Wil reviews the 2024 Merida eOne-Sixty

A common sight on Australian trails, the Merida eOne-Sixty is undoubtedly one of the most popular e-MTBs on the market. Ever since we first swung a leg over one back in 2018 we’ve been impressed with the eOne-Sixty’s plush suspension, approachable handling and value-packed component package. Sure there are more premium e-MTBs out there, but we love that the eOne-Sixty has consistently focussed on delivering a fun, no-nonsense riding experience at a reasonable price.

It’s also worth acknowledging that Merida has been a notable innovator in this space. Indeed while many other brands are only just arriving to the mullet party, the eOne-Sixty had already embraced the mixed wheel platform back in 2019. The following year it also became the first e-MTB to incorporate the Shimano EP8 motor and 630Wh battery.

Since then Merida has been on quite the roll with the release of the latest One-Forty and One-Sixty, which ushered in a new generation frame and suspension design. We knew it was only a matter of time before we’d see an electrified version and here we finally have it in our hot little hands; the 2024 Merida eOne-Sixty!

Watch our video review of the Merida eOne-Sixty here:

Indeed the eOne-Sixty is surprisingly agile given its abundant travel. Sure it’s no trail bike, but it possesses a willingness to tip in and out of sharp corners and berms unlike many other e-MTBs in this category.

An overview of the Merida eOne-Sixty

The new Merida eOne-Sixty is the biggest and burliest e-MTB yet from the Taiwanese manufacturer. Compared to the previous version, suspension travel has increased to 170mm front and 174mm rear. The eOne-Sixty is still equipped with a mullet setup, though the addition of a flip chip in the linkage means the back end can also accommodate a 29in wheel.

Merida has brought over the suspension design from the non-motorised One-Sixty, which relocates the shock to sit underneath and parallel to the top tube. The single pivot platform relies on a small degree of flex through the seatstay as the shock cycles through its travel, while a rocker link and shock yoke control the leverage rate. Merida has tuned the kinematic for each frame size to deliver more progression for larger riders, which is a nice touch.

Complete bikes come fitted with a high volume air shock as standard, though it is possible to fit a coil. The frame is also rated for up to a 180mm travel fork.

Two frames, two batteries, one motor

The eOne-Sixty is manufactured in alloy and carbon variants, both of which are built around the latest Shimano EP801 motor. This features a similar construction and aesthetic to the previous EP8 drive unit, but internal changes have lifted peak power to 600W. Shimano’s latest firmware update is also said to deliver a punchier Boost mode and increased overrun.

Hidden inside the belly of the carbon eOne-Sixty frame is a 600W battery. It isn’t meant to be easily removable, which has allowed Merida to engineer a sleeker and stiffer fully-enclosed downtube. Along with the move to a carbon swingarm, the new chassis is claimed to be 800g lighter than its predecessor.

In contrast, the alloy eOne-Sixty is powered by a larger 750Wh battery that is easily removable from the downtube. Of course this makes for a heavier frame, but Merida believes that newer riders looking at the cheaper alloy models are less likely to be concerned by weight and more conscious of range.

Alloy or carbon, all eOne-Sixty models are compatible with Merida’s 360Wh range extender. This optional piggyback battery fits to a specific mount on the downtube, dramatically increasing the total capacity for those who have much bigger rides planned.

Merida eOne-Sixty geometry & size chart

Like its non-motorised counterpart, the Merida eOne-Sixty has adopted a new sizing approach that moves away from the traditional Small, Medium and Large labels. Instead, each size is characterised by its reach, starting with X-Short and going up to X-Long.

Thanks to the new suspension layout the eOne-Sixty affords a short and straight seat tube with plenty of standover clearance. This allows riders to more easily upsize, should they be after a longer reach.

The other key component that makes this sizing flexibility possible is the new Merida Team TR II dropper post. This features 230mm of travel, though it can be adjusted all the way down to just 30mm in order to achieve your desired saddle height. We experienced problems with the previous version of this dropper on the One-Sixty and One-Forty, but the second generation post promises to be both easier to adjust and more durable. More on that in a bit.

Merida eOne-Sixty price & specs

There are no less than eight models in the Merida eOne-Sixty lineup, with half of those using the carbon frame and the other half being alloy.

Prices kick off at an impressive $6,499 AUD for the eOne-Sixty 400, which looks to be one of the best value e-MTBs on the market.

Our test bike sits at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, being the premium eOne-Sixty 10K. With a retail price of $15,999 AUD, this is the most expensive e-MTB that Merida has ever offered. Does that equal more performance? A valid question that we were eager to answer.

