Solely the large logos and the graphics on the Vision components disturb the otherwise perfect stealth look of the 7.69 kg (size M) bike. While the frame is completely black, with its mixed gloss and matte finishes it’s anything but boring. The full integration and one-piece Vision Metron 5D ACR cockpit make the REACTO, similar to the Wilier Filante SLR, one of the visually most tidy looking bikes in our test. The perfect finish is only disturbed by the tape securing the Di2 cable. The MERIDA REACTO TEAM-E CUSTOM has a forged Direct-Mount hanger that takes its visual cue from the Disc-Cooler. The REACTO TEAM-E CUSTOM, just like the series REACTO TEAM-E, comes with a dual-sided Shimano DURA-ACE power meter. Watt more do you want?Ī road bike in this category requires a power meter. We weren’t able to tell how well they work in practice, but the braking performance of DURA-ACE is typically excellent and the heat sinks look cool. The forged covers and machined cooling fins of both brake callipers, so-called Disc-Coolers, are designed to conduct heat away from the brakes. A sensible decision, because it allows you to fully experience the bike’s strengths on high-speed sections, keep power going through the chain, yet you’ll still have enough left over to master short and gentle slopes. On our test bike, MERIDA trust in the series DURA-ACE Di2 groupset with 52/36 t chainrings, an 11–30 t cassette and dual-sided power meter. Together with the compliant MERIDA TEAM CW seatpost, they noticeably improve the comfort of the otherwise stiff performance machine on rough roads. They are mounted to Vision Metron SL TL wheels where they measure 31 mm wide. Only the tubeless Continental GP5000 TL 700 x 32C tires contribute to additional comfort. Custom parts to make the series REACTO TEAM-E all-road worthy are sparingly applied. The aero bike is a bit of a provocation in this context and intended to shake up perceived bike categories. You’ll regularly find him commuting on an ebike and he longs for the day when everyone else follows suit.With the REACTO TEAM-E CUSTOM, MERIDA put a bike on the start line that you wouldn’t necessarily expect in this group test, approaching the holistic approach to road bikes from the performance side of the discipline. While Warren loves fast road bikes and the latest gravel bikes, he also believes electric bikes are the future of transport. He has covered all the major innovations in cycling this century, and reported from launches, trade shows and industry events in Europe, Asia, Australia, North American and Africa. Over the years, Warren has written about thousands of bikes and tested more than 2,500 – from budget road bikes to five-figure superbikes. In his time as a cycling journalist, Warren has written for Mountain Biking UK, What Mountain Bike, Urban Cyclist, Procycling, Cyclingnews, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike and T3. He’s also a regular presenter on the BikeRadar Podcast and on BikeRadar’s YouTube channel. Having been testing bikes for more than 20 years, Warren has an encyclopedic knowledge of road cycling and has been the mastermind behind our Road Bike of the Year test for more than a decade. Warren Rossiter is BikeRadar and Cycling Plus magazine’s senior technical editor for road and gravel. The question remains, however, has it succeeded? Well, quite simply, yes. Merida has flipped that on its head and taken its most aerodynamic race bike and made it lighter and more comfortable. The last high-grade Reacto I rode weighed upwards of half-a-kilo more than this model (and that one didn’t have 55mm-deep wheels).Īlmost every other next-generation bike emerging from this year’s launches, from Cannondale’s SuperSix EVO (our current Bike of the Year) to Trek’s new Emonda, BMC’s new Teammachine and Specialized’s latest Tarmac SL7, has seen a lightweight ‘GC’ bike (the bike the brands expect the majority of their pro team riders to choose) become more aero. ![]() ![]() The new bike attempts to improve comfort further with its reshaped frame and re-configured carbon layup, but vitally Merida has dropped weight too. It wasn’t Madone IsoSpeed comfortable, but it took the edge off rough surfaces really well. With the previous-generation Reacto, Merida brought some comfort into the equation with the S-Flex seatpost. The elastomer insert in the S-Flex seatpost now integrates this neat rear light.
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