MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 975 2022 in our 2022 budget eMTB group test – The best 2022 budget eMTB under € 6,500

The MERIDA eONE-SIXTY has already secured victory in several group test. The 2022 model comes with a several upgrades, including a bigger 750 Wh battery for the Shimano EP8 motor. With a handful of clever everyday features, the € 6,199 MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 975 wants to appeal to a wide range of riders. But can it secure victory again this year?

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB of 2022 for € 6,500 – 11 budget eMTBs in our eMTB group test

Sure, the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 975 lacks the sex-appeal of its the stylish eONE-SIXTY 10K flagship model. In return, it’s extremely functional. While many bikes in this group test are either only suitable for beginners or experienced riders, the MERIDA doesn’t care about categorisations and follows the “versatility is key” mantra instead, offering a suitable option for a wide range of riders.

The eONE-SIXTY 975 is intuitive and easy to ride and at the same time inspires huge amounts of confidence, making it easy for beginners to improve their trail riding skills. Whether it’s an exciting backcountry adventure, a technical descent or the daily grind, the MERIDA takes up the challenge and delivers, covering the widest range of applications in this group test. As a result, the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 975 can handle pretty much anything you throw at it, proving to be a true all-rounder and leaving no wishes open… except for the sex-appeal!

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Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	415 mm	430 mm	450 mm	470 mm
Top tube	584 mm	605 mm	626 mm	647 mm
Head tube	115 mm	120 mm	125 mm	130 mm
Head angle	65.5°	65.5°	65.5°	65.5°
Seat angle	75.5°	75.5°	75.5°	75.5°
Chainstays	440 mm	440 mm	440 mm	440 mm
BB Drop	18 mm	18 mm	18 mm	18 mm
Wheelbase	1,190 mm	1,212 mm	1,234 mm	1,256 mm
Reach	420 mm	440 mm	460 mm	480 mm
Stack	633 mm	638 mm	642 mm	647 mm

Let the journey begin! The MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 975 on the trail

Regardless of the trail you ride on, the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 975 puts a massive grin on your face from the get-go, providing the perfect symbiosis of speed, fun and safety. The Taiwanese eMTB strikes an excellent balance between agility and composure. The weight is evenly distributed between the front and rear, making it easy to negotiate open corners at high speeds, even for beginners. With its small 27.5″ rear wheel and short 439.50 mm chainstays, the MERIDA drifts through corners with great nonchalance, clearly unflustered by its 25.60 kg weight – which puts it in a similar category as the SCOTT Patron! The balanced riding position integrates you with the bike and inspires huge amounts of confidence together with the relatively high front. On rough terrain, the suspension offers huge reserves and decent support. As far as rowdiness goes, the MERIDA smokes the entire test field. Experienced riders who want to turn it up to 11 on the trail will find a great companion in the Mondraker Crafty R. If you’re looking for an even more playful bike, you should take a closer look at the Orbea Rise.

Tech freaks rejoice! The 160 mm RockShox ZEB Ultimate fork is easy and intuitive to adjust and offers more precise steering with its stiff 38 mm stanchions. At the rear, a RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ shock controls 150 mm travel very sensitively. A 2.5″ MAXXIS ASSEGAI MaxxGrip ensures good traction at the front and makes the MERIDA the only bike in the entire group test with MAXXIS’ superior and softer rubber compound.

Going uphill, the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY can’t keep up with the strongest climbers in this test: the Moustache and Giant. Despite the steep seat angle, the pronounced kink in the top tube makes for a rear-heavy pedalling position, causing the front wheel to lift off the ground and requiring you to actively weight the front wheel, especially on steep climbs.

One for all – the MERIDA doesn’t get impressed easily on the trail and suits all skill levels!

Form follows function – The design of the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 975

As already mentioned above, the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 975 doesn’t care much about looks. The heavily hydroformed alloy frame looks outdated and can’t keep up with modern-looking bikes like the Canyon. Unfortunately, the paint finish isn’t too exciting either, especially when compared with bikes like the Orbea – which is true eye candy! But enough with aesthetics: an 85 Nm Shimano EP8 motor is integrated into the alloy frame of the eONE-SIXTY. The skid plate is secured to the motor housing with flimsy screws and got blown off by a pretty hard yet fairly ordinary hit during a test run. The motor draws its power from a 750 Wh battery, which can be removed from the downtube without tools. In order to accommodate the bigger battery in the down tube, MERIDA resorted to a rather bulbous-looking battery cover, which isn’t the most aesthetically-pleasing option, but is more intuitive to use than its predecessor and keeps the battery securely in place! While the cockpit is rather crowded, the cables are neatly routed into the frame. Unfortunately, the brake hose reappears at the transition from the main triangle to the swingarm, running outside the frame along the entire length of the chainstays. At the risk of repeating ourselves, the MERIDA just doesn’t want to look pretty! Instead, the eONE-SIXTY 975 impresses with a robust spec and clever features, which make a huge difference in everyday life!

The Shimano XT LINKGLIDE 11-speed drivetrain follows the same script, choosing reliability over bling. It’s engineered to perform smoother and slower gear shifts and thus to ensure a longer service life. Should you ever get stuck on a ride, the multitool under the saddle allows you to perform all basic road/trailside repairs. When the post-ride pub session stretches into the wee hours of the night, the fixed Lezyne E-Bike Power E115 head-light will get you home safely, drawing its power directly from the main battery of the bike and providing enough light on forest paths and moderate trails. The headlight is complemented by a rechargeable tail light.

Tuning tips: push the saddle forward for a better pedalling position on steep climbs | find a good body repair shop for a style makeover 😉

Conclusion

You can’t go wrong with the MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 975. Rationally-speaking, it’s the best choice out there! While in our test field there are definitely bikes that climb and look better, beauty is not all that counts! As far as functionality goes, the MERIDA ticks all the boxes, offering the best balance between everyday riding qualities and trail capabilities in the entire test field. The eONE-SIXTY 975 shows hardly any weaknesses and suits a wide range of riders with its intuitive handling: a well-deserved test victory!

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You can find out more about at merida-bikes.com

The test field

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB of 2022 for € 6,500 – 11 budget eMTBs in our eMTB group test

All bikes in test: Bulls Sonic EVO AM-SL1 (Click for review) | Canyon Spectral:ON CF8 (Click for review) | Centurion Numinis R2700i (Click for review) | FOCUS JAM² 7.9 (Click for review) | Giant Trance X E+19 (Click for review) | MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 975 | Mondraker Crafty R (Click for review) | Moustache Trail 7 (Click for review) | Orbea Rise H15 (Click for review) | Rossignol Mandate Shift XT (Click for review) | SCOTT Patron eRide 920 (Click for review)

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Words & Photos: Mike Hunger