2024 Merida eOne-Sixty 10K

• Frame | CF4 Carbon Fibre, Flexstay Suspension Design, 174mm Travel
• Fork | Fox 38 Factory Series, GRIP2 Damper, 44mm Offset, 170mm Travel
• Shock | Fox Float X2 Factory Series, 230x65mm
• Motor | Shimano EP801, 85Nm
• Battery | Trendpower 600Wh (Optional 360Wh Range Extender)
• Wheels | DT Swiss HXC 1501, Carbon Rims, 30mm Inner Rim Width
• Tyres | Maxxis Assegai EXO+ 3C MaxxGrip 29×2.5in Front & Minion DHR II DoubleDown 3C MaxxTerra 27.5×2.4in Rear
• Drivetrain | SRAM XX Transmission 1×12 w/Shimano EN900 36T Crankset & 10-52T Cassette
• Brakes | SRAM Code Ultimate 4-Piston w/220mm Front & 200mm Rear Rotors
• Handlebar | Merida Expert eTR II Alloy, 20mm Rise, 780mm Width
• Stem | Merida Expert eTR II, 40mm Length
• Seatpost | Merida Team TR II Dropper, 34.9mm Diameter, 30-230mm Travel
• Saddle | Proxim W400 T2.0
• Claimed Weight | 22.2kg
• Actual Weight | 22.5kg
• Price | $15,999 AUD

As a result, that 174mm of travel doesn’t completely melt underneath you when riding flowier trails.

Merida eOne-Sixty sizing & fit

At 174cm tall I elected to ride the Mid size in the new Merida eOne-Sixty. Featuring a 459mm reach and a 633mm stack, it fits me well.

The 78.4° seat angle is very steep, placing you in a central and upright position. I did notice a bit of pressure on my hands while riding flatter trails, so I imagine some riders may wish for a slightly higher rise handlebar if they’re seeking all-day comfort. The stock bars worked fine for me, though I did trim them down to my preferred width of 760mm.

I also needed to reduce the dropper post travel. No special tools are required to adjust the Team TR II dropper and Merida has a simple YouTube video to explain the procedure. The mechanism is quite finicky though, and it took me numerous attempts to get the correct tension on the upper collar. Too tight and it won’t extend all the way to your chosen height, too loose and it’ll creep past that point. Eventually I had it reduced to 170mm, which is about right for a Medium-size mountain bike these days.

As for touch points, I really like Merida’s own lock-on grips. These feature a tapered profile and a high-traction tread pattern that provides a positive connection even in wet conditions. My bottom was less fond of the firm and racy Proxim saddle however, which seems out of place on a big travel e-MTB.

Suspension setup

With no detailed suspension setup recommendations from Merida, I started out with 30% sag for the Float X2 shock. This required 175psi to support my 68kg riding weight, and from there I went with the damping recommendations in the Fox online manual. I ended up on the slower side of the range for rebound settings, and went a touch lighter on compression damping to maximise sensitivity.

When it came to the 38 GRIP2 fork, I found it was much too firm and progressive using Fox’s recommendations. As well as dropping the air pressure from 80 to 72psi, I removed all three volume spacers to help free up the end of the travel. I also wound the two compression dials to within a couple of clicks of their lightest setting, all of which resulted in a much livelier feel that better matched the rear suspension.

Merida eOne-Sixty weight

Our Merida eOne-Sixty 10K test bike weighs 22.5kg without pedals and with the tyres set up tubeless.

That’s a good number for a full-powered e-MTB, though it isn’t that much lighter than the eOne-Sixty 9000 we reviewed back in 2021, which had heavier alloy wheels as well as a slightly bigger and removable 630Wh battery. It also cost $4K less.

Of course there are some important points of difference with the new bike. There’s the significant increase in travel, a bigger Float X2 shock and a much longer travel dropper post with a 34.9mm outer diameter.

The rest of the build kit is similarly geared towards performance and durability over outright weight. That includes the e-specific DT Swiss wheels that feature thicker carbon rim walls, heavy duty spokes and bigger hubs with reinforced internals. We’re also happy to see proper Maxxis tyres as standard with an EXO+ casing up front and a DoubleDown casing for the rear. I was still a bit nervous about the carbon rims though, so I fitted a CushCore eMTB insert in the rear wheel for some added protection. Tyre pressures varied from 19-21psi up front and 22-25psi at the rear.

What do we dig about the Merida eOne-Sixty?

Out on the trail the new Merida eOne-Sixty carries over much of what we loved about its non-motorised counterpart. The suspension is plush and effective, offering even greater reactivity due to the improved sprung-to-unsprung mass ratio. With the extra weight in the downtube and BB junction, the eOne-Sixty is more planted as the wheels track the ground.

