Last year, Merida revitalized its line up of trail and enduro bikes with the launch of the 2023 Merida ONE-SIXTY and ONE-FORTY, the former of which we review here in the 6000 Model which retails at £4,600 (€5,760). While the two are built around the same front and rear triangles, different shock and fork specs switch their intention between trail and enduro, respectively.
As the name suggests, the ONE-SIXTY supports the most rear wheel travel, coming in at 162mm when rolling on a 29″ wheelset, and 171mm when set up in a mixed wheel configuration; i.e. a 29″ front wheel and a 27.5″ rear wheel. Indeed, all 5 frame sizes can switch between those two configurations. The Extra Short, Short and Mid sizes are shipped 29″/27.5″, while the Long and Extra Long sizes are shipped with a complete 29″ wheelset.

We were pretty excited about this bike when it launched. Save for the headset-routed cable routing, everything about it seemed to be right on the money; the kinematic’s leverage curve is tailored to each frame size, the dropper seat post is infinitely adjustable between 30mm and 230mm, there is a frame storage compartment, plenty of room for a decent size water bottle inside the front triangle, and the geometry is bang-up-to-date.
And, the price isn’t silly.
2023 Merida ONE-SIXTY – The Tech Details
The 2023 Merida ONE-SIXTY delivers its rear wheel travel via a linkage-driven single-pivot design reliant upon a number of degrees of flex in the seatstays. Indeed, this is a more sophisticated version of the P-FLEX system seen on Merida’s lightweight NINETY-SIX cross-country bike. As such, the bike has a one-piece swingarm, and there are eight pivots to maintain.

Merida has moved to the flex-pivot arrangement for the same reasons many other brands have over the last few years; this method of delivering rear wheel travel does away with the bearings and hardware of a traditional pivot, replacing it with flexible seat stays. Thus, the frame can be lighter, and with fewer pivots to monitor for wear, long-term ownership could be considered comparatively easier and cheaper.
With weight being high on the list of priorities for XC and Downcountry bikes, use of a flex-pivot is common. However, it is still fairly unusual to see its implementation on bikes running more than 140mm of rear wheel travel. Here on the ONE-SIXTY, it’s compressing a 230mm x 65mm shock to deliver 162mm or 171mm, dependent on the rear wheel size.

ONE-SIXTY Geometry & Kinematic






Merida ONE-SIXTY Accoutrements









2023 Merida ONE-SIXTY 6000 Review

2023 Merida ONE-SIXTY 6000 Build Components
- Frame Size: Short
- Wheel Size: 29″ Front, 27.5″ Rear
- Fork: RockShox ZEB Select, 170mm travel, 44mm offset
- Rear Wheel Travel: 171mm
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+, DebonAir Progressive
- Drivetrain: Shimano SLX 12 Speed w/ 32T Race Face Turbine Crankset
- Brakes: Shimano SLX 4 Piston
- Wheels: Merida Expert TR with Shimano SLX Hubs
- Tires: Front – Maxxis Assegai 29″ x 2.5″, DD MaxxGrip, Rear – Maxxis Minion DHRII 27.5″ x 2.4″, DD MaxxTerra
- Handlebar: Merida Team TR Alloy 780mm – XS/S 18mm rise, M/L/XL 25mm rise
- Seat Post: Merida Team TR
- Saddle: Merida Expert SL with Multi-Tool
- Actual Weight: 15.51 kg ~ 34 lbs in Short (without pedals)
- Price: £4,600 (€5,760)



2023 Merida ONE-SIXTY Pros
- Reassuring, responsive ride-feel with plentiful positive feedback
- Easy to ride with good pace
- Packed full of useful frame features
- Enduro race-worthy spec
2023 Merida ONE-SIXTY Cons
- Over-damped for the lighter rider
- Cables are routed through the headset
Pricing & Availability

