11/14/2023 0 Comments Merida endurance bike![]() Plus bigger (tubeless) tires mean more comfort, more grip, improved control, and the tease of lower rolling resistance. Merida rates the Scultura Endurance for “10% Off-road / 90% Tarmac” and that seems the perfect blend for a fast rolling tire this size (although personally, I might happily push it a bit further into the dirt.) But a lot of smooth dirt & gravel roads can be enjoyed on a lightweight 35mm tire like the Schwalbe G-One, while still rolling fast on the road. ![]() Sure, in a day where gravel riders are rolling 27.5×2.1″ mountain bike tires or even 700Cx45mm gravel tires for off-road adventures, 35mm of tire clearance seems light for gravel. Big 35mm all-road, light gravel tire clearance Wide, flattened seatstays and boxy chainstays that are wider than they are tall through their mid-section were all designed together as a leaf spring to let the CF3-level carbon flex vertically – eating bumps & vibration while maintaining handling stiffness. The front end of this bike may look stiff & more angular, but the back tells a different story. Then, more than a softer carbon layup, the Scultura Endurance gets reshaped for more comfort. ![]() All of this amounts to much quicker road-like handling than what the Mission Road offered, yet maintaining stability on & off-road. The idea is meant to still feel ‘road bike fast’, while improving long-distance stability & all day comfort, no matter the road surface. One cm longer 418mm chainstays add room for bigger tires without slowing the ride down too much, but the same 66mm BB drop as the race bikes ensures a consistent fast road feel. But handling geometry remains road aggressive, with a 73° headtube & 73.5° seattube in the middle of the broad six-size range (just 1/2° off the Scultura). A longer headtube does sit riders up a bit higher (up to 3cm higher) and 1cm shorter reach also lends a more comfortable & relaxed position on the bike. Yes, the Scultura Endurance gets a more upright position than the road race geo of the original Scultura & Reacto. But instead of just making a more upright position, maybe softening up the stiff carbon layup, and adding room for 28 or even 30mm road tires, Merida has created something much more versatile with the new Scultura Endurance by taking it a step further. ![]() But in that narrow space in between, Merida didn’t really have an endurance gran fondo style road bike. While the Reacto & classic Scultura handle the full road race vibe, the Silex & Mission manage off-road gravel and cross (the Mission Road had been Merida’s official ‘road endurance’ bike until now). In a bizarre year where we haven’t seen much road racing yet, this is a reminder to me that all-road is the kind of road bike that vast majority of us enthusiast cyclists will actually most enjoy on whatever roads we ride… 2021 Merida Scultura Endurance performance carbon all-road bike Promising quick handling that is almost on pace with their road bikes raced by the pros, the Scultura Endurance stretches out a bit, with more stable geometry for long days on rough roads, with enough room to fit 35mm tires that could take the new bike on a taste of off-road road adventures, as well. Calipers sit on top of CNC'd aluminium Disc Cooler fins which reduce operating temperatures by up to 35%.Merida’s all-new carbon Scultura Endurance fills a void in their deep drop bar line-up that we hadn’t even really noticed – the all-road. Calipers are mounted via the flat mount standard for a neat flush fit. Merida have used plenty of neat touches such as routing shifting and brake cables through the headset to declutter the cockpit.Īll Scultura Endurance are equipped with powerful hydraulic disc brakes. There's plenty of tyre clearance (up to 35c or 32c if you are running mudguards) larger volume tyres can be run at lower pressures and provide more comfort even on the most pothole littered country lanes. To increase frame stiffness and steering precision the Scultura Endurance uses 12mm bolt through axles and a full carbon tapered fork. The slacker head tube angle and slightly longer wheelbase give the bike more stability at speed The Scultura Endurance geometry is perfectly suited to riders who want to enjoy long hours in the saddle while being comfortable and relaxed on the bike.Įndowed with a modern frame design and comfort-orientated geometry the Scultura Endurance has a longer head tube creating a more upright and comfort-orientated seating position. Sitting between the Silex and Scultura in the Merida road range the Scultura Endurance is aimed at tarmac adventure riding. Aluminium tarmac endurance bike with Shimano Tiagra 2 x 10 drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes.
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