There’s tonnes of stability from the big 38 fork and Float X2 shock, which afford a smooth and really well-damped ride quality that boosts confidence levels when you’re hitting drops and launching into ugly rock gardens.

Also noticeable (or to be more accurate not noticeable) is the lack of noise and vibration on the descents. The whole bike is quiet and nicely damped, with only the faintest rattle emanating from the Shimano EP801 drive unit. This differed to Michael’s recent experience with the same motor on the Santa Cruz Bullit, so perhaps we got lucky with this particular drive unit or the eOne-Sixty frame is just better at insulating noise.

Merida’s ribbed chainstay protector is certainly effective at dulling drivetrain chatter, and it’s great to see loads of armour covering the downtube with a thick plastic skid plate underneath the motor.

All-round entertainer

I’m also a big fan of the mullet setup, which provides a notable advantage when riding fast and twisty singletrack. Indeed the eOne-Sixty is surprisingly agile and intuitive to ride given its abundant travel. Sure it’s no lightweight trail bike, but it possesses a willingness to tip in and out of sharp corners and berms unlike many other e-MTBs in this category.

Traction is plentiful thanks to the supple suspension and top-notch tyre spec, which allows you to make the most of the enthusiastic handling. The thick casings and soft rubber contribute to the overall impact-soaking ride quality of the eOne-Sixty, while also allowing you to commit to aggressive lean angles.

Despite its sensitivity, the suspension delivers plenty of support. As a result, that 174mm of travel doesn’t completely melt underneath you when riding flowier trails. There’s good feedback through the pedals, giving you a useful platform to push against and rewarding you when pumping the bike through rolling terrain. It takes to the air with ease, popping off of lips and connecting transitions with youthful eagerness. And should you misjudge the landing, there’s plenty of travel to soak up the impending impact.

All of this is to say that the eOne-Sixty isn’t a total e-Barge. Yes it’s plush and stable, and it loves to rumble descents absolutely flat-out. But it’s not as tractor-like as others in this travel bracket, particularly those that use dual 29in wheels like the Orbea Wild and GasGas ECC 6. Of course the in-built flip chip means a 29er rear wheel will slot in if you’re chasing more grip and stability. You could also extend the fork to 180mm, and there’s always the option of fitting a coil shock if you were keen on a self-shuttling gravity rig.

Any downsides?

Though it is a remarkably well balanced e-MTB, the burlier suspension and updated geometry means the new Merida eOne-Sixty places a stronger emphasis on descending stability over its predecessor. I suspect that’s what most customers will be looking for, but it has to be said that some of the pop and agility of the previous version that we loved so much has been sacrificed in the pursuit of more travel.

Comparing the two bikes directly, the new eOne-Sixty has a longer rear centre (446 vs 439mm) and wheelbase (1244 vs 1212mm). This extends the gap between your hands and the rear axle, making for a longer lever to pull against when trying to lift up the front wheel. For a skinny-armed rider like me, that makes things a bit harder when you want to fool around and work the terrain. The Float X2 shock is more traction-biased as well, further strengthening the connection between the tyres and the ground.

The upside is that the new eOne-Sixty is far more confidence-inspiring when the trail gets rough and the speed is high. It’s plusher, grippier and more stable overall. And compared to its peers, the eOne-Sixty is still one of the most fun and intuitive e-MTBs I’ve ridden.

I should also acknowledge that having just come off the back of testing a string of sub-20kg e-MTBs, the extra mass and length of the eOne-Sixty was more noticeable.

Speaking of lightweight e-MTBs, I’m curious as to whether Merida will dip its toes into that category anytime soon. I’m also interested to see if it’ll offer the shorter travel eOne-Forty platform in a higher end spec. Currently the eOne-Forty is only produced with the heavier alloy frame and 750Wh battery, but I think there’s an opportunity to have a lighter and slightly shorter travel e-MTB for those who are less gravity-focussed.

The Shimano EP801 motor

The eOne-Sixty set the scene for my first proper on-trail test of the Shimano EP801 motor. It’s proven to be a perky and powerful performer, offering greater support at lower cadences compared to the previous EP8 drive unit.

That’s been welcome on steeper gradients, where you’re treated to plenty of grip from the eOne-Sixty’s supple suspension and aggressive Minion DHR II rear tyre. Combined with the steep seat tube angle and moderate chainstay length, it’s a brilliant technical climber.

