Released September 23
Builds
5
Price Range
($3,384)–($11,074)
Wheels
29″ / 27.5″, 27.5″
Suspension
Full / 171mm rear, 170mm front
Frame Material
Aluminum, Carbon
The most uncompromising, adjustable, and flat-out long travel bike we have ever created.
The new ONE-SIXTY is more than just a progression of the old; it is an entirely new beginning and the most uncompromising, adjustable, and flat-out fun long travel bike we have ever created. For some, a ‘ground-up redesign’ might mean a tweak of the angles, a push to the latest wheelsize and the odd new feature thrown in, but when it comes to the new ONE-SIXTY, we’ve looked at the fundamental shifts in the terrain that enduro riders and racers expect to tackle - and started from there instead. The result is the most uncompromising, adjustable, and flat-out long travel bike we have ever created. Yeah, it’s pretty good fun too. When you’re pushing harder and riding faster than ever before, compromise is the last thing you want to have at the back of your mind, which is why we've radically overhauled our sizing system, suspension kinematics and much more, so you don't need to compromise on any aspect of fit or function. You're the best person to choose what works for you - and the new ONE-SIXTY lets you do just that. It's the untamed evolution of the enduro bike.
No aspect has been left untouched; we’ve changed both the geometry and our sizing system to allow you to pick the perfect fit and handling without compromise, we’ve increased travel with an all-new suspension platform that delivers superb performance regardless of shock type or rear wheel size, and we’ve done all that with carbon or aluminium frames that are designed to be tough and easy to maintain. It’s the untamed evolution of the ONE-SIXTY.
WHAT HAVE WE DONE AND WHY?
The new ONE-SIXTY is a hardcore, long-travel enduro bike. It needs to be able to eat rough and steep trails, big mountains and bike parks for breakfast and it does just that, with 170 mm front travel and 162 mm (in full 29”) or 171 mm (in 29"/27.5") rear wheel travel thanks to our new FAST kinematic suspension.
However, it's catering for the diverging demands of modern mountain bikers that's tricky. If you want outright speed, a longer reach for improved stability might be best, but if you measure success by smiles rather than the stopwatch, you might value agility far more. Full 29” wheels are great on the racetrack or rugged trails but if you came to party or need the clearance, then a mixed setup might be best. While you can select these attributes by sizing your frame up or down, there is always a compromise. Size up for stability and you’ll be left with a long seat tube and dropper post with too much travel, plus a handlebar that's too high. Same goes for switching wheel sizes - move from one to the other and your bike’s geometry will be compromised.
The new ONE-SIXTY removes the need to compromise. The performance you want, married to the perfect fit, with all the features you’ll ever need.
FAST KINEMATIC
Our all-new Flexstay-Adjustable-Size-Tuned suspension kinematic does what it says on the tin - it’s FAST. The flexstay means we get rid of a pivot point for less maintenance and lower weight, it’s adjustable to work with full 29” wheels or a mixed ‘mullet’ setup without altering the geometry, and it’s size-tuned to deliver more wheel rate progression as you move up the frame lengths, allowing smaller, lighter riders to access all their travel while giving heavier or harder riders the support they need.
FLEXSTAY DESIGN
Using a flexstay design means a back end that’s stiffer in all the right places, plus fewer bearings and less maintenance. That’s on both our carbon and aluminium frames - and before you freak out about bending metal, it’s engineered to have minimal movement, so it’s no big deal. The frame warranty covers five years of extreme Category 5 use - yep, even bike park laps every day.
WHEEL SIZE ADJUSTABLE
Whether you run full 29” or mixed wheels, it doesn’t matter as the geometry is kept exactly the same, though we give the little wheels a little helping hand by bumping up the rear travel to 171 mm from 162 mm. Choose the big wheels all around for pure smooth rolling efficiency, or choose a smaller rear wheel for a more playful feel and extra bum clearance. Oh, and we now run a full 170 mm of travel at the front too, because that’s what modern tracks demand.
SIZE-TUNED SUSPENSION KINEMATIC
We feel the pain of smaller riders that can never access the last bit of travel - we also know what it’s like for the hard and heavy riders that see the bottom-out bumper way more than is healthy. That’s why our size-tuned suspension kinematic delivers more progression as you size up, so heavier or harder hooners can keep sending it further, but everyone else can actually use the travel they’ve brought to the party.
