This new 2024 Merida Silex gravel motorbike is quicker, extra succesful, and a significantly better having a look motorbike than the unique Silex. Whether or not you experience speedy gravel or head off on bikepacking adventures, the totally made over Silex can be a best have compatibility for you. And it’s simply as inexpensive as ever in complete carbon and even less expensive in aluminum.
2024 Merida Silex flexible gravel motorbike
Actually, it’s such a lot higher a gravel motorbike, Matej Mohorič already raced it to a UCI Gravel Global Championship win simply over every week in the past.
And someday ahead of we had a possibility to position in some dusty kilometers on each new carbon and alloy gravel motorcycles.
The Merida workforce even additionally raced Badlands on it, too.
Whilst from the out of doors the brand new Silex appears totally other in comparison to its predecessor, a lot of the straightforward flexible idea stays. That is and has at all times been a do-it-all gravel motorbike with lengthy, solid geometry impressed by means of mountain motorcycles, and sufficient sporting capability for any form of gravel rides. Some new gravel motorcycles have begun to tell apart themselves as both speedy gravel race motorcycles or off-road bikepacking journey motorcycles. However the Merida Silex stays an all-rounder.
Race it, experience it to paintings, or head off on an journey.
What’s new?
The most important out of doors shift is the brand new glance – eliminating the enormous headtube of the unique Silex. Merida says the Silex has been slightly common for its versatility. However additionally they admit it’s been a bit of of an “unpleasant duckling” of their line-up. Two issues lend a hand shrink that headtube.
First off, the brand new motorbike will get an all new longer fork. Now with a 415mm axle-to-crown (vs. earlier 398mm lengthy fork that went by means of old-fashioned CX fork duration requirements), there’s greater tire clearance. But additionally room to position a short-travel gravel suspension fork just like the Rudy if you need down the road.
2nd, is diminished rider place for a extra functionality orientated motorbike have compatibility. That suggests on my Medium take a look at motorbike, the 607mm Stack is slightly a bit of less than ahead of, however the headtube duration is now an affordable (and just right having a look) 170mm vs. the enormous 200mm of the OG Silex.
Some other giant shift on the ones shorter headtubes, is inner cable routing. Using Merida’s Cord Port cable control during the headset, brings compatibility with complete 1-piece or 2-piece cockpit, or vintage semi-internal bar & stem setups from FSA. It even works for a mechanical internally routed dropper submit, in the event you’re into that roughly factor. And there’s routing for dynamo wiring down inside the appropriate fork leg.
The longer fork crown additionally method larger tire clearance – now formally 700 x 45mm at each ends, which is lovely conservative in our opinion. Additionally 42mm clearance with common full-coverage fenders.
New Tech Main points
On the identical time, newly double dropped chainstays imply giant tires and 1x or 2x chainring choices. And there’s a detachable entrance derailleur mount and house for street 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 motorbike shifts to greater 180mm brake rotors on same old builds with in-built disc cooler warmth sinks at the carbon motorbike for added braking consistency.
At the carbon frames, the primary bottle cage mount is now a flush-mount Fidlock setup, however you’ll be able to nonetheless run a normal cage in the event you favor. At the alloy body, it’s same old 3-bolts so you’ll be able to mount a cage top or low, or an The rest cage (or even rear rack mounts). Plus, there’s every other standard bottle cage mount at the seattube, an adjunct cage mount underneath the again of the toptube, a collection of toptube bag mounts up most sensible in the back of the stem, and every other set of mounts underneath the downtube. The brand new complete carbon fork additionally brings 3-pack the rest cage mounts.
Each frames and the carbon fork are designed for complete policy fenders, with the carbon body the use of a bolt on seatstay bridge adapter.
Gravel Journey- & Race-In a position Geometry
The brand new Silex will get a 1.5° slacker 69.5° headtube in comparison to the unique Silex, whilst the seattube is now 0.5° steeper at 74.5°. Mixed with greater than a centimeter lengthy body Succeed in and the similar 430mm chainstays, the brand new gravel motorbike has greater than 2cm longer wheelbases throughout all body sizes.
That longer wheelbase and the greater balance over unfastened surfaces, used to be it seems that the only greatest deciding issue for Matej Mohorič opting for the brand new Silex to race Gravel Worlds over a extra racing-focused street, all-road or gravel motorbike.
It’s nonetheless a moderately upright place, however the Medium & Huge sized motorcycles I attempted each featured nearly 2cm decrease body Stack vs. the unique. You’ll be able to nonetheless get a at ease upright place. However now it’s a greater compromise for riders searching for a extra performance-focused have compatibility at the motorbike too.
How gentle are the brand new gravel motorcycles – in carbon or alloy?
Merida’s new gravel motorbike is available in both carbon or aluminum. Neither are ultralight, however constructed for convenience and sturdiness. The Silex CF carbon body is alleged at 1220g or the Silex LITE aluminum body at 1900g. Each proportion the similar complete carbon Silex fork at a claimed 540g. So, that’s simply an additional 680g for the alloy motorbike.
And only a part kilo distinction in the actual international on my scale.
2024 Merida Silex – Pricing, Choices & Availability
The brand new Merida Silex is to be had in 6 whole motorbike builds – 3 in carbon and every other 3 in aluminum.
The access into the carbon motorbike prices simply £2250 / 2700€ for the 2024 Merida Silex 4000, the use of a low cost 2×10 Shimano GRX groupset to stay prices low. A £3000 / 3600€ Silex 7000 steps that as much as the wide-range new GRX 1x 12-speed staff.
Then, on the foolish extravagant stage, there’s a £8750 / 10,500€ Silex 10k that is going all-in with a complete SRAM Purple x Eagle AXS construct together with a powermeter crankset, a AXS dropper submit and Reynolds Black Label carbon wheels. It’s a ginormous soar from that GRX construct to Purple at the identical frameset. And I may just believe many budgets in between that would construct a extra logical & inexpensive Power AXS setup, however to each and every his personal, I assume?
There may be technically a 4th mysterious Silex 8000 fashion that’s priced at £5250 / 6300€, however we don’t have any respectable main points on that. Possibly, that’s an digital shift pricepoint, however the loss of main points counsel a brand new groupset past what’s already to be had from SRAM or Shimano. Hmmm…
Or in additional inexpensive aluminum…
At the a lot more inexpensive finish of the spectrum, a £1275 / 1500€ 2024 Merida Silex 200 will get the aluminum body and an ideal budget-friendly Shimano Sora 2x9sp construct that would make a perfect commuter or access into gravel.
At £1650 / 1980€, you get the Silex 400 despite the fact that once more with that also inexpensive GRX 2×10 construct. Or at £2350 / 2820€ the Silex 700 will get the right kind new GRX 12-speed groupset.
It’s slightly attention-grabbing to me that those 400/4000 & 700/7000 construct kits are an identical for each the aluminum/carbon body choices, letting the consumer see the actual distinction in value. And it method you’ll be able to select a carbon motorbike with an inexpensive construct or an alloy motorbike with a greater part spec for just about the similar value, relying for your priorities.
Both method, all six builds are to be had now from Merida sellers. Simply FYI, the € pricing is particular to the Irish marketplace, and can range a bit of nation to nation around the EU.
First Gravel Experience Impressions?
I had a possibility to get in different rides closing week on each the brand new carbon Merida Silex 7000 and its alloy analogue Silex 700. Sharing the very same geometry, the similar spec, and strangely shut weights – each looked like nice gravel motorcycles.
Keep tuned for an in depth assessment breaking down the Silex and evaluating the 2 body choices, quickly…