That being said, I haven’t found the EP801 drive unit to be quite as intuitive as the Bosch CX and SX motors I’ve been testing lately. It isn’t as reactive to changes in cadence or input torque, with some occasional surging when I would back off the pedals, or a touch of lag when I was trying to wind them up. The cutoff at 25km/h is also fairly abrupt and could certainly taper down more smoothly.

We’re not talking a monumental difference here, and within a few rides I had gotten used to the EP801 motor. There’s also plenty of tuning options via the E-Tube app, which allows you to adjust the Assist Start and Assist Character for each mode. There’s also a Fine Tune mode that gives you up to 15 levels of assistance that means you can more easily level increase or decrease the motor’s support during a ride.

Pairing your bike to the E-Tube app is still clunky though, and you can only do so when stationary. After tuning the motor you’ll need to manually disconnect the app before you can ride away. Want to make another adjustment or check the battery level? You’ll have to go through the pairing process all over again.

The on-bike interface otherwise works well with tactile buttons and a vibrant display. It’s not as tidy as the wireless setups from SRAM and Bosch, and annoyingly the battery status continues to be displayed in just five bars. You don’t even get a battery percentage in the app, which instead displays a tiny symbol with 10 difficult-to-read bars. There’s definitely some room for improvement here.

Range testing with the Merida eOne-Sixty

I’ve generally been riding the Merida eOne-Sixty with the Shimano EP801 motor set to the Trail mode. On flatter terrain I’ve been able to notch up 70km of riding with 1,200m of elevation gain. On more technical test loops with steeper singletrack climbs, my longest rides were a bit over 50km with around 1,400m of climbing.

I also subjected the eOne-Sixty to our standardised range test, setting the motor to the most powerful Boost setting to see how many laps I could get in before the battery went flat. Here’s how it fared against the competition;

• Norco Sight VLT (Shimano EP8, 900Wh Battery) – 2,478m climbing
• Canyon Spectral:ON (Shimano EP8, 900Wh Battery) – 2,451m climbing
• Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 (Bosch Performance CX, 750Wh Battery) – 2,320m climbing
• Merida eOne-Sixty (Shimano EP801, 600Wh Battery) – 2,114m climbing
• Rocky Mountain Altitude (Dyname 4.0, 720Wh Battery) – 2,108m climbing
• Scott Patron (Bosch Performance CX, 750Wh Battery) – 2,079m climbing
• Focus JAM² SL (Fazua Ride 60, 430Wh Battery) – 1,665m climbing
• Scott Lumen (TQ-HPR50, 360Wh Battery) – 1,567m climbing
• Orbea Rise (Shimano EP8-RS, 360Wh Battery) – 1,388m climbing
• Norco Fluid VLT (Bosch Performance SX, 400Wh Battery) – 1,361m climbing
• Trek Fuel EXe (TQ-HPR50, 360Wh Battery) – 1,312m climbing
• Scott Voltage (TQ-HPR50, 360Wh Battery) – 1,311m climbing
• Specialized Levo SL (SL 1.2, 320Wh Battery) – 1,307m climbing
• Giant Trance X E+ Elite (SyncDrive Pro, 400Wh Battery) – 1,057m climbing
• Specialized Kenevo SL (SL 1.1, 320Wh Battery) – 1,053m climbing

Given it ‘only’ has a 600Wh battery, I was impressed to see the eOne-Sixty clock up over 2,000m of elevation gain during the range test. This was more than the Scott Patron, which comes with a much bigger 750Wh battery. Proof then that it isn’t just the size of your battery, it’s what you do with it that counts!

On that note, the Shimano system will automatically drop the motor’s output when you dip below the final bar on the battery indicator. There’s another drop in support around the 10% mark, and then at 5% you’ll enter proper emergency eco mode. This step-down in power can be annoying if you’ve been riding in Boost all day, but it does help to eke out the last few watt-hours.

Uh-oh, emergency eco!

Following my range test aboard the Merida eOne-Sixty, I recharged the battery to head out for another ride the next day. Strangely the motor felt like it was still stuck in emergency eco, barely producing any power regardless of the assist mode I selected. There were no obvious error messages in the app, and no amount of fiddling with the motor’s tuning options seemed to help.

We plugged the bike into the diagnostic software at the local Merida dealership, and again there were no obvious errors flagged. One variable in the equation was the Trendpower battery, which is the only non-Shimano component that makes up the motor system. As such, Shimano Australia couldn’t help us with our dilema.

In the end, Merida’s local distributor, Advance Traders, organised to have a new battery sent out and fitted to our test bike. Once plugged in, everything returned back to normal.