The highs and lows of this model family
| MSRP | ($3,384) | ($4,060) | ($5,660) | ($8,121) | ($11,074) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spec Level | |||||
| Weight | 36.8 lbs | 36.7 lbs | 34.5 lbs | 33.7 lbs | 33.1 lbs |
| Frame | Aluminum | Aluminum | Carbon | Carbon | Carbon |
| Fork | RockShox Yari RC | Marzocchi Bomber Z1 | RockShox ZEB Select | RockShox ZEB Ultimate | RockShox ZEB |
| Wheels | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Aluminum | Carbon |
| Wheel Size | 29″ / 27.5″ | 29″ / 27.5″ | 27.5″ | 27.5″ | 29″ / 27.5″ |
| Groupset | Deore, Race Face | SLX, XT | SLX, XT | GX Eagle AXS, X1 | XX Eagle Transmission, X01 Eagle AXS |
| Drivetrain | 1 × 11 | 1 × 12 | 1 × 12 | 1 × 12 Electronic | 1 × 12 Electronic |
| Suspension | Full | Full | Full | Full | Full, Electronic |
Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more. Learn more →
| Wheels | 27.5″ / 29″ | 27.5″ / 29″ | 27.5″ / 29″ | 29″ | 29″ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stack | 615 | 615 | 615 | 625 | 638 |
| Reach | 415 | 442 | 470 | 498 | 525 |
| Stack/Reach Ratio | 1.48 | 1.39 | 1.31 | 1.26 | 1.22 |
| Top Tube Length | 535 | 562 | 589 | 621 | 653 |
| Seat Tube Length | 400 | 410 | 425 | 445 | 470 |
| Seat Tube Angle | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 |
| Head Tube Length | 95 | 95 | 95 | 105 | 120 |
| Head Tube Angle | 64.0 | 64.0 | 64.0 | 64.0 | 64.0 |
| BB Drop | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | 28 |
| BB Height | 347 | 347 | |||
| Front Center | 754 | 781 | 808 | 839 | 872 |
| Chainstay Length | 434 | 434 | 434 | 438 | 438 |
| Wheelbase | 1,188 | 1,215 | 1,242 | 1,275 | 1,308 |
| Rake | 38 | 38 | 37 | 44 | 44 |
| Trail | 140 | 140 | 141 | 134 | 134 |
| Standover Height | 735 | 740 | 743 | 740 | 735 |
🐐 Measurements listed in millimeters and degrees
Richard OwenSep 23, 2022
Forget everything you knew about the Merida One-Sixty, pretty much the only thing linking this bike with its predecessors is its moniker
Jamie DarlowSep 23, 2022
Merida hope the new One-Sixty will propel it into the ranks of the best enduro mountain bikes. You know what? It’s got a pretty good chance… Need to know Two new bikes from Merida, the One-Sixty with 162mm travel and 170mm fork, and the One-Forty with 143mm travel and a 150mm fork Both bikes use the same new frame technology, with flex stay seatstay replacing a pivot 29in wheels throughout, but the One-Sixty can be a mullet bike, with suspension travel rising to 171mm Size-tuned suspension, meaning each of the five sizes has a different suspension progression rate to account for heavier riders Big step up in sizing and geometry over the last bike, 20mm longer reach, with an effective seat angle of 79° All sizes come with 30-230mm travel, infinitely adjustable Merida Team TR dropper post Downtube storage, Fidlock bottle, bashguard and chainguige, saddle-mounted multitool Three carbon models, from £9,000 down to £4,600, and two alloy bikes stopping at £2,750 Flex stay bikes are not new, most XC race bikes use the technology in 2022 while Cannondale and BMC have been using it for three decades on their trail bikes. What is new is that the latest Merida One-Sixty uses flex stays – so that’s a 162mm travel enduro bike using short-travel tech. Why is that out-there? Well, with more suspension travel on the bike than your average 100mm XC whippet that’s a whole lot more flexing for the seatstay to accommodate. Add to that the intended use of an enduro bike – smashing through gnarly terrain – and there’s going to be a whole lot more stress on the stay. Merida isn’t worried though, it says the bike has been more rigorous tested than any model to date, with more than 250,000 compression cycles of the back end and shock in the lab to ensure the frame will go on indefinitely. What’s better than a new bike? Two new bikes, of course. The new One-Sixty is a 162mm travel 29er with a 170mm fork, with suspension travel growing to 171mm when you set it up as a mullet. There’s also a new One-Forty trail bike with 29in wheels, using the same flexstay suspension design – it’s got 143mm travel and uses a 150mm fork. Why flex stays? Most brands use the concept on their XC bikes to shave off weight. That’s arguably less important on a heavier enduro bike, where a few hundred gram saving makes less of an impression. Merida has used flex stays for a different reason here though, the tech has come across from the brand’s P-FLEX system used on Merida’s Ninety-Six XC bike. The idea is the stays are of course maintenance free, while the other pivots should need servicing less frequently too. Merida also says this leads to a stiffer rear triangle. Size tuned suspension There are five sizes of both the One-Sixty and One-Forty bikes: extra short, short, medium, long, and extra long. Merida has tuned the suspension to increase the …Continue reading »
Seb StottSep 23, 2022
The new One-Sixty uses a flex pivot suspension layout and has adjustable geometry to accommodate a 29" or 27.5" rear wheel.
