a respectable claimed 19.5kg weight.

Merida claims it has fitted no-compromises components in a bid to keep the weight down, with a special mention going to Maxxis’ EXO+ casing tyres front and rear across the range.

The brand's Agilometer sizing is present and correct, with headline figures including a 466mm reach on the Mid-size bike and a 64-degree head angle. Like the long-travel eONE-EIGHTY, it runs mixed wheels.

Along with its Bosch motor, the move to a different suspension design is the biggest switch-up for Merida’s new bike.

Up to this point, all of Merida’s current-gen full-suspension bikes – human-powered and electric – have used a flex-stay suspension design, forgoing a physical pivot between the chainstays and seatstays.

The alloy-framed eONE-EIGHTY adds that physical pivot back in, creating a linkage-driven single-pivot design. Merida says it has changed the design because of the sheer amount of travel available; a flex-stay design can’t reliably handle 180mm of squish.

All that suspension travel has been tweaked for each size of the bike; the kinematics differ depending on how big the bike is, designed to accommodate different-sized riders.

Using the Agilometer geometry system, Merida has basically kept standover and seat-tube lengths minimal, so riders can size up depending on their reach requirements. The reach spans 415mm (XShort) to 505mm (XLong).

Stack heights, however, start and remain high across the board. The lowest is 652mm (XShort), while the XLong gets a 670mm figure.

Edit Table

Now synonymous with the brand, the bike has an in-built front light and tool storage under the saddle, but Merida has added an integrated rear mudguard in both long and short guises.

The Gen5 Performance Line CX motor is mated with an internal 800Wh battery, and Bosch’s PowerMore 250Wh range extender is compatible, boosting watt-hours further.

In a nod to the self-shuttling gravity riding the eONE-EIGHTY is clearly designed for, it can be fitted with a dual-crown fork to further boost descending prowess.

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