Of course this was a disappointing experience to have with a bike that costs $16K, which was made all the more frustrating given Shimano’s app and dealer software weren’t able to detect the issue with the battery. However, we’ve since been informed that the battery on our pre-production test bike had the wrong firmware installed, leading to the power reduction issue after it had been run flat during the range test. Merida has assured us that production bikes will come with the new battery and correct firmware from the factory, which means it should be an isolated incident. If a customer were to encounter a similar problem, it’s worth noting that it would be sorted out under warranty.

Value for money

I won’t try and convince you that the Merida eOne-Sixty 10K is a cheap bike. But given the top-end Fox Factory Series suspension, SRAM XX Transmission and DT Swiss carbon wheels, the $15,999 AUD asking price is actually quite impressive compared to the competition. Factoring in the spec, it is considerably cheaper than the Santa Cruz Bullit X0 RSV ($17,999 AUD), Pivot Shuttle LT ($18,999 AUD), Orbea Wild M-LTD ($20,999 AUD), and Specialized S-Works Levo ($23,500 AUD).

Of course those are all very expensive options. If you’re a reasonable adult that isn’t looking at spending that kind of coin, I reckon the eOne-Sixty 8000 is the performance pick of the range at $11,999 AUD. And if you don’t mind some extra weight, the alloy eOne-Sixty 875 offers an incredible package for $9,499 AUD. Even the entry-level eOne-Sixty 400 comes stacked with name-brand components at a price that many of Merida’s competitors struggle to hit.

Component highs & lows

As for the component package on our Merida eOne-Sixty 10K test bike, the Fox suspension, DT Swiss wheels, Maxxis tyres and SRAM Transmission are all notable highlights.

I also love the light and sharp lever feel of the Code Ultimates, which bring plenty of power thanks to a whopping 220mm rotor up front. No doubt there’ll be eOne-Sixty owners eyeing up the new SRAM Maven brakes for even more power.

I’ve been less stoked with Merida’s Team TR II dropper. The original post on our test bike exhibited a heap of friction and we struggled to get the travel adjust mechanism to work. Merida sent out a replacement that was thankfully a lot better. The travel adjuster still isn’t foolproof, but it actually works unlike the first generation posts we encountered last year.

The action leaves a bit to be desired, with a sluggish return speed that slows down a lot before it reaches full extension. I soon learned to hold the lever down longer to give the post time to fully extend, otherwise I found the saddle height was lower than ideal. There’s also no top-out noise, and overall it’s just not as slick as the latest Fox Transfer and BikeYoke Revive 3.0 I’ve been using lately.

Furthermore, because the seatpost has so much insertion in the frame it’s difficult to trim the cable short enough. This results in a lengthy loop in front of the bars, contributing to the excess of wires from the Shimano system and integrated Lezyne headlight. The light is a nice idea for commuting, but it’s not powerful enough for proper off-road use.

Of course the headset routing makes things harder to deal with when it comes time to replace a cable. Even just removing the fork to send it off for a service becomes a frustrating affair unless you’re lucky enough to possess three hands. That said, the new generation Acros headset uses a split top cap to make things a little easier, and so far there’s been none of the creaking or cable-chewing that we encountered on the regular One-Sixty. Hopefully it stays that way, but we’d still prefer to see a regular headset and conventional cable routing in the first place.

There are otherwise some great details incorporated into the design of the eOne-Sixty. There’s heaps of room to carry a proper size bottle, while accessory mounts along the top tube give you a useful spot to stow spares. You’ll find a hidden hex key inside the rear thru-axle lever, a multi-tool underneath the saddle, and plenty of frame protection including a robust bolt-on mudguard.

Flow’s Verdict

With its new generation chassis the Merida eOne-Sixty continues to be one of our favourite e-MTBs on the market.

The increase in travel and updated kinematics have elevated its technical capabilities, offering more grip and stability when you’re thumping across chunky terrain. It still handles like a champ thanks to its mullet setup and supportive suspension platform, and that makes it surprisingly versatile and fun to ride for such a long travel e-MTB.

It’s worth reiterating that Merida has biased the eOne-Sixty further towards descending, though for many riders that will be exactly what they’re after. Indeed it’s a confidence-inspiring bike whether you’re a newer rider or someone who’s looking to take on the rowdiest black diamond singletrack.

We aren’t exactly in love with the adjustable dropper post or headset cable routing, and there’s room for refinement when it comes to the Shimano system and user interface. The EP801 motor delivers plenty of perky support though, and the ability to add on a 360Wh range extender will be appealing for those looking to tackle huge all-day epics. Considering there are eight models to choose from across a broad range of price points, there’s likely to be an eOne-Sixty to suit most rider’s budgets.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER - Wil Barrett

Hometown

Bendigo, Victoria

Height

175cm

Weight65kg