Supple and comfortable suspension
Well-balanced handling, especially on steep and fast terrain
Composed and efficient climber (even without Flight Attendant)
Plenty of scope to size up or down to suit handling preferences
The 10K spec with Flight Attendant is silly money when the 6000 is half the price and nearly as good
Suspension tune isn't the most supportive.
Dean HerseySep 23, 2022
The evolution of the Merida One-Sixty enduro bike sees it packed with new features. Here's our first impressions.
The new ONE-SIXTY is more than just a progression of the old; it is an entirely new beginning and the most uncompromising, adjustable, and flat-out fun long travel bike we have ever created. For some, a ‘ground-up redesign’ might mean a tweak of the angles, a push to the latest wheelsize and the odd new feature thrown in, but when it comes to the new ONE-SIXTY, we’ve looked at the fundamental shifts in the terrain that enduro riders and racers expect to tackle - and started from there instead. The result is the most uncompromising, adjustable, and flat-out long travel bike we have ever created. Yeah, it’s pretty good fun too. When you’re pushing harder and riding faster than ever before, compromise is the last thing you want to have at the back of your mind, which is why we've radically overhauled our sizing system, suspension kinematics and much more, so you don't need to compromise on any aspect of fit or function. You're the best person to choose what works for you - and the new ONE-SIXTY lets you do just that. It's the untamed evolution of the enduro bike.
No aspect has been left untouched; we’ve changed both the geometry and our sizing system to allow you to pick the perfect fit and handling without compromise, we’ve increased travel with an all-new suspension platform that delivers superb performance regardless of shock type or rear wheel size, and we’ve done all that with carbon or aluminium frames that are designed to be tough and easy to maintain. It’s the untamed evolution of the ONE-SIXTY.
WHAT HAVE WE DONE AND WHY?
The new ONE-SIXTY is a hardcore, long-travel enduro bike. It needs to be able to eat rough and steep trails, big mountains and bike parks for breakfast and it does just that, with 170 mm front travel and 162 mm (in full 29”) or 171 mm (in 29"/27.5") rear wheel travel thanks to our new FAST kinematic suspension.
However, it's catering for the diverging demands of modern mountain bikers that's tricky. If you want outright speed, a longer reach for improved stability might be best, but if you measure success by smiles rather than the stopwatch, you might value agility far more. Full 29” wheels are great on the racetrack or rugged trails but if you came to party or need the clearance, then a mixed setup might be best. While you can select these attributes by sizing your frame up or down, there is always a compromise. Size up for stability and you’ll be left with a long seat tube and dropper post with too much travel, plus a handlebar that's too high. Same goes for switching wheel sizes - move from one to the other and your bike’s geometry will be compromised.
The new ONE-SIXTY removes the need to compromise. The performance you want, married to the perfect fit, with all the features you’ll ever need.
FAST KINEMATIC
Our all-new Flexstay-Adjustable-Size-Tuned suspension kinematic does what it says on the tin - it’s FAST. The flexstay means we get rid of a pivot point for less maintenance and lower weight, it’s adjustable to work with full 29” wheels or a mixed ‘mullet’ setup without altering the geometry, and it’s size-tuned to deliver more wheel rate progression as you move up the frame lengths, allowing smaller, lighter riders to access all their travel while giving heavier or harder riders the support they need.
FLEXSTAY DESIGN
Using a flexstay design means a back end that’s stiffer in all the right places, plus fewer bearings and less maintenance. That’s on both our carbon and aluminium frames - and before you freak out about bending metal, it’s engineered to have minimal movement, so it’s no big deal. The frame warranty covers five years of extreme Category 5 use - yep, even bike park laps every day.
WHEEL SIZE ADJUSTABLE
Whether you run full 29” or mixed wheels, it doesn’t matter as the geometry is kept exactly the same, though we give the little wheels a little helping hand by bumping up the rear travel to 171 mm from 162 mm. Choose the big wheels all around for pure smooth rolling efficiency, or choose a smaller rear wheel for a more playful feel and extra bum clearance. Oh, and we now run a full 170 mm of travel at the front too, because that’s what modern tracks demand.
SIZE-TUNED SUSPENSION KINEMATIC
We feel the pain of smaller riders that can never access the last bit of travel - we also know what it’s like for the hard and heavy riders that see the bottom-out bumper way more than is healthy. That’s why our size-tuned suspension kinematic delivers more progression as you size up, so heavier or harder hooners can keep sending it further, but everyone else can actually use the travel they’ve brought to the party.
